Employee Appreciation: Liza Crisanti

By Genesis Harshell

Phipps is well-known for our beautiful gardens, seasonal flower shows, pioneering sustainability initiative, informative educational programs and community outreach. None of our work would be possible without the knowledge and dedication of our employees. There is a wide array of departments at Phipps, each playing an integral role in creating a wonderful experience for our guests. In this series of profiles, we meet some of our employees and get a glimpse into what they do to make Phipps possible.

Adult Education Program Assistant, Liza Crisanti, grew up visiting Phipps every winter with her parents since she was a baby! This annual visit turned into a way for her parents to celebrate their anniversary after getting married here at Phipps. While Liza grew up to enjoy things like reading, creating art, hiking and traveling, it was her interest in learning new things, gardening and her love of Pittsburgh that pushed her to apply for an open position in the education department at Phipps Conservatory.

In August 2022, Liza was brought onto the staff and has been a superstar ever since. When asked what a typical day in her role entails, Liza made a point to note that each day is different and can cover a variety of work. She states that, “I am not even in the same spot every day, I rotate between the Garden Center, the CSL and Botany Hall Kitchen. A typical week will usually have me visiting a grocery store or the Strip District to shop for a cooking class, reaching out to small businesses to inquire about new class subjects and, 3 times a year, I will be sequestered to my laptop getting class details finalized from all Adult Education for our mailed brochure called Grow. This project has me working with all the members of Adult Education and closely with the Marketing team to meet our print deadlines so that would be when I am the busiest."

Known for being incredibly passionate about her role on the education team, when asked what her favorite part of her job has been, it was no surprise when Liza replied, “Being surrounded by teachers and people who are passionate about learning is by far my favorite aspect of the job. I love learning new things, so the fact that my job description is getting to oversee classes in so many different subjects is a dream come true.”

Liza has done incredible work behind the scenes in countless ways and her favorite project was this year’s Botanical Boutique! Starting from the ground up, this was the first event where Liza led the planning. She said, “From reaching out to vendors to seeing it all come together and watching volunteers enjoy themselves, it was so rewarding, and I cannot wait to do it again.”  We can’t wait to see what wonderful work Liza will bring to life next!

Photo © Paul g Wiegman