Judy Bailey
Judy has always been an enthusiastic plant aficionado and stumbled across her first orchid show almost 30 years ago, when seeking a warm respite during a particularly cold, snowy winter day in Northeast Ohio. A variety of orchids soon took up residence under lights in her unfinished basement, providing her many years of learning and enjoyment. Retiring to South Florida in 2006 after a diverse career as a chemist and consultant, Judy has vigorously embraced the warm weather lifestyle of year round gardening, predominantly focusing on her collection of orchids, mostly paphiopedilums and phragmipediums — with a few Maxillaria experiments ongoing. As a long time Master Gardener, both in Ohio and Florida, Judy embraces opportunities to learn, share and teach plant knowledge and continues to volunteer with a number of local South Florida orchid societies, garden clubs and botanical gardens as well as teaching orchid classes for Master Gardener programs. Once in Florida, Judy joined the AOS and in 2009 entered the judging program with the West Palm Beach Judging Center, becoming accredited in 2015. She has served and continues to serve the WPBJC as training coordinator, webmaster, member of the education committee, as well as Awards Secretary. She enthusiastically continues to learn all she can, especially from the many talented growers and amazing orchids she encounters at orchid shows, both at home and abroad. As the second century of the American Orchid Society approaches, Judy looks forward to new opportunities for the organization to encourage and engage all those interested in the amazing world of orchids.