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Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center announced Angie Mason as the new executive director.

Mason comes to Shangri La from Chicago Botanic Garden, where she was employed for the past 19 years. She most recently served as the associate VP of community engagement and senior director of Windy City Harvest, where she oversaw all facets of engagement with the community and directed the operations.

Windy City Harvest is an urban agriculture education and job training program with 200 participants and a $3.8M budget.

Mason has been recognized with multiple awards and accolades, including the North Lawndale Spirit of Youth Development Award and the Illinois Governor’s Environmental Hero Award.

She is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she earned a B.S. in Plant and Soil Science, and an M.S. in Plant, Soil and General Agriculture.

During her early career, she served as adjunct faculty in horticulture at the Harold Washington College in Chicago.

Mason is known by colleagues as an outstanding and visionary leader, strategic thinker, collaborator, staff manager, and a national and international expert on urban agriculture, according to Shangri La officials.

“The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation is most fortunate to have her join our multi-faceted leadership team bringing vision and the right combination of competencies to nurture and strengthen Shangri La Gardens, a world-class nature center and living museum rich in educational opportunities,” a Shangri La release said.