Schedule Wednesday Thursday Lightning Round Student Posters

Click on a presenter’s name to learn more about them.

Frank Archuleta ~ Joel Bickley ~ Christie Bryant ~ Dr. Kim Coder ~ Dr. David Coyle ~ William Hascher~ Dr. Richard Hauer ~ Samantha Kennett ~ James Komen ~ JP McDonnell ~ Randy Miller ~ Mel Mount ~ Dr. Keith O’Herrin ~ Dr. Kelly Oten ~ Glynn Percival ~ Dr. Paul G. Putman ~ Dr. Paul Ries ~ Delaney Serpan ~ Dr. Robert Vanderhoof ~ Kendra Wagner ~ Jimmy Walters ~ Russ Warnock ~ James Wendt ~ Liz Westberg ~ Andy White

Frank Archuleta, Fire Mitigation Manager, Wright Tree Service leads a program that provides training and support to the Wright family of companies on fire safety related matters. He also helps with fire investigations and give presentations to current and perspective customers about the WTS Fire Safety Program.

He has a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from Colorado State University, and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Emily Griffith Technical College. He was worked in various aspects wildland fire for ten years and have been with Wright Tree since 2017.

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Joel Bickley has worked at Dominion Energy for 21 years in the Transmission Vegetation Management department. He attended Clemson University, earning a BS in Forest Resource Management (1995) and Masters of Agricultural Education (2000). Joel is a SC Registered Forester and ISA Certified Arborist.

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Christie Bryant started her career as a landscaper 26 years ago. She quickly determined that trees are the most important part of the landscape. She moved to the tree industry and will never leave. Christie has been the chair or co-chair of the Georgia TCC for 8 years. She has served the GAA as a delagate moving up to president in 2019-2021. She is on the ISA Council of Representatives and is current President of Womens Arborist of the Southeast. She also is a creator on TikTok teaching trees to anyone that will watch. She also recently became a BCMA.

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William “Bill” Hascher is the Arborist Operations Manager at the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, where he leads all aspects of tree health assessment, preservation, and long-term canopy management across the estate’s diverse and iconic landscape. With over three decades of field experience, Bill specializes in risk assessment, decay detection, and holistic tree care in both historic and natural settings. A Board Certified Master Arborist® through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Bill is among a select group of professionals recognized for their advanced knowledge and commitment to best practices in arboriculture. His leadership at Biltmore combines technical expertise with a deep respect for cultural landscapes, ensuring the estate’s trees thrive for future generations. Bill frequently collaborates with arboricultural consultants, researchers, and landscape conservationists, and he is a trusted resource in the southeastern U.S. for tree diagnostics, storm recovery planning, and preservation during construction. His work blends modern science with historic stewardship, making him a valued voice in both the professional and academic arboriculture communities.

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Samantha M. Kennett is an urban ecologist whose research focuses on invasive species in urban ecosystems. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science from Southern New Hampshire University before completing her master’s degree in Integrative Biology at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. For her master’s work, Samantha led the research team that identified the “ManhattAnt,” an invasive ant species in New York City. Samantha gained extensive outreach and community engagement experience through co-leading the Urban Kings Project, a community science project studying eastern king snakes in Metro Atlanta, and during her time working at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, Georgia. She is currently a PhD student working with Dr. David Coyle at Clemson University studying the ecology, management, and impact of the invasive crape myrtle bark scale.

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Randall H. Miller joined CNUC in 2017 and serves as the director of research and development for Eocene Environmental Group. Randall received his Bachelor of Science in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison before obtaining his Master of Science in urban forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He has more than three-and-a-half decades of experience, previously working as director of vegetation management for PacifiCorp and serving on ACRT’s board of directors.

Randall serves on the ISA Board of Directors, has been chair of the TREE Fund Board of Trustees, president of the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) and twice chair of the Edison Electric Institute Vegetation Management Task Force. He has also served on the ISA Certification Test Committee and many other industry committees. Randall is the author of the ISA Integrated Vegetation Management Best Management Practices and co-author of the Utility Specialist Study Guide. He speaks widely on arboricultural topics and performs formal utility vegetation management (UVM) surveys of North American utilities. When he isn’t working, Randall enjoys bicycle and motorcycle riding, hiking and skiing.

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Mel is an accomplished ISA Certified TRAQ Arborist who obtained a Bachelors in Atmospheric Science with a minor in Urban Forestry from Purdue University. After a few years in the workforce Mel went on to pursue and complete a Master's of Natural Resource Management from Auburn University and a Master's of Science in Forestry from the University of Tennessee. Currently, Mel is pursuing a Ph.D. in Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee where she is researching tree care industry perspective on the risk and failure of urban trees. In addition to her academic career Mel and her husband, Daniel, own and operate their tree care company, Treecology, in the Sevierville, Tennessee area surrounding the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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Dr. Keith O’Herrin, Urban Forester, County Extension, Union County, North Carolina

Dr. Keith O’Herrin is the Urban Forester for Union County where he focuses on tree preservation during development for 10 municipalities. His current position is also 50% NC Cooperative Extension where he focuses on arboriculture and urban forestry school programs. He is also the co-founder of TreesUnion, a tree planting non-profit. He has worked as an urban forester for 17 years in rural Indiana, Austin, TX, the Chicago suburbs, and now metro Charlotte, NC. Keith has published research on tree preservation, municipal capacity, student recruitment, workforce development, credentialing, and assessment of the urban forest profession. He is part of the Urban Forestry 2020 team that was awarded the 2024 L.C. Chadwick award for Arboricultural Research (ISA). 

