President
A native of Staten Island, New York, Donna and her family moved to a small pecan farm in Elloree, South Carolina, in 2001. Many sacks of pecans were harvested during those first few years, and in her opinion, there is nothing like a fresh-picked buttery pecan! Donna is the mother of three grown sons and Mimi to seven grandchildren. She was a Registered Nurse for thirty-eight years, specializing and RNC Certified in Labor & Delivery and Perinatal Nursing.
For the first half of her adult life, she dedicated 23 years to volunteering at the Staten Island Historical Society. Shortly after relocating to the Southern Hemisphere, she joined the Elloree Garden Club. Donna discovered that being part of a garden club was more than just about gardening; she found it gave her a complete sense of well-being and provided excellent programs. Over the years, Donna has taken advantage of educational opportunities offered by NGC and became an NGC Accredited Master Flower Show Judge, a Landscape Design Consultant, and a member of NFA and CFAA.
She has held several chair positions on the Board of Directors of The Garden Club of South Carolina (GCSC), including District Director and State President in 2017. Donna has served on the South Atlantic Region (SAR) Board of Directors since 2011. Since 2015, she has been part of the National Garden Club’s Board of Directors and is currently the 49th NGC President for the 2025-2027 term.
Additionally, Donna is proud to be a certified South Carolina Wildlife Federation Pro-Birder and a Yellowstone National Park Junior Ranger.
First Vice President
Gerianne Holzman, the First Vice President of the National Garden Clubs and former editor of The National Gardener, is a long-time member of the Sunset Garden Club in Madison, Wisconsin. She joined the garden club in her twenties, encouraged by her friend and mentor, Shirley Cuccia. Recognizing potential in Gerianne that Gerianne herself did not see, Shirley motivated her to take on the challenges of becoming a Flower Show Judge.
Now a Master Judge and a five-star member of the National Garden Clubs (NGC), Gerianne is dedicated to mentoring others. A five-star NGC member has achieved master status in all four of the organization’s Schools: Environmental, Gardening, Landscape Design, and Flower Show. Wanting to give back to an organization that has given her so much, Gerianne is also a former president of the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation and recently co-founded the Wisconsin Floral Designers Guild, a new club focused on floral design.
Gerianne is an Emerita Veterinary Technician from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. Throughout her career, she taught thousands of veterinary medical students while working in various surgical specialties. She co-authored a textbook titled Surgical Patient Care for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, now in its second edition. Over the years, she has presented on numerous veterinary topics and currently offers workshops and presentations on floral design. Gerianne looks forward to collaborating with NGC leadership and members to foster the future growth of this incredible organization.
Second Vice President
Third Vice President