A COMMUNITY OF URBAN FORESTRY LEADERS

Adam Cassi (he/him) is the Executive Director of Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful (KTLCB). In this role, he partners with the City of Toledo, the Lucas County Solid Waste Management District, and other area organizations and municipalities to provide programming focusing on proper recycling, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. Additionally, KTLCB assists with litter cleanups, tree plantings, large event trash and recycling logistics, and oversees a sustainable restaurant program.

Adam has his degree in Restoration Ecology from Defiance College. Since graduating, he has held leadership positions at numerous environmental education and retreat centers and at the Toledo Zoo.

Adam participates in Toastmasters and volunteers with multiple organizations, including the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission and the City of Perrysburg’s Litter Prevention and Recycling Board. He is the current chair of the Rotary Club of Toledo’s Environmental Committee and is a certified Zero Waste Associate through Zero Waste USA.

Alana Tucker (she/her) is the Program Manager for the Tree City programs at the Arbor Day Foundation, including Tree City USA and Tree Cities of the World. As an urban planner, she conducted streetscape and parks planning projects in Detroit prior to coming to the Foundation. She holds a Bachelor's in International Business from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master's of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan. Her favorite tree is Populus tremuloides, the quaking aspen.

Alex Brooks (she/her) is part of the Climate Action team for the City of Boise, Idaho, where she works on issues surrounding natural environments, food systems, and water. Alex's professional experience is in environmental science and outdoor education. She served in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua and was an Americorps member in Idaho. Alex is passionate about science communication, environmental justice, and working with community partners. She is mom to a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old. She loves gardening, reading, and spending time in nature.

Bio forthcoming.

Anna Zaremba (she/her) is a sustainability professional who is passionate about climate adaptation and mitigation for long-term success in Northeast Ohio. As the Nature-Based Solution Sustainability Manager at the City of Cleveland, OH Mayor's Office of Sustainability, she supports the design, planning, and implementation of citywide strategies and projects related to nature-based solutions that advance adaptation and resilience in Greater Cleveland/NE OH to climate change in order to actively contribute to the goals, mission, and vision of the City of Cleveland Climate Action plan. She has a background in local government climate action and adaptation planning.

Polymath Alfie Chambers (she/her) focuses her efforts on the strategic development of early education for black children, urban ecological stewardship, conservation, and the interconnection between faith and environmental justice.

Ashley N. Hawes (she/her) is a disaster epidemiologist with Austin Public Health in Austin, Texas. She has over 10 years of experience in public health, ranging from laboratory testing, quality improvement, exercise development, and design, healthcare coalition leadership, departmental training, and emergency response both in the field and the emergency operations center. The lessons and best practices learned from working in Austin during disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, have afforded her the opportunity to present at local, state, and national conferences as well as publish abstracts within the field. She dedicates time outside of work to volunteering within the community with the Junior League of Austin, wildlife organizations, and her local county’s Community Emergency Response Team. She is a Certified Quality Auditor and received her MPH in Disaster Management from Tulane University.

Beatrice (she/her) is currently the Sustainability Coordinator for the Department of Public Utilities at the City of Toledo. She has been with the City for 17 years her service to the community has included public education and education, stormwater management, enforcement, and emergency response and mentoring. Beatrice is currently focused on climate adaptation and mitigation projects that include urban heat mapping, urban tree canopy, urban food access, and community outreach of issues such as monarch and water conservation. Beatrice is an advocate for integrating equity in the management of natural resources and for meaningful community engagement in planning neighborhood-based projects. Beatrice is involved in the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission, the Toledo Urban Forestry Program, and the Toledo Sacred Grounds project among other local community organizations.


Beatrice graduated from the Institute for Environment & Sustainability (IES) at Miami University, Ohio. She completed her undergraduate studies at Kenyatta University in Kenya, where she majored in Botany. Upon graduating, she worked on Kenya’s indigenous forests and endangered species conservation projects. Beatrice likes spending time in nature, gardening, and hanging out with her wonderful cat, Bluff.

