Dear Garden Club of Jacksonville Members,
You told us in the membership survey that you want more opportunities to connect with your CEO and staff, share ideas, ask questions, and help shape the future of the Garden Club of Jacksonville. We heard you.
Beginning this month, CEO Sonja Jones will host monthly Member Open Hours on the second Friday of each month at 9am. These informal gatherings are an opportunity to meet with Sonja and members of the staff, get to know each other better, share your thoughts, and have open conversations about the Garden Club. Space will be limited each month so that the gatherings remain personal, welcoming, and conducive to meaningful conversation.
Why Sonja Jones?
Since being elected by the Board of Trustees and beginning her role on December 1, 2025, Sonja has approached the Garden Club with a deep appreciation for its remarkable history and a strong commitment to building its future.
She brings more than three decades of leadership experience across nonprofit organizations, healthcare, technology, publishing, business transformation, and Fortune 500 organizations. Throughout her career, she has led strategic planning, operational improvements, technology initiatives, fundraising, revenue growth, cost management, and organizational transformation.
That experience is especially valuable to the Garden Club as we work to strengthen our organization, increase membership, expand our community impact, improve our operations, increase staff and member engagement, grow revenue, and position the Club for long-term sustainability.
Sonja’s leadership also aligns closely with our 2024–2029 Strategic Plan. Her focus is on turning our strategic priorities into measurable action—while ensuring that our members remain at the center of the organization.
What does that mean for our members?
It means working to create a Garden Club that is:
- More connected — strengthening communication, fellowship, and engagement among members.
- More welcoming — expanding opportunities for people to participate, contribute, and find their place within the Club.
- More visible — increasing awareness of the Garden Club and the important work our members do throughout Jacksonville.
- More innovative — developing programs, partnerships, and educational opportunities that reflect the interests and needs of today’s community.
- More financially sustainable — strengthening membership, programs, rentals, fundraising, and other revenue opportunities so the Club can thrive for generations.
- More operationally effective — improving processes, systems, and resources so staff and volunteers can spend more time focused on mission and members.
- More connected to the community — expanding partnerships and demonstrating the Garden Club’s impact in horticulture, environmental stewardship, education, wellness, and civic engagement.
Sonja brings professional credentials including Project Management Professional (PMP), SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM), Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), and Professional Scrum Master (PSM). Her work has been recognized for operations innovation and leadership, and she continues to serve in a variety of volunteer and community leadership roles.
But what matters most is not a list of credentials.
Sonja believes leadership is about service.
Her commitment to service began with her family and their deep roots in education, healthcare, faith, civic engagement, and community service. Those experiences taught her that strong organizations are built by people who care deeply, listen to others, work together, and create opportunities for others to thrive.
As CEO, Sonja’s vision is straightforward:
Honor our history. Strengthen our organization. Expand our reach. Engage our members. And make the Garden Club of Jacksonville an even more meaningful resource for our members and our community.
We invite you to get to know Sonja, share your ideas, and be part of the conversation about where the Garden Club goes next.
Watch for the monthly Member Open Hours announcement and reserve your place. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Garden Club of Jacksonville