Staff Bios
Dana J. Doody
Executive Director
Dana J. Doody is the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens. Doody brings more than 13 years of nonprofit experience to the position and most recently served as director of development with the North Florida Land Trust, where she raised more than $3 million. She is also is a Florida Master Naturalist (Uplands Graduate).
Previously, Dana worked as an Account Manager for the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she created the Health Council for the Chamber – which remains one of the chamber’s most successful councils. She also worked with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where she oversaw three events and added a new event – CF Climb – which was well-received for the town of Gainesville. She was named a Jacksonville Business Journal ‘Woman of Influence’ in 2018.
Doody grew up on the Westside of Jacksonville and attended Florida State College at Jacksonville. She is also a graduate of the Presidents Program of Sandler Sales Institute.
Shayan Khatibi
Horticulturist
Shayan Khatibi’s fascination with plants and his passion for horticulture stem from experiences gardening with his grandfather as a child. He continued to cultivate plants through his youth and he took a strong liking to vegetable gardening.
In 2011, Shayan earned a degree in biology from the University of Central Florida where he focused his coursework on botany and biochemistry. Since then he has taken on many professional horticultural roles working for companies like Walt Disney World, Knox Nursery and KYV Farms.
The arboretum allows him to combine the art of design and the science of horticulture for the visitors pleasure. He is very excited to work with the community to cultivate the arboretum to its fullest potential.
The mature trees create unique microclimates where we can incorporate new specimens and push the limits of our zone. In addition, the pond and elevation changes give us the opportunity to showcase some of the native plants that gave Florida its name. This is truly a special piece of land and he looks forward to cultivating and stewarding it for all of us. Khatibi joined as Horticulturist in August 2019.