About

Our Values

About Us

The Zionsville Parks Foundation is 501(c)3 nonprofit and was established in 2020 to support the public in preserving, enhancing, and growing green spaces in one of Indiana’s most beautiful towns.

As Zionsville grows at an unprecedented pace, the Zionsville Parks Foundation ensures this special community maintains the qualities that make it such an appealing place to live and recreate. Besides great schools, Zionsville residents have expressed their appreciation and strong desire for parks and green space in our area. Zionsville Parks Foundation serves as an important link with our Zionsville neighbors to understand the community’s needs and desires for places to hike, bike, recharge and stay connected with the out-of-doors. Open space is disappearing quickly and the time to act is now to ensure Zionsville moves into the future with thriving parks and natural places.

Climate Statement

The Zionsville Parks Foundation supports the Town of Zionsville’s award-winning Climate Action Plan, which guides our approach towards sustainability and a healthier future. Public parks, in particular, play a vital role in maintaining a healthy environment by preserving and protecting natural resources and wildlife habitats.

Diversity, Relevancy & Inclusion Statement

Public parks and green spaces are not only great for the environment, they’re great for people. That means all people. The Zionsville Parks Foundation is committed to both preserving parks and making them accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities. Following the lead of our National Park Service, the Foundation supports and promotes Diversity, Relevancy and Inclusion.

Diversity represents the practice of actively incorporating people of different backgrounds, perspectives, thoughts and beliefs.
Relevancy is achieved when all people are able to establish a personal connection with our parks and find meaning and value in our programming.
Inclusion is the practice of intentionally building a culture that is flexible, values diverse ideas, and embraces the meaningful participation of all.

Our Leadership

Meet our Board of Directors & Staff

The Foundation is made up of an all volunteer board of directors and one staff member with varied backgrounds in conservation, biology, restoration, law, education, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. Our board and staff share a common value and love for nature.

Nancy Carpenter, Founder & President

Nancy is the founding president of the Zionsville Parks Foundation. With her background in biology, environmental work and nature education, she has been passionate about helping Zionsville acquire green space since the 1990s. She worked with her husband Jim to grow their business Wild Birds Unlimited to an award winning national franchise. The Carpenters have made Zionsville their home since 1986, raising two daughters. Jim and Nancy were instrumental in the creation of the Carpenter Nature Preserve, a 215 acre park and wildlife sanctuary in Zionsville. Being in nature is a way of life for the Carpenters. Nancy enjoys hiking, exploring, making maple syrup over a roaring outdoor fire, harvesting honey, and planting trees.

Addison Bradford, Vice President

Addison is a lifelong resident of Central Indiana and moved to Zionsville in early 2021 with his wife Becca and their dog Cheese. The proximity to so many local parks and green spaces (including the rail trail a few steps from their backyard) was one of the reasons Addison and Becca decided to make Zionsville their forever home. Addison serves with the Foundation to preserve and grow those parks and green spaces so that Zionsville can continue to be an attractive place to live for other young professionals and families. Addison enjoys many of those public resources as an “accomplished” runner, finishing in the top 90% of over 10 full marathons and the top 5% of the number of CLIF Bars consumed during those races.

Jonathan C. Bumgarner, Secretary

Jon has lived in Zionsville for the past 10 years along with his wife, Anne, and two sons, Jay and Ben. During that time, when he was not practicing law or coaching youth baseball, he could usually be found mountain biking, running on trails, or just tinkering around in the woods next to his house. He is known for saying (often accompanied by eye rolls from his family) that “Outside is always better than inside.” Jon looks forward to working with the Zionsville Parks Foundation to help expand opportunities in our community for others to enjoy nature and the many benefits of simply being outdoors.

Kelly Masoncup, Treasurer

Kelly remembers learning the value of volunteerism from her grandmother when she would make holiday gifts for children in the hospital. Kelly gives back to the community in a meaningful way with a varied history in roles from board and development chair to treasurer to invasive weed puller. When this former accountant is not crunching numbers on a spreadsheet, she enjoys perfecting homemade croissants, biking, and her Nameless book club. Zionsville has been her home for over 25 years, where her best friend and husband, Stephan, and children: Ryan, Lauren, Jacob, and Rebecca, two dogs, and five rockstar chickens live. “Together, let’s help Zionsville Parks be a place of respite and leisure for all.”

Myrene Brown, Board Member

Myrene is a 32-year resident of Zionsville. Her love of native flora grew with each additional wildflower added to her garden. Myrene’s fondness for Zionsville and native plants led her to join the 6 person Habitat C.P.R. team in 1998. This group achieved Zionsville’s year 2000 certification as a Community Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. The plant communities in Starkey park and the Nature Sanctuary serve as inspiration for Myrene when designing gardens. She wants to see Zionsville’s tradition of preserving natural areas continue for the enjoyment and inspiration of our community of neighbors. Myrene’s village garden is a place to view “wild” plants in a traditional garden setting and get ideas for your own garden.

Megan Bulla, Board Member

Megan lives in Union Township with her husband and children, Jackson and Brooklyn. Megan brings 18 years of experience in marketing, storytelling and graphic design in the nonprofit realm. She currently leads marketing and communication for Local Initiatives Support Corporation Indianapolis, a community development organization. In her free time, Megan can be found at the softball fields, sailing in her catamaran on Eagle Creek or biking on Zionsville trails with her family – usually ending up at Scoops for ice cream.

Tim Casady, Board Member

Tim has lived in Zionsville with his wife Darby for over 20 years raising their sons here. Tim has practiced law, worked for Eli Lilly & Company for 19 years, and owned an award-winning small business, Nebo Ridge Bicycles. Tim brings a wealth of parks experience to the Foundation having served on the Pathways Committee and Parks Board, with two terms as President.

Missy Copher, Board Member

Missy is a graduate of Miami University and IU Law School, has over 20 years of experience in major gifts and planned giving, currently in the role of Gift Planning Director for the American National Red Cross. Missy has deep roots in our community having served as the president and a board member of the Zionsville Educational Foundation. Missy enjoys spending time with her three boys and husband, Mike. She also loves walking their dog, traveling and reading.

Julie Johns-Cole, Board Member

Julie has lived in Zionsville for nearly 13 years with her husband, Mike, and their three sons. As a small business owner and community leader, Julie has over 20 years of experience in economic development, municipal government, nonprofit services, and higher education. Julie enjoys spending time with her family, walking her two rescue dogs, cooking and baking vegan food, and hiking.

Jo Lock, Board Member

Jo moved to Zionsville in 2011 from the UK with her husband Angus, son Callum and their dog Brenna. She brings to the Foundation her lifelong passion for nature together with the skills she acquired from her past career in project management and strategic planning. Jo also serves on the board of the Boone County Invasives Cooperative and is a Canine Keeper with the nonprofit Conservation Dogs Collective, through which she and her dogs (Willow and Holly) have partnered with numerous environmental agencies to sniff out rare plants in Indiana, ornate box turtles in Iowa and bumble bee nests in Illinois.

Jay Miller, Board Member

Jay has lived in Zionsville for the past three years with his wife, Elizabeth and two dogs Louie and Leo. Recent empty nesters, Elizabeth and Jay have three children: Emma, Carter and Campbell. He was introduced at a young age to nature being towed along to Fox Island Park where his mother gave tours to children. Professionally, Jay worked in the event marketing industry, private equity and now is the assistant men’s cross country, track & field coach at IUPUI. He is an avid outdoorsman, runner and triathlete.

Adam Phipps, Board Member

Adam is a born and raised Hoosier from southern Indiana who moved to Zionsville in 2009 with his wife, Jill, and two daughters. Professionally, he is a commercial leader in the healthcare industry. Beyond work, his daughters’ activities have him wearing a wide variety of hats, including ballet dad, youth basketball coach, soccer team manager, and show choir fan. Known as a strategic thinker, he brings vision and an analytical mindset to the ZPF board, and he uses those skills to represent ZPF on the Zionsville Parks 5-Year Planning Committee

Todd Settle, Board Member

An avid outdoorsman, parks supporter, and conservationist, Todd often can be found fly fishing in Eagle Creek or walking Zionsville’s trails. In 2013, he pitched an idea to the town for a community-wide creek cleanup, which soon became Creekfest, an annual event including a festival in Elm Street Green and a cleanup that eliminated more than 10,000 pounds of trash from Eagle Creek. Todd has called Zionsville home since 1985, owns the Zionsville Insurance Agency with his wife, Toni, and has raised three children. He delivers meals at Second Helpings in Indianapolis, serves as treasurer for Central Indiana Trout Unlimited, and is active with Project Healing Waters, guiding and teaching veterans how to fly fish.

Jess Stokely, Board Member

Jess’ love for nature and all things outdoors fuels her passion for preserving natural spaces and creating sustainable recreation areas. With deep roots in Zionsville and a background in all things nonprofit, she brings her extensive know-how of connecting individuals and communities to grow resources for the Zionsville Parks Foundation. Recently working as Director of Connect Boone County for the Community Foundation of Boone County (CFBC), Jess now continues to serve on the CFBC Board. She also serves as Chair of Conservation for the Indianapolis Garden Club. When she is not volunteering her time you can find her with her husband Alex, attending one of her two children’s many sporting events, traveling, or peacefully tending her garden.

Allison Wharry, Board Member

Allison enjoys being a part of organizations that make her hometown of Zionsville a better place to live and raise a family. She hopes to give back a bit of what has been given to her by this community. Allison was trained as an attorney and now works at a non-profit that provides services to people with disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys hiking on all of the great trails around Zionsville, gardening and reading. Allison is married to her husband, Stan, and has two adult children, Burk and Annie.

Jan Hornaday, Administrative Coordinator

Jan returned to her home state of Indiana in 1998 when she and her family moved from Chicago, where she worked as an attorney. Since then, Jan has devoted her time in Zionsville to volunteering for several cultural and civic organizations. Over the last 17 years (and counting), you may have seen Jan leading third graders on walking tours of the Village in her role as the Director of the SullivanMunce Zionsville History Program. Jan enjoys tennis, reading, hiking and spending time with her husband, Brett Brewer, and her two adult children.