Class Instructors

Changing Times, Changing Gardens

Bess Bronstein is an educator, horticultural consultant and ISA Certified Arborist® based on the Kitsap Peninsula in Kingston, Washington, with over 35 years experience in arboriculture, landscape management and garden design. She was an instructor for the Edmonds College horticulture program for 28 years, with a focus on courses in pruning and tree care, plant identification, plant pests/diseases and diagnosis, and soils. Bess frequently teaches public and professional arboriculture and horticulture courses throughout the Pacific Northwest, lectures for garden clubs and organizations, and especially enjoys providing training for WSU Extension Master Gardener programs in the Puget Sound region. 

Soil: What it is and How it Works

James Cassidy has been an Instructor of Soil Science at Oregon State University for over 14 years. and the faculty advisor for the wildly popular OSU Organic Growers Club - OSU's student farm.  Coming from a non-traditional background in the  music industry, he is passionate about soil and is popular with students.  The student farm project has over 300 student volunteers and continues to grow, now entering its 20th season.

Citizen Science: Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills

Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott has a Ph.D. in Horticulture and is an ISA certified arborist and ASCA consulting arborist.  She is WSU’s Extension Urban Horticulturist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture, and holds two affiliate associate professor positions at University of Washington. She conducts research in applied plant and soil sciences, publishing the results in scientific articles and university Extension fact sheets. Linda is an award winning author of 5 books including How Plants Work: The Science Behind the Amazing things Plants Do (2015), the horticultural myth-busting The Informed Gardener and an update of Art Kruckeberg’s Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest (2019).

Deer Resistant Garden Design

Karen Chapman  is the owner of Le jardinet, specializing in creating artistic plant combinations with a four-season foliage framework, functional outdoor living spaces, and deer resistant, summer-dry designs. Her articles and designs have been featured in many national gardening publications including Fine Gardening, Country Gardens, Sunset, and Garden Design magazines and Her latest book, Deer Resistant Design: Gardens that Thrive Despite the Deer was released in 2019.

Community Gardens and Food Banks

 Beth Chisholm is the WSU Whatcom Community Horticulture coordinator. She grew up in the Midwest and has lived in Bellingham for 30 years .  She runs the WSU Master Gardener program and Master Composter programs and supports local community Food Gardens with technical support and volunteer support.  She is raising her family in Bellingham and loves to get really dirty and jump in the cold ocean. 

If Bugs Could Talk …Gardening in Tune with Insect Lifecycles

Sharon Collman  was one of the founding members of the WSU Master Gardener Program in 1973. She has taught classes on integrated pest management, plant problem diagnosis, insect ID and insect appreciation and beneficial insects in the landscape throughout the PNW and in Canada and England.  She has authored over 75 publications and received numerous awards for her educational programs.

Do Plants Talk?

Dave Crowder is an Associate Professor of Entomology at Washington State University. He did his BS and MS in Environmental Science at the University of Illinois and his PhD in Entomology at the University of Arizona. He has been in Pullman since 2009, where his lab studies insect ecology and plant-insect interactions in agricultural systems.

Companion Planting - Do Carrots Really Love Tomatoes?

Diane Decker-Ihle has been a Snohomish County Master Gardener since 1990 and an avid gardener most of her life. She helped establish the WSU Extension Snohomish County Growing Groceries Program in 2009 and has been teaching Growing Groceries classes ever since. She has been an advisor for several community gardens and managed her church’s food bank garden for many years. With B.S. degrees in biology and medical technology, Diane enjoys learning the science behind the sustainable gardening techniques she teaches.

Creating Pollinator Friendly Gardens

Mary Dessel is a Mason County Master Gardener active on the Education Committee organizing the MCMG’s educational workshop series, Through the Garden Gate, as well as helping teach MG training classes and community outreach events. She has a B.S. in nursing and in forestry and a Masters in Forestry with an emphasis on forest entomology, and was a park naturalist in the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park.

Leading Through Change: Empowering Volunteers

Jana Ferris is the Volunteer Development Specialist with WSU Extension, providing education, support, and systems management expertise to faculty and staff volunteer administrators. She has been actively involved in leadership of volunteer programs for over 30 years, providing academic preparation in education and organizational psychology, as well as faculty leadership of large (over 650 volunteers) and middle management 4-H and Girl Scout volunteer programs. 

Creating Garden Beauty All Year with Native Plants

Mary Foster is a longtime gardener who first because curious about the Master Gardener  program in the late 1980’s; and then in the early 1990’s, she and her husband were putting a garden in their new home and really appreciated the very helpful Master Gardener clinics in a local nursery.  Today, she is a Snohomish County Master Gardener and was awarded 2017 Intern of the Year. 

Plant & insect Clinic: Helping Clients Figure Out the Problem

Jenny Glass has managed the WSU Puyallup Plant & Insect Diagnostic Laboratory for the past 20 years where she has honed her diagnostics skills on a wide range of plant pathology and insect identification experiences. She spends hours under the microscope trying to find signs of fungal pathogens and scours the internet looking for plant and problem information. Her favorite part of the job is interacting with clients and helping them learn about the management solutions to their plant problems.

Garden Design Makeovers!  

Sue Goetz, CPH, ECO_Pro, is an award-winning garden designer, writer and speaker. Through her business, Creative Gardener, she works with clients to personalize outdoor spaces – from garden coaching to full landscape design. Her work has earned gold medals at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show and other specialty awards, and she is the author of A Taste for Herbs (2019) and The Herb-Lover’s Spa Book (2015).

