MISSION & HISTORY

Old Westbury Gardens, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the former home of John S. Phipps, his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps and their four children. Completed in 1906 by the English designer, George A. Crawley, the magnificent Charles II-style mansion is nestled amid 200 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes. Westbury House is furnished with fine English antiques and decorative arts from the more than fifty years of the family's residence.

Today, Old Westbury Gardens welcomes visitors of all ages for guided tours of Westbury House, in-depth tours of the formal gardens, school visits, children's programs and events, family programs, museum exhibitions, health & wellness classes, classic car shows, indoor and outdoor classical and pop concerts, lectures, book signings, horticultural demonstrations and workshops, Scottish Games, botanical arts and gardening classes, and Master Gardener and Educator-led talks and tours of topics relating to horticulture, art, history, design and architecture.

Our Mission, Old Westbury Gardens seeks to inspire appreciation of the early 20th century American country estate through faithful preservation and interpretation of its landscape, gardens, architecture, and collections.

We hope you enjoy our home!

MEET THE TEAM

MAURA M. BRUSHPresident & CEO

Maura began her career at Old Westbury Gardens as an intern in 1999. She joined the staff in 2000, shortly after earning her degree in Horticulture from the University of Maine, and was appointed Director of Horticulture in 2007. During her tenure many projects have been completed including a complete tree inventory, the commission of a Cultural Landscape Report, and the restoration of the South Allee. Having begun her career as an intern, Maura is very involved with the Horticultural Internship Program which has grown from one three-month intern to five interns with placements of six to eighteen months each.

Maura has always had a passion for Horticulture but through her work at Old Westbury Gardens, she has developed a particular focus on historic gardens and cultural landscapes. “A garden is never finished” says Maura. “There is always something to be planted, pruned, or weeded and it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks. But, always, there is a larger goal here and that is to make each visitor to our gardens feel as if they are guests of Margarita and Jay Phipps.”

In November 2023, Maura was named President & CEO of Old Westbury Gardens.

click name to read bio ✍

DAN ALBANESE
Chief Financial Officer

Dan joined Old Westbury Gardens in January 2020. He oversees all aspects of the organizations finances, including the development and management of budgets, preparation of financial statements and reporting to the Gardens’ Board, senior management and the public. He is also the Director of Human Resources. He has more than 13 years of public accounting experience serving a variety of clients in the nonprofit industry. His expertise includes recommendation of internal control structures and best practices, strategic planning, budgeting, financial statement preparation, exempt-organization tax filing, and board training.

Daniel Albanese is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and New York State Society of CPAs. Daniel holds a BBA in Accounting from Hofstra University.

PHIL FABRICATORE
Director of Maintenance and Operations

Phil joined Old Westbury Gardens in 2017. He brought with him the lessons and skills he amassed over a diverse and varied career. Growing up on Long Island afforded him a well-rounded education that included everything from academics and the arts to building and construction. After finishing his career with the Federal Aviation Administration, he moved to the Niagara region where he began his own business specializing in remodeling and restoration of older homes. The first project was a landmarked historical home built in the late 1800s, thus beginning his preparation to proudly join the Old Westbury Gardens team doing his part to help insure its continued upkeep for future generations to enjoy.

LORRAINE GILLIGAN
Director of Preservation

Lorraine has been Director of Preservation since 2008. Prior to her appointment, she was Executive Director of Planting Fields Foundation. She has extensive experience managing a variety of restoration and collections care projects. Most recently she oversaw the recreation of the Service Wing Portico and Courtyard, and is project manager for the restoration of Westbury House roof and terra cotta cornice. She has worked with conservators and contractors and has successfully secured funding for many projects. She is a graduate of the Attingham Summer School and has attended the Victorian Society study programs in London and Newport. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Binghamton University and the University of Chicago, respectively.

PAUL HUNCHAK
Director of Visitor Services and Public Programs

Paul Hunchak is a native of the Philadelphia suburbs and graduated from Kettering University in Flint, MI. For most of his professional career Paul has worked with nonprofit organizations with experience in administration, event management, and publishing. He joined Old Westbury Gardens in 2001 as Visitor Services Director and has been responsible for Gardens’ daily operations and public programs.

Paul's passion for history and background in interpretation provides the enthusiasm which he brings to the Gardens’ formal and informal education programs. He has lectured on the history of the Phipps estate as well as the designer of Westbury House, George Crawley. Paul oversees the planning, design, and installation of temporary exhibitions, most recently the Gardens’ exhibit: “The Great War: Portraits of Privilege, Duty, and Sacrifice.” He is currently overseeing the development of the upcoming “Back of the House” interpretation experience.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Carol E. Large
Chairman

Laureen S. Knutsen
Vice Chairman

Anne B. Byers
Secretary

John M. Deignan
Treasurer

Board of Trustees

Frederic M. Bancroft

Jacques Busquet

John S. P. Cochran

Jack Foley

Michelle Gokey

Robert F. Hussey

Robert M. Johnston

Albert Kalimian

Robert S. Lemle

Arthur S. Levine

Peter P. MacKinnon

Dita Amory Nickson

Jeffrey S. Phipps

Nathan Urbach

Lieta Urry

Lloyd P. Zuckerberg

Trustees Emeriti

Mary S. Phipps
Chairman Emerita

Arlene J. Blau

Susan Phipps Cochran

Ann B. Copeland

J. Oliver Crom

Emily T. Frick

Beatrice H. Guthrie

Eric Krasnoff

Advisors

Chris Bransfield

Jack Bransfield

William T. Comfort. Jr.

Nelson DeMille

Sealy H. Hopkinson

Michael T. Keenan

Lucie Kinsolving

Patricia C. Montgomerie

Dorothy B. Moore

John S. Norbeck

Deirdre O'Connell

Luis E. Rinaldini

Hanna Robinson

Vickie V. Stanco

Norman H. Volk

Richard Weir III

Eric A. Wheeler

George K. Wittlinger, Sr.

IN MEMORIAM

Mary S. Phipps

It is with deep sadness that we inform our friends and members of the passing of our Emeritus Trustee, Mary S. Phipps, on Thursday, October 20, 2022.

Mrs. Phipps became President and CEO of Old Westbury Gardens in 1978, and then Chairman of the Board from 1994 to 2012. Mrs. Phipps was known far and wide for her dedication to the best in public gardens and her commitment to horticulture. Her leadership created Old Westbury Gardens as it is today: a treasure of an American Garden, a resource for 70,000 visitors a year, an example of the best in horticulture, and a faithful record of an extraordinary era.

She will always exemplify the best of Old Westbury Gardens to our board, staff and the broader community.