{"id":1124,"date":"2025-02-28T10:16:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T15:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/?p=1124"},"modified":"2025-03-03T13:13:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T18:13:23","slug":"james-newburn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utia.tennessee.edu\/spotlights\/james-newburn\/","title":{"rendered":"James Newburn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Managing Director Nurtures the Growth of Plants and Future Horticulture Professionals at UT Gardens, Knoxville<\/a><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Where are you from, and how did your career lead you to UTIA? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was born in Poteau, Oklahoma, into an Indian Territory pioneer family, raised in the Ozark mountains of Missouri. I graduated high school in suburban Kansas City, and moved to Tennessee in 1983. In all those places we had gardens and flower beds, which I enjoyed working in. When I found out UT had a major in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design, I knew it was for me. I was going to make my avocation my vocation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What is your role within UTIA, and what do you do on a typical day? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am the Managing Director of UT Gardens, Knoxville<\/a>. Typically, I am behind a desk more than a horticulturist would prefer. This work involves budgets, fundraising, human resources, and communications. The fun part is designing new features and planning for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n

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