GALA CHAIRS

Laura Dowling
Gala Chair, AHS Board Member

Laura Dowling served as Chief Floral Design at the White House, from 2009 until 2015, where she managed White House floral design for thousands of officials, private events, and large-scale installations including the iconic White House Christmas. She created lush and lively floral arrangements that graced numerous rooms throughout the White House and launched innovative partnerships with the nation’s top artists and designers, creating imaginative, cutting-edge décor and flowers.  

She has authored four books and is a featured speaker at leading flower shows, museums and cultural institutions across the country. Her flower designs have been featured in design magazines and on Home and Garden Television (HGTV).

Amongst her many achievements, Laura was commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service to design a collection of four holiday wreath stamps, awarded the “Distinguished Flower Ambassador” by the Royal Horticultural Society, and the “Great American Gardeners Award” by the American Horticultural Society, and will go on a nationwide tour with USA Today as part of their “Food and Wine Experience,” where she will present flower demonstrations.   
 
A native of Chehalis, Washington, Laura received an Associate of Arts degree from Centralia College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington in Seattle. She currently serves on the Board of the AHS.

Amy Golden
Gala Co-Chair, AHS Board Member

Amy Golden is Vice President Development – Strategic Services at World Wildlife Fund.  Earlier, Ms. Golden was Executive Director of ecoAmerica, a national nonprofit creating social engagement programs to build awareness and action around solutions to environmental challenges.  Prior to ecoAmerica, she served The Nature Conservancy for eight years—first as Director of Membership and Advancement Services; then as acting Chief Marketing, Membership and Philanthropy Officer; and most recently as Chief Conservation Operating Officer.

Before making the transition to a career in conservation, Ms. Golden held leadership roles at AOL, Time Life and American Express. Current and prior Board positions include the American Horticultural Society, International Eye Foundation, ecoAmerica, and Earthshare.  Ms. Golden graduated from the Harvard Business School and Brown University. She is passionate about native plants and pollinator gardens.  

Cindy Conner
Gala Co-Chair

Cindy Conner is a principal in Cebelle Holdings Corporation, a commercial real estate development, investment, and management company. Prior to her involvement with Cebelle, she founded In By Ten, Inc. which designed and manufactured a line of special occasion clothing for young girls in 180 stores across the country. She previously worked for many years in marketing and public relations for a Fortune 100 company as well as nonprofit arts organizations. Cindy also has served on the boards of several arts and historic preservation organizations and currently serves on the board of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Cameron Hardesty
Young Friends Chair

Cameron Hardesty, a Dallas native, is the founder and owner of Poppy, a flower studio that uses technology, a network of design specialists, and best practices in supply chain and quality control management to deliver affordable, beautiful flowers for weddings and events.  

Cameron began her professional career in communications working for the Commissioner’s Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, global firm Edelman in Washington, D.C., and at The White House Office of Drug Control Policy’s communications shop during the Obama administration. At the White House, she pursued her passion for flowers, volunteering her after-hours time in the East Wing’s flower shop as a protege of Chief Floral Designer, Laura Dowling.

In 2015, Cameron was recruited to join the executive team at UrbanStems as Head of Merchandising, working with farms throughout South America, Holland and the U.S. while continuing her floral design training at workshops with master florists both in the U.S. and Germany. 
 
She is an alumna of Davidson College, where she graduated cum laude with departmental honors in English, and was a four-year NCAA Division 1 soccer player who competed in the U-19 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship in 2004. 

Pamela Wurst Vetrini
Young Friends Co-Chair

Pamela lives in the Rosemont neighborhood of Alexandria where she works as a social media consultant. She has an engaged social media following of over 100,000 and often goes viral for helping the older generation navigate the latest Tik Tok trends. Having grown up on a farm in South Georgia, Pamela loves spending time in the beautiful children’s garden at River Farm with her little ones. Pamela is a hobby florist and an active member of the Old Presbyterian Meeting House Flower Committee.