Belinda Judelman (she/her) is a Planning and Policy Analyst with Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry. She leads urban forest policy and planning projects, including Portland’s Emerald Ash Borer Response Plan, Urban Forest Management Plan Update, and a pilot project to create new space for trees by removing on-street parking. Belinda also reviews designs for large capital projects and policy updates led by other divisions to encourage greater tree preservation and planting. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University. She came to urban forestry after several years of active transportation planning and enjoys learning about ways to redesign our streets to better support our natural systems. Belinda has over 10 years of experience helping communities and regional agencies plan for climate resiliency, improve public health, and evaluate opportunities to better serve vulnerable populations.

Bio forthcoming.

Brett (he/him) is the Director of the Urban Drawdown Initiative and Boulder’s Senior Policy Advisor for Climate, Sustainability and Resilience. He coordinates the city’s climate action and resilience initiatives, including a soil sequestration research and development initiative. Brett has worked across the western US in community-based initiatives in rural, Native American and other marginalized communities. He is the cofounder of multiple organizations including the Rogue River Institute for Ecology and Economy, Veterans Green Jobs, and Community Energy Systems.

Brigitte Orrick (she/her) connects people to a rewarding career path with family-sustaining wages. At Davey Tree, she leads a team focused on attracting, training, and developing talent for over 11,400 employees. Brigitte has over 18 years of experience as a national workforce developer in higher education and the private sector. Her unique perspective as a forester and HR professional lends expertise to development challenges in the green industry. Brigitte lives in Monument, Colorado with her family and enjoys an active lifestyle.

Serving as the City of Sandy Springs’ first Sustainability Manager since 2019, Catherine Mercier-Baggett (she/her) helps improve internal operations, oversees environmental stewardship projects, and collaborates with community organizations. She manages projects such as the Flood Vulnerability Assessment and the Green Communities certification. She has fifteen years of experience with local governments and private consulting firms in urban planning and landscape architecture. She graduated from Universite de Montreal (B. Sc. Ecology & Environment, M. Urban Planning and B. L. Arch.) before moving to Atlanta. She volunteers with the American Planning Association and co-hosts the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network’s Green Minds podcast. She is a passionate advocate for green infrastructure, nature-based solutions to climate change, native plant species and sustainable development.

Cindy Haverkamp is the Climate Justice Coordinator for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. In this role, she develops plans and policies to protect the community from the effects of climate change. She graduated from Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry in 2018 with a master’s degree in transformational leadership. As a former public school teacher, she uses her background in humanities to help people understand and value their role in our beautiful and fragile ecosystem. She has also served as a parks planner for Pierce County Parks and as Board Vice Chair for two local environmental organizations – Pierce Conservation District, and the Chambers Clover Creek Watershed Council. In her free time, she hikes and camps everywhere as often as possible, sings in a local women’s choir, and tries out new recipes using whatever her garden produces.

Crystal Courtney (she/her) is the Division Manager of Natural Resources for the Cincinnati Park Board where she oversees the Urban Forestry Program, Conservation in Parks, Nature Education, and right-of-way horticulture. This entails the oversight of citywide tree canopy distribution, and the care, replacement and emergency management of trees in the right-of-way and park property.

Daniela is a consultant to the City of Boulder and the Center for Regenerative Solutions. Over the past decade, Daniela has worked at the intersection of social issues and environmental challenges via nonprofits, philanthropy, nonprofit consulting, and business. In those roles, Daniela has catalyzed and convened networks of urban leaders in the areas of urban rewilding, education, and public health. Daniela earned a BA from Stanford University, a Certificate in Tropical Forest Conservation from Yale School of the Environment, and a Masters in Environmental and Natural Resources Policy from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She serves on the Board of Directors of Nature and Culture International, and Conservation Colorado.

Daniel Lawson (he/him) is the Director of Technical Assistance for PowerCorpsPHL. A diligent and collaborative manager of programs and projects with over 10 years of experience in advancing initiatives, building relationships, and capturing resources. Daniel is dedicated to serving communities through connecting diverse groups, empowering young people, and using data and results to identify action and celebrate success.

