Our Staff

Executive Director

Natalie George

Beginning in 2018 Natalie George has had the honor of serving the Flower Hill Center in multiple capacities, initially as a board member and presently as the Executive Director. George transitioned Flower Hill Foundation to Flower Hill Center enabling a sustainable path forward by activating the house and grounds with numerous events, and working to create a mission that not only serves the Smoot legacy but also our current community.

Beyond her work at Flower Hill Center, George founded the award-winning company, Natalie George Productions (NGP), which entails the conception and execution of events, and commercial lighting design. Since its inception in 2014, NGP has become renowned for creating bespoke experiences in unconventional spaces. The longstanding success of her company further evidences George’s ingenuity, tenacity, and leadership to grow a museum from the ground up.

Similar to the Smoot family, George is eager to build on the incredible foundation and lead Flower Hill Center to its fullest potential: as a one-of-a-kind historic home museum and relevant, community gathering space. Her desire to suppress the fear of doing too much and having a life that doesn't fit neatly into a box is well met with the Smoots' sense of dream big, work hard, travel far, take it all in, share what you have, and quite literally fit it ALL under one roof.

Business Manager

Tammy Whitehead

Tammy Whitehead is a native of Austin, Texas. She has worked in theatre production in Austin for over 30 years as a stage manager, AD, and producer, and has stage-managed Austin music venues. She’s been the business manager for Hyde Park Theatre for over 20 years, and done administrative work for Natalie George Productions.

Her main love is anything band related, primarily with high school and college-aged kids. This includes working marching band events and helping to run an indoor percussion ensemble. Tammy fell in love with the Flower Hill house the first time she walked into it, and is honored to serve the foundation.

Resident Gardener

Michelle Jantsch

Michelle Jantsch has been cultivating her green thumb in Austin, TX, for the past decade. After purchasing her home, affectionately known as the Jantsch Ranch, she undertook a complete transformation of the grounds, designing her ideal garden space. Over the course of the pandemic, this garden has more than doubled in size, with the addition of several native plants and fruiting trees.

Now that the Jantsch Ranch has flourished, Michelle is eager to share her knowledge and skills with the public. Starting this summer, she will be hosting workshops and craft sessions at her space and offering garden consulting for those looking to bring their own projects to life. She is thrilled to be named the Gardener in Residence at Flower Hill and looks forward to sharing her expertise with all who visit.

Curator of Collections and Exhibitions

Michele Stewart

Michele Stewart is the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at Flower Hill Center. An Austin area native with a deep passion for history, her love for museums was sparked by a childhood field trip to the Bullock Texas State History Museum. Her academic journey includes an AA from Austin Community College, a BA in Classical Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies with an emphasis on collections management from Johns Hopkins University. Michele's love of decorative arts and furniture, books, and memorabilia aligns perfectly with the rich collections at Flower Hill. She is especially dedicated to preserving and interpreting the collections of Miss Jane Smoot, highlighting the historical significance of the Smoot house and family to Austin. When not studying the fascinating stories within museum collections, Michele enjoys spending time with her family, reading, listening to and creating music, and exploring the diverse natural and urban landscapes of Austin. At Flower Hill, Michele is committed to sharing the story of the Smoot family's home, their well-loved belongings, and their impactful lives for the enjoyment and enrichment of our community.

Our Board

The Staff and Board of Trustees include subject matter experts in the fields of historic preservation, museum curation, fundraising, education, strategic planning, infrastructure assessment, nonprofit management, ecology, and research planning and development.

After hosting several historic house museum directors; preservationists; and preservation student groups, teachers, and historians at the home; the governing body was able to determine exactly what makes Flower Hill a vital and viable part of Austin’s historic and nonprofit tapestry.

To rise above convention, and offer a new championing voice for preservation, Flower Hill aims to contextualize local, state, and national history through the guise of recognizable community figures—religious leaders, teachers, and citizen historians who offer a comforting (rather than intimidating) connection to the past, and exemplify a pathway to how visitors can contribute to their local, state, and national communities today.