Mount Auburn Leadership

September 20, 2021

Mount Auburn’s leadership is responsible for advancing the Cemetery’s mission, vision, and values.



MATTHEW STEPHENS | President & CEO

Matthew Stephens serves as Mount Auburn Cemetery’s 14th President & CEO. Stephens, a vocal advocate for the power of green spaces in urban environments and an outstanding business leader with strong experience in strategic planning, joined Mount Auburn in September 2021.

“Mount Auburn has always been a leader in reimagining what cemeteries can be and how they can be a resource to the broader community. I look forward to developing a wave of new energy to further galvanize Mount Auburn Cemetery as a locally cherished and internationally recognized cultural institution.”

With more than 15 years of leadership experience, Stephens has managed historic, public-facing organizations with complex missions. He most recently served as the Director of the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and Botanical Garden. Previously, he led MillionTreesNYC under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the most ambitious and complex urban greening projects ever completed, where one million trees were planted throughout New York City. 

Stephens is a graduate of Illinois State University and earned his Master of Science in Public Horticulture from the University of Delaware in the prestigious Longwood Graduate Program.

Photograph of Matthew Stephens by Richard Morgenstein.

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Under the leadership of Matthew Stephens, Mount Auburn’s executive staff work collaboratively to oversee the Cemetery’s core areas of activity and achieve its strategic goals.

Joyce Bell, Interim CFO

Ronnit Bendavid-Val, Vice President of Horticulture & Landscape

Beth A. Brown, Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Gus Fraser, Vice President of Preservation & Facilities

Bree Harvey, Vice President of Cemetery & Visitor Services

Ann Sweeney, Vice President of People & Culture

GOVERNANCE

Mount Auburn Cemetery is governed and supported by a Board of Trustees that bring expertise from the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

The Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery, an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization with its own Executive Committee, supports the conservation of Mount Auburn’s natural and cultural resources and promotes public appreciation of the Cemetery’s many facets through programs and educational efforts. Funds raised through the Friends support visitor services, education, horticulture, preservation, and historical collections.

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