2025 Speakers
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Samantha Anderson
Division of Pesticides "Pesticide Regulation Update" ... Julie Beale Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab Director & Diagnostician, UK Pathology “Disease and Insect Update” Julie is an agricultural research specialist and plant disease diagnostician in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky. Joyce Bender Retired Nature preserve Branch Manager “25 Years and Beyond: A Look at Invasives in Kentucky” In 1991, Joyce was the lone voice in Kentucky raising awareness of the impact of invasive plants in natural areas. A founding member of the Kentucky Invasive Plant Council, she has served as an officer and board member since 2000. In retirement she continues to educate the public and train people to manage invasive species. Kenneth Clayton UK Turf Extension Associate Extension Professor of Arboriculture and Landscape Management “Turfgrass IPM: Ecology, Physiology, and Pesticide Use” Kenneth Clayton is an Extension Associate at the University of Kentucky specializing in turfgrass management. He is currently enrolled as a graduated student in the Integrated Plant and Soil Science program. Before coming to work at UK in 2022 he was a golf course superintendent having worked at courses in central Kentucky for nearly 15 years. Kenneth currently works across the state with extension agents, golf courses, sports fields, and lawn care operators offering expertise in turfgrass science. In addition to working directly with these groups he coordinates conferences, field days, and workshops offered each year and speaks regularly at turfgrass events. Dr. Bill Fountain UK Professor Emeritus of Arboriculture “Resilient Trees for Urban Landscapes” Dr. Bill Fountain is a graduate of Mississippi State University (BS - Horticulture) and Louisiana State University (MS & PhD - Horticulture) and has been at the University of Kentucky since 1979 where he had an extension teaching appointment with emphasis in Arboriculture and Landscape Management. Bill has been on the ISA Board of Directors since 2000. He has served on numerous ISA committees and was selected as a True Professionals Winner in 2010. Bill is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and an ISA Certified Tree Risk Assessor. He has taken two sabbatical leaves in Southeast Asia and travels there frequently to provide training for the ISA Arborist certification program and Best Management Practices. These efforts have been instrumental in leading these countries into the ISA Arborist Certification program and becoming ISA Associate Organizations. |
Robert Hoffman
Restoration Ecologist at Roundstone Seed Company “Establishing and Maintaining Native Prairies and Meadows in the Mid-South” Robert is the Restoration Ecologist and consultant for Roundstone Native Seed. He travels the eastern United States promoting the use of native species and consulting with clients on the proper installation and management techniques for native species for a wide variety of land uses and goals. He also performs project management Roundstone giving him real-world exposure to best management practices. Robert has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management - Wildlife Biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a Master’s of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. He enjoys solving problems on projects using native plants and helping you reach your goals. Dr. Jonathan Larson Assistant Professor, UK Department of Entomology “Disease and Insect Update” Jonathan Larson is an Extension professor for the University of Kentucky who provides insect expertise for people dealing with issues in urban landscapes, turfgrasses, nursery crops, greenhouses, and households. He teaches across a variety of platforms using social media, videos, and traditional Extension publications. He is one of the co-hosts of Arthro-Pod, an entomology podcast. Dave Leonard Arboradvocate “Troubled Trees” As one of the country's leading authorities in the arboriculture profession, Dave Leonard has been promoting tree health care in Lexington, Kentucky for 39 years. As an active member of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) for 34 years, Dave served on ISA's Board of Directors for 18 years. He has also served as both President and Executive Director of ISA's Kentucky Chapter and has been a member of its Board of Directors for 25 years. Dave was part of the team of 10 of the world's best arborists that composed the ISA Arborist Certification exam and the Board Certified Master Arborist exam. Dave earned a Forestry degree from the University of Kentucky in 1974. He became a registered member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists in 1993. Russ Turpin EcoGro “Measuring the Environmental Effects of Landscapes” For the past 15 years, Russ has been involved with water-related environmental improvement projects through consultation, design, construction and continued management. He develops landscape plans and manages native plant selection, procurement, installation, monitoring and plant care. As a licensed Commercial Pesticide Operator and Applicator, he prescribed and implemented various weed control methods on stewardship sites. In the office, he assisted with project proposals and cost estimates, documentation and permit reporting, as well as producing presentations for technical/professional conferences and community events. As a graduate from the Kentucky Professional Environmental Education Certification program, Russ conducts Eco Grow’s educational programs and stakeholder participation events. With a personal commitment to local water quality and community initiatives, he volunteers with local groups offering technical assistance and labor for riparian plantings, rain gardens, watershed outreach programs and invasive species removal. |