When Katy McDonald took the reins as President and CEO of Forever Balboa Park in late 2024, she inherited one of the city’s most visible projects: the long-awaited restoration of the Botanical Building and surrounding gardens. “The reward has been watching it reopen, free to the public,” she says. “The challenge? Aligning public agencies, private firms, and nonprofits to meet one ambitious vision.”
McDonald’s leadership style is rooted in teamwork and momentum. Her first move was simple but essential—recognize and elevate the groundwork already laid by the board, staff, donors, and City of San Diego. Then came the big push: closing out the capital campaign and helping guide the finishing touches on a space that’s both historic and newly alive.
But this isn’t just a project with a start and finish line. It’s part of a larger effort to remind San Diegans that Balboa Park is as much about the future as heritage. “Other cities don’t have a place like this,” McDonald says. “We want San Diegans to feel not just connected to it, but responsible for it.”
Her priorities for 2025 include celebrating the garden openings, finishing the campaign, and bringing more residents into the fold through education, programming, and hands-on opportunities. From daily volunteer work in the gardens to partnerships with cultural orgs like the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership and civic institutions like the Prebys Foundation, Forever Balboa Park is stitching together a network of support that reflects how vital the space is to the region’s identity.
The new Women’s History Tour is one standout initiative. It highlights the overlooked contributions of women in shaping the park from its earliest days—a reminder that preserving history often means rewriting who gets credited for it.
And while balancing preservation with modernization is no small feat in a place like this, McDonald doesn’t see it as a conflict. “It’s about asking the right questions,” she says. “What keeps people safe? What honors the original design? You make thoughtful choices, and the path becomes clear.”
There’s no illusion that government funding alone can cover the park’s needs. “Philanthropy and public support aren’t a nice-to-have,” McDonald says. “They’re what makes the difference.” Whether it’s a $5 membership or a significant donation, everything adds up.
For McDonald, the goal isn’t to remind San Diegans why they love Balboa Park, but to deepen that love while inviting more people into the fold.