Danny (he/him) received his bachelor’s in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and his master’s in environmental engineering from the University of Idaho in Moscow. For the past decade, Danny has worked for the City of Boise Parks and Recreation. In 2019 he took on the position of Sustainability Specialist. In this position, he manages water, pesticide, and fertilizer use for the department. He also administers the department’s Pesticide Reduction Program and all city functions of the City of Trees Challenge, Boise's local tree planting initiative.

Dede (she/her) is on the Nature-based Climate Solutions and Circular Economy Team. Dede leads urban landscape initiatives to improve resilience and mitigate climate impacts, investigates opportunities within carbon markets, and helps design and manage OSCAR’s circular economy programs to reduce supply chain emissions in the manufacturing sector. She also works on regenerative agriculture initiatives such as the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund. Deandra completed her Master of Sustainability from the University of Sydney.

Denise (she/her) is a passionate change agent who believes Sustainability is applicable in all we do. She has been involved in the sustainability field for over 8 years, and has experience in the private and public sector. She has worked for Costco Wholesale's Global Sustainability and Compliance Department where she held the position of Project Coordinator, and is proud to be back in New Mexico working for the City of Albuquerque as a Sustainability Specialist. Her education includes a BA in Spanish from the University of New Mexico, and a Master's Degree from Harvard University in Sustainability and Environmental Science (with a Graduate Certificate in Green Buildings and Sustainable Communities). Moving to Albuquerque has put heat at the forefront of her efforts, to help mitigate the effects of extreme heat.

Elizabeth is a native New Yorker, but grew up along the coast of Maine. Her interest in the landscape began early and developed with exposure to ecology, landscape architecture and planning. She moved west 17 years ago to pursue a job opportunity in a small Landscape Architecture firm with a focus on large public lands planning and design. Elizabeth made a timely transition to local government in 2007 and after many years as the first dedicated Landscape Architect in Development Review for Boulder, CO, is now the first full time Urban Forestry Planner for the City and County of Denver. She works directly in the Office of the City Forester and across the organization to help develop a vision for the urban forest and promote an integrated and equitable approach to growing the urban canopy. When not working, you can find her traveling, cooking, spending time outside and generally messing around with plants.

Ellena Ignacio (she/her) is the Program Coordinator for CRS and is an experienced Project Administrator and Design Thinker from Chicago, IL. She is passionate about combating environmental injustices and creative problem solving through collaboration. Ellena earned her Bachelors in Environmental Science and Masters in Business Design and Innovation from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI.

Ellen (she/her) is the Forestry Operations Supervisor for the City of Boulder. She holds a B.S. in Natural Resource Management with a focus on Urban Forest Management and GIS Applications from Oregon State University. She is an ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Municipal Specialist, and is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified. She has been a municipal urban forester for 10 years and has worked for Salt Lake City, Rochester, MN, and Boulder, CO. She is the current President of the ISA-Rocky Mountain Chapter and is passionate about urban tree canopy development and preservation. She enjoys collaborating with industry professionals inside and outside her organization to address urban forestry challenges.

A native of Mexico, Fernando (he/him) is the founder of CREA Results (Community + Research + Education + Awareness = Results), a social enterprise of Community Health Workers (CHW’s) /Promotores de Salud (PdS) advancing health equity, environmental stewardship and workforce development since 2005. His advocacy for the value of CHWs’ in public health has led him to implement and support hundreds of programs, developing community-wide outreach strategies to address health disparities through the state of Colorado, México, and Puerto Rico where he helped design and launch the first Puerto Rico Public Health Trust office of Community Engagement. As a Director of Community Mobilization for the Vector Control Unit for the Puerto Rico Science,Technology and Research Trust, Fernando led post hurricane Maria recovery efforts through a CHW’s/Pds model.

Fernando has dual degrees in Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and is the proud parent of 5 children and lives in Denver and Boulder, Colorado where he hikes, bikes and plays soccer as much as he can.

Gentris Jointe (he/him) is the Assistant Director of Workforce Development at PowerCorpsPHL. His mission is to help Black young adults achieve equitable outcomes in education and employment. At PowerCorpsPHL, he leverages his experience to develop partnerships, mobilize resources, and design curriculum that will help young people access meaningful careers in the green jobs sector that provide family sustaining wages and opportunities for advancement. He also teaches at the Community College of Philadelphia.

Howard Miller (he/him) is the Environmental Manager at the City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Sustainability with 27 years of private and public environmental sustainability experience in helping stakeholders achieve beneficial outcomes. Specializing in resilience and climate adaptation, brownfield revitalization, commercial waste and recycling, and environmental compliance, Howard uses that experience to help align community priorities with city plans to find sustainable solutions.

Ian (he/him) is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PlanITGeo. His passion for nature in our cities, GIS technologies, and urban tree benefits is what drove him to found PlanIT Geo in 2012. He wanted to design powerful, configurable, yet easy-to-use software solutions for arborists and urban foresters. PlanIT™ Geo builds and utilizes TreePlotter™ Software with a vision of “Mapping the World's Urban Forests for a Greener Future”. Ian’s specialties include GIS/geospatial modeling, arboriculture & urban forestry software development and project management, domestic and international business development and partnerships, i-Tree analysis, LiDAR extraction, data visualization, and urban tree canopy assessments (UTC). He is a Colorado “Fourteener” climber (55 mountains over 14,000-feet elevation), dog owner, husband, father, and tree lover through and through.

Jess Stone (she/her) is the Natural Lands Steward with Pierce County Parks where she manages the Natural Lands Program. The program provides forestry, habitat restoration, trail design and construction, and public engagement to over 5,000 acres of Parks property throughout Pierce County, Washington. As an ISA Arborist, Jess also provides urban forestry support to Parks and Pierce County departments and partners with local agencies and non-profits to support and promote urban greening and connect county residents to nature.

Jon (he/him) is a Canadian Urban Forestry Supervisor based in the City of Calgary. In his spare time, he volunteers with the Alberta Native Plant Council where he is on the Board of Directors overseeing the Southern Region of Alberta. A recent graduate from the University of British Columbia's Master of Urban Forestry Leadership program, he is continually looking to both learn, educate on, and apply best management practices looking at nature-based solutions through a global lens.

Joe McCarthy (he/him) is a Senior City Forester with the City of Chicago Bureau of Forestry. Since 1990, Joe has worked to foster cooperation with other city departments in ensuring that all reasonable options are explored to preserve and protect city trees in capital improvement projects. In 1998, he researched relevant Federal, State, and local road design codes, design standards, and policies which aided in the development of flexibility in roadway design standards Developed tree protection standards as well as Tree Removal and Replacement policies for the City that place a monetary value on these valuable City assets.

Joe developed protocols for measuring changes in Chicago's street tree population. Over the past thirty years has implemented four random sample inventories (1994, 2003, 2013, and 2021) to assess, monitor and track changes in the street tree population. Developed street tree diversity targets and guidelines.

Kayla (she/her) is the Sustainability Manager for the City of Louisville, leading the development and implementation of the City’s environmental sustainability programs, projects, and policy initiatives for residents, businesses, and the municipality. Kayla is the staff liaison to the Sustainability Advisory Board and works with the board to develop and implement projects that support the City’s Sustainability Action Plan goals. Kayla earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and has been working in municipal government on the Front Range of Colorado for the past 9 years implementing sustainability programs and policy for residents and businesses in Boulder, Larimer, and Jefferson Counties.

Kendra (she/her) a Colorado native, has been with the City of Fort Collins Forestry Division since February 2016 and as City Forester since 2018. She earned both her Bachelor's and Master of Science in Forest Management from Colorado State University while working for local tree care companies to gain urban forestry experience. From there and prior to working for the City of Fort Collins, Kendra worked as an Assistant Forester for the City of Boulder Forestry. Kendra is passionate about the challenges of growing a healthy, diverse, and resilient urban forest in a semi-arid climate amongst the built environment. Kendra also has a husband, 3 kids (14, 5, and 1), 2 cats, and loves to be active and outside whenever possible!

Kirsten (she/her) is the Director of National Initiatives at Center for Regenerative Solutions. She manages the Urban Forestry Vanguard Cities Initiative and the Urban Nature-Based Climate Solutions Accelerator for CRS, supports national multi-stakeholder projects, alliances, strategic partnerships, and policy communications around the development and deployment of equity-centered climate plans, and connects nature-based city initiatives with federal priorities. A former environmental news writer and TV producer, Kirsten has a comprehensive background at the intersection of climate technology, environmental policy, and impact-centric strategies and narratives for a regenerative future.

Kyra Woods (she/her) serves the City of Chicago in the Office of Climate and Environmental Equity. In her current role as a project manager and previous role as a policy advisor in the Office of the Mayor, she has been instrumental in leading the development of the City’s 2022 Climate Action Plan and centers her work in the commitment to inclusive and equitable public engagement from project design through implementation. She believes that Chicago’s bold climate commitments can lead to significant economic, health, and environmental benefits for residents if steeped in the values of racial equity, justice, and community leadership. Prior to joining the City of Chicago, Kyra worked with the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter as a staff organizer, served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea, and graduated with a degree in environmental engineering from Northwestern University.

Leigh (she/her) has overseen NRP since its inception in 2008 and has supported all aspects of the program. She has spent most of her career developing strategic partnerships with countless community, state, and federal agencies, and local nonprofits to expose, educate, and connect community members to nature. She has over 30 years of experience working with diverse populations, both in conservation education and community outreach. In addition to the list of POIC+RAHS-specific trainings above, Leigh completed a four-month training to become a Trauma-Informed Coach for POIC+RAHS’ staff. Leigh holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Recreation and Parks from Indiana University and a Master of Science (MS) in Recreation Administration from the University of Idaho.

An English professor turned urban forest advocate, Lowell Wyse, Ph.D. (he/him) became the Executive Director of Tacoma Tree Foundation in 2021. For over a decade, he taught college writing, literature, and environmental humanities, focusing on the many ways that social and environmental issues overlap. His scholarship resulted in the book Ecospatiality: A Place-Based Approach to American Literature. He lives and works in downtown Tacoma (Puyallup territory).

Marc (he/him) is a Fashion Designer, Humanitarian, and Regenerative Specialist, as well as a Farmer. As a student of life, and the first African American male graduate of Kent State’s School of Fashion in the 1980’s, Marc has spent his career drawing inspiration from God and the creation to form his unique design aesthetic. He brings vitality and art to a segment of this industry that was considered out of touch with the urban community for years. His products are classified as green, focusing on providing sustainable and affordable articles made with longevity in mind. His manufacturing employs socially conscious production methods, and low-impact processes as well as the use of natural materials, re-purposed and up-cycled products.

In 2003 Marc Co-Founded the Dimona Greening Company, an urban greening company in Southern Israel whose objective was to raise the consciousness of green standards and conservation practices of the people there. This initiative fostered personal and environmental consciousness towards a more sustainable and regenerative life.

In the Fall of 2011 Marc was propositioned by longtime friends, fraternity brothers and Rid-All Co-founders Keymah, Damien and Randy to come back to Cleveland, manage the project, and bring his spirit to the farm. Marc has produced a line of clothing and products with Rid-All that demonstrate a combination of utility and elegance called “Reconstructed,” as well as a regenerative juice and food product line called “The Urban Farm Doctor’s” superfood line.

Marc specializes in growing relationships, healing herbs, and succulent plants seen and experienced every time you come by their farm.

Marcella Bondie Keenan (she/they) is an environmental scientist, urban planning, and policy professional based in the Chicago area. Their practice focuses on environmental justice, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature-based solutions. They are passionate about inclusive planning and policy design that advances community voice and ownership.

Marisa (she/her) leads Cambium Carbon's Impact team, which powers the organization's environmental analysis, wood reuse consulting services, and public partnership initiatives. She works to ensure that Cambium Carbon and its partners build socially and environmentally impactful supply chains that regenerate our urban forests.

Prior to Cambium Carbon, Marisa worked in sustainable food and agriculture at the Good Food Foundation, and as a writer for the Conservation Finance Network. She holds a Master's degree in Environmental Management with a specialization in Business from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Mark Cassini (he/him) is from Indianapolis, Indiana where he spent his childhood days immersed in nature at the creek and exploring in the woods. Mark has created a diverse non-profit career including international work in East Africa leading a team of cultural orientation instructors resettling refugees. He has an M.A. in International Studies/Intercultural Relations from the University of the Pacific and Institute for Intercultural Communication and graduated from Indiana University with a B.A., majoring in Cultural Anthropology. Mark is the Executive Director of Community Greening, an urban forestry non-profit he co-founded in 2016. Mark lives in Delray Beach, Florida with his wife and four children.

As Policy & Research Coordinator, Mary conducts and facilitates actionable research on community forestry, extreme heat, urban soils and climate resilience in collaboration with TreePeople’s partners across Southern California. She holds an MPH in Health Equity and an MSW in Community Management and Policy Practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a certificate in Ecological Horticulture from the University of California, Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology.

Mary Tiernan (she/her) is a Resource Specialist with the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Urban Forestry team. She is a Colorado State University alum and an ISA Certified Arborist with a passion for trees. Through her work with Boulder County, she assists in ongoing efforts to execute best practices that promote tree health and longevity in light of a drastically changing climate. She also contributes to Boulder County initiatives aimed at improving the ecological and cultural resiliency of our urban spaces. Her favorite compliment is when her work is compared to that of Dr. Seuss’ Lorax, striving to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. When not advocating for the trees, Mary enjoys spending her time hiking around her home state of Colorado, reading sci-fi/fantasy novels, and building Lego.

Megan (she/her) is a city planner for the Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability and Resilience. She holds a Masters of Science in Earth Sciences from the University of Memphis where she did her research on air quality and forest health in state parks in Shelby County, TN. Her goals in her role as a planner are to increase tree equity and low-impact developments in Memphis and Shelby County.

Mike (he/him) grew up in the Midwest and spent a lot of his time outdoors. He lives in the Rocky Mountains with his wife and their four-legged children. He has a passion for education, environmentalism, and community building. Mike earned an MA in Teaching and worked as an ESL teacher both domestically and internationally. He most recently enjoyed developing community partnerships for a non-profit in Boulder County where he rekindled his love for the intersection of nature and education. Mike is excited to help build and grow the Tree Trust in 2023 and beyond. He sees the Tree Tender volunteer program as a catalyst to empower the community to protect the urban canopy in the City of Boulder for generations to come.

Miranda (she/her/ela) joined ECOSS in late 2021 as a Multicultural Outreach Manager. Her main projects are the Electrification of Transportation with Seattle City Light; ORCA Card Incentive Program with King County Metro; and Green Seattle Partnership with the City of Seattle. In addition to English, Miranda can speak conversational Portuguese and is constantly practicing to develop fluency. Her all-time favorite meal is when her brother makes pupusas y curtido, and then they make nuégados con miel for dessert.

Nicole (she/her) has been with the Office of Sustainability with the City of West Palm Beach, FL since October of last year. While she studied Sustainable Design at the University of Florida, her previous experience focused primarily on stormwater and water quality monitoring within our springs and rivers.

Patti Bakker (she/her) has been working toward the protection and restoration of habitats and species for 30 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology and has worked with local, state, and federal agencies as well as large and small non-profit organizations, including seven years as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Forest Service, seven years managing the Truckee River Restoration Program for The Nature Conservancy in Nevada, and now seven years with the City of Seattle restoring the city’s forested parklands and caring for its urban forest.

Penny Bollin (she/her) is an Urban Conservation Technician with Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District (LSWCD). Her goal in this position is to advocate and promote healthy urban and suburban ecosystems by helping these populations to successfully manage their plant communities as well as their water and soil resources. She believes that the way to do so is to engage and involve the people who live in these communities on as many levels of the process as possible.

Since being hired in March of 2022 she has become certified as a Master Rain Gardener, completed the Ohio Compost Operator Education Course, completed the Freshman and Sophomore Tree Commission Academy as well as the Young Tree Training course, and became certified in Project WET. She has also led or assisted in multiple rain barrel building workshops, promoted Lucas SWCD at many public events, judged the Student Watershed Summit, assisted at the Envirothon, participated in native plant sales (including trees and shrubs), and taught conservation practices in multiple venues that include schools, traditionally underserved neighborhoods, local organizations and more.

Prior to becoming an Urban Conservation Technician, she earned her B.S. in Science Education and taught students ranging from fourth graders to seniors. Subjects included courses ranging from the physical sciences to earth and space science to environmental science. Throughout her career as a science teacher, she has encouraged students to get outside and experience the natural world often through gardening, field trips, and lab activities. And, when going outside was not feasible, she took nature indoors. Penny has also worked and volunteered in many community and urban gardens.

Peter worked his way through the private tree care industry. After finishing his bachelor's in Natural Resources Management he was hired at The Ohio State University as a forester. While gaining experience with state and municipal urban forests management he decided to pursue a master's degree in which he studied the management options for invasive forest pests. Peter now works for PlanIT Geo where he contributes to projects from software setup to delivery, including customization and software database management.

Samira Malone (she/her) is the Executive Director of The Cleveland Tree Coalition, a collaborative of public, private, and community stakeholders partnered with the City of Cleveland to create a healthy, vibrant, sustainable, and equitable urban forest. Samira works to raise awareness of the critical need for a robust tree canopy in Cleveland and to generate financial support for the work of the Coalition. Her urban planner and environmental leader practice is rooted in racial and environmental restorative justice and holistic community development. Samira has her Master's degree in urban planning and development and her Bachelor's in urban and regional planning from Cleveland State University. She is also a proud graduate of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

In addition to her role as Executive Director, she serves as the elected chairwoman for the City of Cleveland Urban Forestry Commission (UFC). The purpose of UFC is to advise the Mayor and City Council on policies and regulations that will increase our neighborhoods' tree canopy and vibrancy. Under this scope, the UFC provides advice and strategic planning on how the City can implement best practices to maintain and grow Cleveland's tree canopy. In addition, the UFC's work involves providing recommendations on policy and plans, monitoring the implementation of City plans, soliciting grants or funding contributions, and much more. Samira takes pride in being a lifelong Cleveland resident and is active in numerous community organizations. She loves traveling, spending time in the Cleveland Metro Parks, exercising, and visiting with family and friends when she has free time.

Sean O’Neill (he/him) is the City of Albuquerque’s City Forester with the Parks and Recreations Department. Native to New Mexico, Sean was born and raised in Albuquerque where he pursued an undergraduate Biology Degree and Graduate work in Water Resources at the University of New Mexico. A passion for the outdoors and natural resources was sparked early for Sean by chances to take part in and conduct environmental research predominantly in the bosque, the riparian forest along the Rio Grande that transits the city, at an early age.

With over five years as a field research Biologist and Ecologist, Sean had the opportunity to take his experiences into the world of Municipal Forestry, serving in the City Forester role for about two years. Sean has enjoyed the work, challenges, problem-solving opportunities, and constant learning created by managing such a unique natural resource: the city’s urban canopy. Sean is continuously supported by his loving wife and soon to be inspired by their first daughter. Outside of work, you will find Sean trying to fly fish in one of the many great rivers or streams in the West or on the ski slopes, where he has been an active National Ski Patrol member for 13 years and an avid skier for even longer.

Stephanie Dresen is an environmental professional with extensive experience in climate policy and program implementation. She has experience working in academia, government, nonprofits, and private industry. During her career, Stephanie has worked to bridge the gap between science and public policy through advocacy, education, and program coordination. She currently serves as the Natural Systems Coordinator for the City of Kansas City, Missouri where she implements nature-based initiatives laid out in the City’s Climate Protection & Resiliency Plan. Stephanie is also a LEED Green Associate with the US Green Building Council, the Secretary for the Board of Directors of the Green Burial Council International, and holds both a MS in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University and a BS in Biochemistry and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She is using her expertise in sustainability and public policy to advocate for a thriving, environmentally just world.

Tanner (he/him) was raised by scientists, and grew up paddling, biking, and hiking. After earning a degree in ecology, he worked on a fishing vessel in the Bering Sea. His Peace Corps service involved resource management and eco-tourism. During graduate school, Tanner helped form Greater Cincinnati’s Tri-State Trails Coalition. He is a National Park Service Mountains to Main Street Ambassador; SHIFT Emerging Leader; and recipient of the 2018 Murie Center Rising Leader Award. As a co-founder of Groundwork Ohio River Valley, Tanner has led the creation of one of the nation's largest youth green workforce programs and brought Climate Safe Neighborhoods to Cincinnati. Yess’ passion is creating new pathways for diverse youth to access green careers.

