UK names Wall to lead The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 3, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) has named Michael Wall, Ph.D., as director of The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. He will begin his role on June 1.
The Arboretum, a 100-acre public garden on UK’s campus, showcases Kentucky’s landscapes and serves as a resource center for environmental and horticultural education, research and conservation. The property receives more than 500,000 visitors annually.
Wall brings more than 15 years of leadership experience spanning research institutions, museums and nonprofit organizations, with a career focused on connecting science, education and public engagement.
“I am honored to join the University of Kentucky and to serve as director of The Arboretum,” Wall said. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff and the community to strengthen The Arboretum’s role as both a living laboratory and a place where people can connect with science and nature in meaningful ways.”
Wall currently serves as executive director of the Balsam Mountain Trust in North Carolina, where he leads conservation, education and strategic planning efforts for a regional nature center.
Prior to that role, Wall spent more than a decade at the San Diego Natural History Museum, where he held several leadership positions, including vice president of science and conservation and vice president of research and public programs. In those roles, he led major research initiatives and oversaw the development of large-scale public exhibitions.
Wall holds a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Connecticut, along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in botany from Auburn University.
“Dr. Wall brings an exceptional combination of scientific expertise, leadership experience and a deep commitment to public engagement,” said Laura Stephenson, Ph.D., vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “As a land-grant institution, one of our responsibilities is to connect university knowledge with Kentucky communities in ways that improve lives. Dr. Wall has built his career around that very principle — translating research into meaningful and accessible experiences. We are confident he will expand The Arboretum’s impact across Kentucky and beyond.”
Wall succeeds Scott Smith, who has served as interim director since August 2024.
Learn more about The Arboretum at arboretum.ca.uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.