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Current Council Members |
Biographical Sketches
Brenda M. Allen serves as one of two members representing academic institutions with an expertise in urban and community forestry activities. She is an Assistant Professor, School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, and also Extension Specialist – Urban Forestry, Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Brenda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal & Poultry Sciences and a Master of Science degree in Plant & Soil Sciences with further studies in Environmental Sciences, all from Tuskegee Institute (now University), Tuskegee, Alabama. She also earned a Ph.D. in Forestry from Auburn University. A long time extension professional, Brenda began her career with the Alabama Cooperative Extension as a county agricultural extension agent in 1978. In 1997, she was appointed to her current Extension Specialist position and joined Auburn's School of Forestry faculty where she teaches urban forestry. She also serves on the Alabama Urban Forestry Council. Brenda's e-mail address is allenbm@auburn.edu.
Ann Bates is the member representing forest products, landscape, and design consultants. She is an Idaho native. From 1978 to 1997, she and her husband operated their own company - Down To Earth - a floral, garden, and landscape business. Down To Earth received the Idaho Falls Quality Business Award for Outstanding Contributions to Quality/Productivity Improvement from the Idaho Nuclear Engineering Laboratory. This award is given only to those companies that have displayed the highest standards of customer service and product quality in their field. Ann is a certified Master Gardener through the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service. She is currently the Executive Director for the Idaho Nursery Association, an organization promoting the horticulture industry statewide. She does landscape design and consultation and teaches horticulture classes for District 91 Community Education. Ann serves on the Idaho State Advisory Committee and the Idaho Community Forestry Advisory Council. To contribute locally, she is a member of the Idaho Falls Planning and Zoning Commission. Ann's e-mail address is abates@inlagrow.org.
Catalino Blancheis the member representing USDA Extension Service. He serves as the National Program Leader, Natural Resources and Environment, USDA CSREES. He holds a BS degree in Forest Utilization Engineering; Master's degrees in Agriculture and Forest Resources; and a PhD in Forestry. Dr. Blanche also holds postdoctoral training in Urban Forestry; Urban Forest Planning, Management and Policy; and Trees, People and the Law. Currently, he administers the $6.2M Wood Utilization Research grant, the $22M Cooperative Forestry Research Grant and approximately $3.5M in special research grants annually. Dr. Blanche manages the Forestry Research Advisory Council (FRAC); coordinates the Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) Base Program Support Team in Cooperative Extension; and the Forest Fragmentation Curriculum development. He was one of the five architects in designing the Clinton-Glickman natural resources conservation legacy. He is a former agroforestry program leader of the USDA Agricultural Research Service; a former associate director of the Urban Forestry Program at Southern University; and a research scientist at Mississippi State University. Dr. Blanche has 92 publications in a variety of areas including: forest products (wood preservation), urban forestry, agroforestry, hydrocarbon emissions, tree seeds, photosynthesis, and bark beetle/host interactions and three book chapters with Academic Press, Timber Press and VPI&SU Press. Catalino's e-mail address is cblanche@csrees.usda.gov.
Juan Carlos Cervantesserves as the member representing professional renewable natural resource or arboricultural societies. He is the Director of Science and Research for the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). ISA is a non profit organization dedicated to promoting the professional practice of arboriculture and fostering a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees through research, technology, and education. Juan Carlos holds a Ph.D in Natural Resources Science and Management from the University of Minnesota and a Masters degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan. This broad educational background affords him a broad spectrum from which to formulate new approaches to the challenges facing urban and community trees. Juan Carlos's e-mail address is juanc.cervantes@gmail.com.
Jim Hubbardserves as the member representing the USDA Forest Service. He is the Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, and is located at in the Forest Service's headquarters located in Washington, DC. Jim's e-mail address is jhubbard@fs.fed.us.
Melanie Kirk serves as one of two members representing academic institutions with an expertise in urban and community forestry activities. She is the Urban and Community Forestry Extension Program Specialist with the Texas Cooperative Extension responsible for the development and implementation of a statewide urban and community forestry education program that provides information, training, teaching materials, and technical support for County Extension Agents, and other specialists. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Melanie received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban Forestry Management in 1997, and her Master of Science in Urban Forestry Policy in 2001 from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge. After receiving her Masters she was hired as a City Arborist in Dallas, Texas, responsible for code enforcement, plan review, and landscape inspections for the northwest districts of the city. Melanie also serves on the Texas Urban Forestry Council and ISA-T Board of Directors, while working towards her PhD in Agricultural Education. Melanie's e-mail address is mrkirk@tamu.edu.
