Debra Bailey Mitchell

Job Title: FOUNDERS MEMORIAL GARDEN CURATOR/INSTRUCTOR

Biographical Information

Prior to joining the College of Environment + Design as Curator/Instructor at the Founders Memorial Garden, Debbie Mitchell held positions as education coordinator and curator at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, as well as an AmeriCorps VISTA and secondary science teacher with the Clarke County School District. She brings more than twenty years of experience as an environmental educator, classroom science teacher and professional gardener. Growing up in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina, Debbie enjoyed attending programs at Reynolda Gardens and Old Salem that sparked an interest in historic sites. This interest continued with summer employment in Williamsburg, VA while completing a pre-med biology undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Upon graduation, Debbie ventured to various parts of the United States, exploring national parks and gaining diverse work experiences in the field of science, including positions as a veterinary technician, as a marine laboratory assistant and in water quality research. Both her master’s degree and PhD were earned in Science Education from the Mary Frances Early College of Education at UGA. Her doctoral research focused on the pragmatism of school gardens, specifically on how experiential learning in the outdoors can merge scientific understandings with environmental stewardship and social justice. She looks forward to continuing to cultivate these connections in her new position at the Founders Garden.

Education

PhD Science Education, University of Georgia
MA Science Education, University of Georgia
BS Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte