Our Team

Maura M. Brush

Maura M. Brush

总裁兼首席执行官

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.

Dan Albanese

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.

Lorraine Gilligan

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.

Image courtesy of Beata Wroblewski

Paul Hunchak

保罗·亨查克

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.

Kristen Reinertsen

克里斯汀·雷纳森

Kristen returned to Old Westbury Gardens in 2025 as the Development Director after serving as an Events Associate in 2008 and 2009. During her brief pause, Kristen started her family and worked as the Events Director at Tuesday’s Children from 2020–2025. Kristen’s passion for fundraising, her background in art history, and appreciation for all things outdoors led her back home to Old Westbury Gardens. She looks forward to working on OWG’s major fundraising events, like the Gardeners’ Fair, and expanding the Gardens’ reach through corporate sponsorships. In addition to managing her family of three younger children, Kristen loves running and has completed three marathons.

Board of Trustees


Carol E. Large

Chairman

Laureen S. Knutsen

Vice Chairman

Jack Foley

Secretary

John M. Deignan

Treasurer

Frederic M. Bancroft

Jacques Busquet

John S. P. Cochran

Michelle Gokey

Robert M. Johnston

Thammanoune Kannalikham

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

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.

Sealy H. Hopkinson

Albert Kalimian

Michael T. Keenan

Lucie Kinsolving

Paul J. Mateyunas

Patricia C. Montgomerie

Dorothy B. Moore

John S. Norbeck

Deirdre O’Connell

Luis E. Rinaldini

Hanna Robinson

Vickie V. Stanco

Richard Weir III

Eric A. Wheeler

George K. Wittlinger, Sr.