Meet City of Rockville employee, Jessica Corazza.
Jessica Corazza joined the city in March 2023 as the parks maintenance specialist in the Department of Recreation and Parks. She’s also serving as Rockville’s acting horticulturalist for parks and facilities until the position is filled. We asked her a few questions to get to know her better and learn more about her role.
What did you do before joining the city?
I worked for a grocery store chain where I managed an indoor grow room on an organic farm in upstate New York. Additionally, I was a leader in the produce and floral departments. In 2022, I graduated with a bachelor’s in horticultural science from Colorado State University.
What does your position entail and is there anything specific you’d like to tell us about it?
I currently oversee the maintenance of 26 city parks and green spaces, including locations like Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park, Fallsgrove Park and Rockville Civic Center Park. I manage contracts for the planting of around 15,000 annuals and 500 street trees every year. I inspect and conduct minor repairs as needed to playgrounds. I work with the horticulture crew (Victor S., Walter Pocasangre, Marco Lemus, Wayne Crim and Larkland Harris) in the routine removal of trash and weeds, plant care, hardscape maintenance and the planting of 44,000 bulbs in right-of-way beds.
What advice would you give to a woman looking to enter your field of work?
To get involved in horticulture, it is important to seek a mentor. I was lucky to be mentored by Rob Orndorff, who was Rockville’s horticulturalist for 35 years. Horticulture is a practice that takes years to understand and decades to master. Text resources can tell you the basics of a plant, but to really understand how it performs in a landscape, you need to work with it hands-on and learn from the experience of others.
To learn more about Rockville’s 67 parks, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/parks.