Traci (she/her) has worked in the nonprofit sector for the last decade, and currently works for The Nature Conservancy in Idaho where she focuses on growing the organization’s impact through the creation of meaningful engagement opportunities, strategic marketing campaigns and compelling social media content. As someone who grew up in a rural community but now lives in town, she is passionate about helping people connect to nature, wherever they are. She is also a founding board member of the Treasure Valley Canopy Network, a Boise-based nonprofit that focuses on the sustainable development of our urban forest through collaboration and projects like the City of Trees Challenge tree planting initiative.

Weston Brinkley (he/him) serves as the ambassador for the Green-Duwamish watershed designation of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership in King County (Seattle), WA. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the urban forestry and natural resource fields. He has worked extensively with natural resource managers, urban forest scientists, policymakers, planners, and a range of communities to develop a better understanding of the natural world in our cities. Weston brings success as a published author and professional speaker on urban environmental stewardship, citizen engagement, and the social dimensions of urban natural resources. He previously served on the City of Seattle's Urban Forestry Commission and is a Senior Lecturer at Antioch University Seattle.

Bio forthcoming.

As the Urban Forest Coordinator for the City of Sandy Springs, Willie Park (he/him) manages and enhances the city's urban forest, emphasizing environmental services, biodiversity, and equitable urban planning. Their role plays a vital part in maintaining the city's recognition as a Tree City USA and a Tree City of the World.

With the GA Department of Natural Resources, Willie excelled as an Interpretive Ranger, hosting numerous educational activities while emphasizing environmental justice and equity. Their tenure as a Resource Management Unit Field Coordinator involved managing teams and executing complex state park projects, including prescribed burns.

Their contribution as an Environmental Educator/Urban Ecologist at Trees Atlanta saw them lead impactful urban ecological initiatives. Founding and directing The Emory Political Review, Willie demonstrated leadership by managing a team of undergraduates and driving the publication's direction.

A dedicated advocate for the environment, Willie continues to inspire positive change and engagement in the community.

Professor Vivek Shandas specializes in developing strategies for addressing the implications of climate change on cities. His teaching and research examine the intersection of exposure to climate-induced events, governance processes, and planning mechanisms. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Shandas studies the emergent characteristics that generate vulnerability among communities and infrastructure. Theoretically, he views cities as grand experiments that are socially constructed, and can vary in their capacities to adapt to changing social and ecological conditions. Empirically, Dr. Shandas examines the human and planetary forces that facilitate (or inhibit) collective response. As such the broad aims of his teaching and research are to identify threats to planetary habitation, and shape landscapes to improve urban environmental quality. He teaches courses in environmental planning, participatory geographic information systems (GIS), and climate adaptation.

As the Founder and Director of the Sustaining Urban Places Research (SUPR), he brings a policy-relevant approach to research, including the evaluation of environmental stressors on human health, development of indicators and tools to improve decision-making, and the construction of frameworks to guide the growth of urban regions. Over the past several years, research from the SUPR Lab has appeared in the Smithsonian Magazine, National Public Radio, Washington Post, Minnesota Public Broadcasting, NY Times, Qatar Times, and several other national and international media.

Zach Wirtz (he/him) is the Community Manager for the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) at The Morton Arboretum. In his role, Zach focuses on outreach and education for public landowners and managers, bridging them with urban forest resources, knowledge, and funding. With a solid background in non-profit tree planting and urban forestry, Zach has honed his expertise through work experiences in both Texas and Illinois. He holds a B.S. in Urban Forestry from UW-Stevens Point and an M.Sc. in Forestry from The University of British Columbia. Additionally, he has earned recognition as an ISA Certified Arborist.

Zach's passion for nurturing green spaces and his dedication to fostering sustainable urban environments shine through his efforts at CRTI. His collaborative approach and continuous pursuit of knowledge make him a valuable asset to the communities he serves. Zach strives to ensure urban landscapes witness positive transformations, ensuring a greener and healthier future for all.