Dr. Frank Hale is a professor of horticultural crop entomology at the University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture. He specializes in diagnosis and management of insect and mite pests of ornamental plants, turf grass, fruit, vegetables and dark tobacco; integrated pest management; invasive pest monitoring and macro-photography. He also supports extension agents and master gardeners in their programming in insect and mite identification and management.
Dr. Larry Tankersley is an Extension Specialist II in Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries. He holds a 100% appointment in Extension where is interests are in Forest Stewardship on private, non-industrial forest land and environmental education for 4-H youth. He also participates as the library liaison for the department and as faculty advisor for the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters. Larry began with UTK in 1992.
Dr. Alan Windham is a professor of ornamental and turf plant pathology at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. He specializes in diagnosis and management of diseases of ornamental plants and turf grass mycology, microscopy and macro-photography. He also supports extension agents in their programming in the green industry and master gardeners.
Jason is the Co-Director Emerging Threats to Forests Research Team, Associate Professor of Forest Pathology and State Forest Health Extension Specialist at the University of Florida. The focus of his research program is to provide a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and biology of interactions between tree hosts, pathogens, their vectors and the environment to reduce the impact of disease on trees in the context of global change. Current research focuses on 1.) Exotic tree disease detection and management; 2.) Phylogeography and pathogenicity of tree pathogens; and 3.) Management of diseases affecting rare, endangered or relict tree species in a changing climate. His research on oak diseases has recently focused on emerging fungal pathogens, such as Diplodia corticola and D. quercivora as well as damage from mtseulfuron-methyl containing herbicides. In addition to serving as the Principal Investigator of the Forest Pathology Laboratory, Jason teaches several graduate and undergraduate courses and carries out forest health extension activities including advanced tree diagnostic services. Professionally, Jason is active in the American Phytopathological Society, American Conifer Society and serves as associate editor of the journal Forest Pathology.
Katy was raised in Nashville, TN. Her first job was on a trail maintenance team at Warner Parks in Tennessee. This was when she realized she wanted to work with plants. Katy attended Tennessee State University where she received a BS in Plant Science and a MS in Agricultural Sciences focusing in Plant Pathology. Her thesis focus was on Phytophthora sp. in Tennessee field nurseries. After college she was a GIS consultant while assisting at a local garden center when needed. In 2014, she was hired as a Plant Inspector II for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Plant Certification Section in McMinnville, TN. She recently transferred to the position of Plant Pathologist back in Nashville, TN at the Ellington Agricultural Research Center. This position includes overseeing the Sudden Oak Death Survey throughout Tennessee as well as monitoring for other diseases.
Eric Day has been the manager of the insect ID lab at Virgina Tech Department of Entomology for over 30 years. He is an expert in urban and forest insects. Eric received his Master of Science in entomology from the University of Illinois and his Bachelor's degree in biology from Wilmington College.
Dr. LeVeen is the State Survey Coordinator for the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He received his Doctor of Plant Medicine degree from the University of Florida in 2015. During his time at UF, he also received his Master of Science in entomology studying the brown marmorated stink bug.