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Dr. Paul Ries has worked as a practitioner and educator in natural resources, urban forestry, arboriculture, and wildland fire management at the state, local, International, non-profit, and academic levels for over 35 years. He currently teaches urban forestry, green infrastructure, and arboriculture at Oregon State University and provides consulting, teaching, and facilitation services through Insightful Nature LLC, a natural resources consulting, communications, and training company. He holds BS and MS degrees in Natural Resources and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Paul is a Past-President of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 1988.

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Delaney Serpan is a Ph.D. student in the Forest Health Lab at NC State University. Her research focuses on the biology, behavior, and management of a novel invasive pest, elm zigzag sawfly. 

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Winner of the David H Nabi Award for dedication and service, Robert Vanderhoof earned his Ph.D. from the College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University in 1995. He also holds certifications as an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, a Utility Specialist and is TRAQ qualified. A veteran natural resource manager, Robert spent 15 years as Florida’s deer management program leader during which time he coordinated range management activities across Florida’s seven-million-acre wildlife management area system. In 2004 Robert earned the Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society’s award for “Extraordinary Vision, Leadership, and Dedication”. From 2008-2023 Robert applied his management experience as a Utility Vegetation Manager for PacifiCorp across Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. He currently teaches Urban and Community Forestry at the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point and works as a Research & Consulting Subject Matter Expert for ARBORMETRICS. Robert also heads up Tall Tree Learning LLC which specializes in preparing students for ISA certification as arborists and Utility Specialists. Winner of the UAA Education Award in 2023, Robert currently serves on the UAA Board of Directors, has written several articles on natural resource management, and routinely speaks on utility vegetation management issues.

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Kendra Wagner is a Research Scientist at Rainbow Ecoscience, where she leads nationwide research trials focused on advancing plant health care solutions. She brings a diverse background in arboriculture, tree injection, and integrated pest management (IPM). Kendra earned a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick and a diploma in Urban Forestry. She studied Forest Entomology at Mississippi State University, conducting international research on drought impacts and forest management in relation to invasive species. At Rainbow Ecoscience, her work centers on understanding drought stress and improving drought tolerance strategies for trees and landscapes.

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James Wendt brings over 20 years of expertise from his time in the USMC Special Forces, specializing in weapons and arms training, including high-angle rescue operations. After his military service, he transitioned to the private security sector for five years, sharpening his skills in high-stakes environments. For the past eight years, James has immersed himself in the tree care industry, starting as a groundperson and climbing the ranks to his current leadership role.

James’s connection to safety and training is deeply rooted in his military experience, where the margin for error often meant the difference between life and death. Whether coordinating high-angle rescues or ensuring operational readiness, he learned firsthand the importance of integrating safety measures seamlessly into training to prevent catastrophic outcomes. This perspective has carried into his civilian career, where he’s passionate about applying these principles to everyday workplace challenges.

Beyond his professional achievements, James has a love for challenges that test his limits. Whether scaling new heights in tree work or mentoring the next generation of safety leaders, he approaches every task with the same dedication that defined his military career. When not working, you’ll find him exploring the outdoors or perfecting his barbecue skills, because safety may come first, but good food is always a close second.

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Andy White is a nationally recognized, multiple award-winning landscape designer; Certified Member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD #167) for 20 years (1996-2016); Registered Consulting Arborist® (RCA #510) for 10 years (2011-2021); Landscape Industry Certified Manager (NALP) for 17 years (1999-2016); N.C. Licensed Pesticide Applicator (#4146); ISA Qualified Tree Risk Assessor (TRAQ); ASCA Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification (TPAQ).

Andy White is a nationally recognized, award-winning landscape designer with over 45 years of experience as a landscape company owner in Ohio and North Carolina. He holds a master's degree in Ecology from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor's in Zoology from Miami University. A Certified Member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers for two decades, Andy also served as a Registered Consulting Arborist®, Landscape Industry Certified Manager, and ISA Qualified Tree Risk Assessor. He is a licensed pesticide applicator, general contractor, and North Carolina Registered Landscape Contractor. His work has been widely published and honored with 12 national and state design/build awards, including the prestigious NCNLA Oakland Award for lifetime achievement. A prolific writer and industry thought leader, Andy contributed for 13 years as a feature columnist for *Builder/Architect* magazine and regularly consulted for other leading landscape publications. His former company, Wayside Landscape Services, Inc., was a consistent recipient of national safety awards for excellence in operations.

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