Derrick Stowell has over 25 years of experience leading recreational and therapeutic programs. Derrick was a graduate assistant and directed Camp Koinonia in 2006. Derrick received his CTRS in 2007 and worked for the Amputee Coalition of American for five years leading their national youth camp program. He joined the University of Tennessee Gardens as their educator and developed horticultural therapy programs for a variety of community organizations. Derrick has focused his work on the benefits of horticulture/gardening as leisure and therapy. He became a Horticultural Therapist – Registered (HTR) through the American Horticultural Therapy Association in 2015. Derrick served on the Board of Directors for the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) from 2016-2018. In 2016, he received the Rhea McCandliss Professional Service Award from the AHTA. In 2022 Derrick was awarded the American Horticultural Society’s Horticultural Therapy Award. He also served the American Horticultural Therapy Association as President-elect (2021), President (2022), and Immediate-past President (2023). In 2024, he received the Lifetime Membership award from AHTA. Derrick is sought out internationally for consulting on horticultural therapy program development and implementation.