W. Neil Letson serves as the member representing State government. He is the State Urban Forestry Coordinator for Alabama. He is employed by the Alabama Forestry Commission yet works on assignment through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Neil's duties include responsibility for the U&CF Financial Assistance Program as administered by Auburn University, serving as chairman of Alabama's Urban Forestry Partnership's Technical Committee, collaboration with state partnership organizations (i.e. Alabama Forestry Commission, AU School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Alabama Urban Forestry Association), and providing training, educational, and technical resources in support of the state's urban forestry program. Neil earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He has been involved with urban forestry since 1979. Neil's e-mail address is letsonn@forestry.state.al.us.
Suzanne Probart serves as the member representing urban forestry, landscape, and design consultants. Suzanne is the owner of Southwest Interiorscape Ltd., a full service landscape installation and maintenance company for interior and exterior foliage. Suzanne is also the Executive Director of Tree New Mexico, a state-wide nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to assuring sustainable forests in urban and rural communities and natural areas through restoration, public education and advocacy. Suzanne also is the Chair of the New Mexico Urban Forest Council and the Albuquerque Tree Initiative. All told, Suzanne has 27 years experience in horticulture and 15 years experience with Tree New Mexico. Suzanne's e-mail address is tnm@treenm.com.
Steve Sinclair is the member representing State forestry agencies or equivalent state agencies. He is the State Forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation. He is also the Chair of the National Association of State Forester's Urban and Community Forestry Committee. Steve's e-mail address is steven.sinclair@state.vt.us.
Alice Ewen Walker serves as one of two members representing national non-profit forestry and conservation citizen organizations. She is Executive Director for the National Alliance for Community Trees, a non-profit dedicated to the support and professional development of community-based urban forestry organizations. Established in 1993, ACT's members include grassroots citizen groups like Tree People, Trees New York, Trees for Houston, DC Greenworks and others. Alice's experience includes national GIS marketing, training and product development at American Forests, fundraising and program management for Trees Atlanta and international conference planning. She is an academic advisor to the University of Maryland Urban Forestry program and is Vice President of DC Greenworks and Treasurer of the Communities Committee of the 7th American Forest Congress. An Atlanta native, Alice has worked in urban forestry since 1994 and holds a BA in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Alice's e-mail address is alice@pobox.com.
Bobbi Wallace serves as the member representing county government. She is a native from Washington State and serves the citizens of King County as the Park Resource Manager. She works in an urban park setting and oversees maintenance operations for over 117,000 acres of trees and forests in both urban and natural lands. She is responsible for managing a staff of 84, with an annual budget of 6.8 million. She has an Associate Degree in Horticulture from Edmonds Community College and first hand experience as a gardener with the City of Seattle's Street Tree Program. She has worked as a heavy equipment operator, concrete crew supervisor and as the City of Seattle's North Division Park Resource Manager prior to her current position with King County. She has over 22 years of experience working for the City of Seattle and King County in Washington State. The Seattle Management Association presented Bobbi with the Innovation Award and in 2004 she submitted for King County and received the National Association of Counties award for innovation for the King County Park System's Business Plan. Bobbi's e-mail address is bobbi.wallace@metrokc.gov.
Joe Wilson is the member who is not an officers or employees of any government body living in a city with a population of more than 50,000 and who has experience and has been active in urban and community forestry. He is the Executive Director of Greening Milwaukee, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the tree canopy in the city of Milwaukee though programs of environmental education, awareness, and advice. He is responsible for harnessing enthusiasm throughout greater Milwaukee for a significant environmental improvement resource while building the internal infrastructure to support diverse activities, constituencies, and future aspirations. Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from St. Edwards University, Austin, Texas and a Certificate in Strategic Planning from the University of North Texas. He is a member of the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council. Joe's e-mail address is joewilson@greeningmilwaukee.org.
