Grounds & Horticulture Staff

Jeff Jabco

Jeff serves as the Director of Grounds and Coordinator of Horticulture for the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, and has been on staff since 1990.  Before coming to Swarthmore, he worked for Penn State University Cooperative Extension as a horticulture agent in southeastern Pennsylvania.  He also owned and operated a garden design and vegetable production business.  Jeff is a graduate of Penn State University and has a Master's degree from North Carolina State University in horticulture/plant breeding and plant pathology.

Jerry Schrack

Jerry, Assistant Director and Horticulture, Joined the staff in April, 2019.  Previously, Jerry served as Director of Operations at the Philadelphia Zoo for 16 years.  Prior to the Zoo, Jerry served as a Horticulturist for the Smithsonian Institution and USDA-Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.  He also worked for the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Brickman Group.  Jerry has a BS in Landscape Contracting from Penn State University and is a certified arborist with International Society of Arboriculture.  He lives in Wilmington with his wife and 3 kids.

Ian Altamuro

Athletic Field Supervisor, joined the staff full-time in 2022.  Previously, he spent multiple years with both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders on their ground crews.  Also spent time on the Penn State Baseball grounds crew and has managed other athletic facilities in New Jersey and Virginia.  Ian holds a Bachelor's Degree in Turfgrass Science from Penn State University. 

Justin Collins

Grounds Mechanic, joined the staff full-time in 2021.  Justin has his ITTI Welding Certification and attended Community College of Philadelphia.

Sandra Lopez Cortez

Sandra grew up in Guanajuato, Mexico and moved to Kennett Square at age 14.  She attended Penn State University for three semesters then continued her education at Longwood Gardens.  Sandra graduated from the Professional Gardener Program at Longwood in 2013 and worked at Doe Run Farm LLC in Coatesville for a year growing vegetables and micro greens.  She became a member of the Scott Arboretum Staff in 2015.   She has a BS in plant science from the University of Delaware.

Andrew DeGothseir

Andrew joined the staff in 2019.  He holds a Bachelors degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Environmental Design from Delaware Valley University.  Before joining the horticulture staff, he worked at Haverford College, the Westtown School, Henry Schmieder Arboretum, the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and Germantown Friends School where he was instrumental in creating the Betty Cary Arboretum.

Rebecca "Beck" Armstrong

Beck was the Assistant Manager in the Nursery/Perennials Department at Wedgewood Gardens in Glen Mills. She also worked as a farmhand at Anchor Run Farm CSA in Bucks County, a gardener at Roots Landscaping in Glen Mills, was a temporary gardener with The Scott Arboretum, and maintains many private gardens in the Philadelphia area. Beck completed a 3 month internship with Aprovecho Sustainability Research Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon, and a summer internship with the Scott Arboretum. Beck is presently pursuing a horticulture certificate from the Barnes Arboretum at St. Joseph’s University.

William R. Evans, Jr.

Will joined the staff in 1989.  Prior to that he worked at Chessick's Wholesale Greenhouses propagating poinsettias, and Wolff's Farmer's Market in plant sales, orchard pruning and harvesting.

Adam Glas

Adam, Garden Supervisor, joined the staff in 2012.  Prior to that, he worked as Nursery Manager at Terrain at Styler's Nursery in Glen Mills.  He was accepted into the Longwood Gardens Professional Gardener (PG) training program, completing that program in 2006.  He has served as President for the PG Alumni association and Vice President of the Board of Managers at Chenoa Manor.  Adam studied Horticulture and Landscape Design at the University of Wisconsin River Falls.

Charles Hinkle

Chuck, Garden Supervisor, joined the staff full-time in 1998.  Previously, he was a gardener at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia and an instructor at Temple University.    He holds a Bachelors Degree  in Horticulture from Temple University, and has completed Longwood Gardens series I and II in Ornamental Plants.  

Nick Lang

Athletic Field Maintenance Crew Member/Gardener, joined the staff in September 2021. Previously, he owned and operated a landscaping company in Montgomery County for six years.

Kaitlyn Lawrence

Gardener, joined the staff in 2022. Prior to joining the Scott Arboretum, she was the Horticulturist Assistant/Foreman at David Brothers Landscape Services based in Norristown, Pa. She also worked at West Laurel Hill and Laurel Hill Cemeteries as a horticulturist from 2019-2020 and had the opportunity to assist with planning and leading events for volunteers. Kaitlyn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Anthropology/Sociology with a minor in Food Studies from Ursinus College. Upon graduation, she worked as a research assistant in the biology department of Ursinus College for a year, collecting and cataloging native grasses and planting crops at their organic farm. She interned at the Speaker’s House Museum in Trappe, Pennsylvania, where she designed and coordinated restoration of two pollinator gardens on historic sites. Kaitlyn is presently pursuing a horticulture certificate from the Barnes Arboretum at St. Joseph’s University.

Susan McGinley

Susan graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture from Temple University, Ambler, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cabrini College in Radnor, PA.  Before joining the horticulture staff at the Scott Arboretum in April 2001, Susan worked as a research biologist, and has gardened at Chanticleer in Wayne, PA, Smith & Hawken in Rosemont, PA, and also worked with Laurie Humphrey's landscape design and maintenance firm in Haverford.  Susan completed an internship at the Tyler Arboretum in Media, PA.

Stephanie Myers

Gardener, joined the staff in 2022.  Steph was the Greenhouse and Cutting Garden Horticulturist at Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington DE.  She was the Garden Club Organizer and volunteer at Lakeview Elementary. Formerly Steph was the Assistant Vineyard Manager of Salem Oak Vineyards in NJ. She holds a BS in Horticulture from Oregon State University College of Agriculture.

Dale Nemec

Dale, Gardener, has been with the staff since 2004.  Prior to Swarthmore he served as Grounds Maintenance Coordinator at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia for 23 years and horticulturalist at Villanova University for a year. In 1999, Dale earned a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture as well as an associate's degree in Landscape Design from Temple University.  Dale was born in Philadelphia and currently resides in Roxborough.

Lars Rasmussen

Lars graduated from Temple University, Ambler, with a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture and has an extensive background in growing greenhouse cut roses. Before becoming a member of the Scott Arboretum's horticultural staff in May 2001, and assistant garden supervisor and plant health in 2018, Lars was employed by Octararo Native Plant Nursery in Kirkwood PA.  and  Landstudies, Inc. in Litiz, PA where his focus was stream bank restoration and wetland installation.  Lars completed an internship at Mt. Cuba Center for the Study of Piedmont Flora in Greenville, DE and he has taken Longwood Gardens certificate classes.

Shem Ruszczyk

Assistant Gardens Supervisor, joined the staff in 2022. His horticulture career began at Longwood Gardens, where he completed the Professional Horticulture Program in 2017. Following graduation, Shem accepted a year-long apprenticeship position at Gravetye Manor, in East Grinstead, England. Prior to joining the Swarthmore team, Shem took care of the kitchen garden and orchard at Hagley Museum and Library. 

Abigail Urena Almonte

Abi holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from William Paterson University and recently completed the Longwood Gardens Professional Horticulture Program. During her time at Longwood Gardens, she was honored with the Lucie Ann Moon Hayward Award for outstanding gardening excellence. Prior to Longwood, Abi worked in public horticulture at Reeves-Reed Arboretum in New Jersey and maintained private gardens throughout NYC and NJ.