NAJGA Board & Staff

LARRY ROSENSWEIG

Board President

Larry Rosensweig is president of LFR Consulting whose mission is building capacity for museums, gardens and other nonprofits. He was the founding Director of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida, growing the organization from a startup to a $4 million annual budget, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and a $5 million endowment. As the Norton Museum of Art’s Director of Advancement, he raised $4-$6 million a year for operations and personally solicited and closed gifts from $100,000 to $3.5 million. Larry earned his BA and MA in East Asian Studies from Harvard and University of Michigan, respectively, and lived in Japan for two years. He periodically organizes and leads study tours of Japan.

JEANETTE SCHELIN

VICE PRESIDENT

With a background in non-profit management, Ms. Schelin assumed responsibility for managing the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (EBMJG), California State University, Long Beach in 1995. With a staff of three full time employees, approximately 25 part time employees, and more than 500 volunteers, EBMJG’s mission is focused on cultural education for the CSULB campus and community. Under her direction EBMJG has been recognized by garden scholars as one of the most widely utilized and socially conscience gardens in North America. Amongst her academic and creative activities, Ms. Schelin serves as the editor of The Lantern, a CSULB publication that has won numerous awards and co-chaired the International Conference of Japanese Gardens held in Long Beach in March 2009. She is a founding member of the board of the North American Japanese Garden Association, currently serving as Vice President and serves on the CSULB Sustainability Task Force. The EBMJG was acknowledged for Excellence in Sustainability by the California Secretary of Natural Resources and the California Museums Association in 2018. Ms. Schelin is the recipient of the David Gray Leadership Award from CSULB. She serves on numerous boards and community committees including the Long Beach-Yokkaichi Sister City Association, The Museum of Teaching and Learning, and the Howard Asian Art Collection. 

LUANNE KANZAWA

PAST PRESIDENT

Executive Director Japanese Friendship Garden Society San Diego, CA Luanne Kanzawa is Executive Director of the Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego.  Luanne’s extensive background in nonprofit leadership and management provides direction and support for the Japanese Friendship Garden Board and staff. With a passion for working with nonprofit organizations, and her enthusiasm for serving the community, Luanne currently serves on the board of Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, Balboa Park Committee and California Association of Museums. Luanne holds degree in  B.S. in Psychology, certification in Professional Grant Writing, and a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from University of San Diego.

Luanne served as the 2018-2019  president of the North American Japanese Garden Association.

DON MEINERS

Treasurer

Don has never been associated with Japanese gardens in a professional capacity. He has loved gardens since he was very young, and decided early on that Japanese gardens are the most remarkable of all. He is a retired software engineer / project manager. He and his wife Akiko reside on acreage in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area, where they maintain a tea garden, a (koi) pond and hill garden, and a large pond that is a work in progress. Akiko is active in the Urasenke school,and hosts tea ceremonies in their home.

BRIAN PENDLETON

Secretary and Journal Editor

Professor Emeritus (Asian Studies), Langara College, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Brian has studied traditional and contemporary Japanese architecture, garden theory and practice in Kyoto and Tokyo, and is an ongoing speaker at seminars and conferences on historical and contemporary gardens and architecture. He is a member of the Nitobe Memorial Japanese Garden Advisory Committee and a former member of the Dr. Sun Yatsen Classical Chinese Garden Board of Trustees in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has also been a faculty member at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia teaching courses on Japanese and Chinese Gardens, Aesthetics, Historical and Contemporary Society, and International Relations.