The Best Plants for Challenging Places

Dan Hinkley has a lifelong interest in plants which led him to receive his B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture and M.S. in Urban Horticulture. In 1987 he and his husband, architect Robert Jones, established Heronswood Nursery.  Devoted to introducing rare plants to the gardeners of North America, this endeavor led him into the wilds of China, South and Central America, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Nepal and Vietnam over the past 20 years. He is the author of three award-winning books: The Explorer’s Garden: Shrubs & Vines (2009), Winter Ornamentals (1993) and The Explorers Garden: Rare and Unusual Perennials (1998), and his  new book on the making of Windcliff, his private garden, will be published by Timber Press in late 2020. 

Sustainable Stormwater Management and the Role that MGs Can Play

Dr. Anand Jayakaran is an Associate Professor with WSU Extension, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering, and a PhD in Agricultural & Biological Engineering. His role is to meet education and research needs in a region experiencing the impacts of high urbanization and a changing climate. His work involves disseminating strategies to manage water resources using Green Stormwater Infrastructure and improving current engineering designs, aiming to provide research-based solutions to stormwater managers.

Demo Gardens: Everything You Need to Know

Erika coordinates the WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardener Program. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine Science. Her work experience includes bird research, environmental education and volunteer program management as well as a year teaching English in South Korea. She has been with the Master Gardener program since 2012. The daughter of a military officer, she has lived in several states as well as The Philippines, allowing her the opportunity to experience diverse, interesting and beautiful natural places. Supporting wildlife and helping volunteers to find their passion through service are what drives her. Trees/urban forestry and plant problem diagnosis are her top horticultural interests. She and her husband of 25 years, Mark, are doting parents to a tiny Chihuahua named Lulu.

Garden Lessons in a Box

Tim Kohlhauff is the urban horticulture coordinator for WSU’s Spokane County extension office, where he leads the Master Gardener volunteer program.  He is an adjunct instructor at Spokane Community College where he has taught Arboriculture, Advanced Arboriculture, Plant Problem Diagnosis, and pest management classes. For 10 years, Tim was the arborist at the Spokane Country Club golf course.  He has been a certified arborist since 2004.  

A Convenient Truth - Composting for the Home Gardener

Don Krafft is a WSU Master Gardener and Master Composter in Island County , focused on practicing and teaching soil and water management and composting for home and community gardeners.  In addition to the Master Gardener and Master Composter trainings, Don has completed the comprehensive Soil Food Web and Microscope Soil Analysis courses and is currently managing composting pile at the South Whidbey Tilth Community Garden.

Not in My Backyard

Jim Kropf is the Natural Resources Program Director, the Director of County Administration for WSU Extension and the WSU Pierce County Extension Director. He has been an Extension agronomist in eastern WA and horticulturalist in western WA during his 43 year career with WSU. Jim grew up on a small berry farm in Puyallup.

Demo Gardens: Everything You Need to Know

Jennifer Marquis is the statewide WSU Master Gardener Program Leader. She has been with Extension for 10 years and enjoys leading and empowering volunteers to accomplish program goals and objectives. Working with the WSU Master Gardener Program fulfills her passions for people and natural resources.  

Developing and Growing the Perfect Tomato

Sam Maupin is a production manager at the Brothers Greenhouses in Port Orchard, WA. He was raised on a family farm, selling produce at local farmer's markets and earned a horticulture degree from WSU. Horticulture has taken Sam around the world, studying and working in Holland, Costa Rica and Southeast Asia. These experiences have encouraged his dedication to a mission of promoting gardening in the community.

If Bugs Could Talk …Gardening in Tune with Insect Lifecycles

Dave Pehling, retired WSU Extension Snohomish County zoologist/IT tech, joined WSU Extension in Snohomish County for a 6 month position in 1978 and remained until retirement 40+ years later.  He has a B.Sc. in zoology from the University of Washington and formerly taught about entomology and vertebrate pest management for the WSU Master Gardener and Livestock Advisor programs, as well as providing citizens with information about vertebrates, insects, native plants, plant diseases and pesticides.

Watering Systems: What Questions do YOU get in a Clinic? 

Dr. Troy Peters is a professor and Extension Irrigation Specialist at the Washington State University’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser, WA where he has been for over 13 years.  He is also a licensed professional agricultural engineer and a certified agricultural irrigation specialist.

Gardening Amid the Tree Roots

Christina Pfeiffer is a horticulture writer, educator, and consultant with 40 years’ experience in landscape management and plant care.  She brings an emphasis on sustainable garden practices applied in sync with the cycle of the seasons to her teaching and writing and holds degrees in horticulture from Michigan State and the University of Washington and is an ISA Certified Arborist©.  She is author, with Mary Robson, of Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening, 2017. 

Community Gardens and Food Banks

After a 30 year career in telecom corporate leadership, Jeannine became a Master Gardener to combine her interest in volunteering and gardening. She has been with the Mason County program since 2013 and spent three plus years as the Mason County Master Gardener Program Coordinator.

Tips for Talking About Climate Change

Joan Qazi is the Geography instructor at Wenatchee Valley College and has been involved with sustainability initiatives for over 20 years. Joan is an active member of Climate Conversations NCW, the Climate Reality Project, and Sustainable Wenatchee. She is also on the board of the Washington State Farmers Market Association and has a deep appreciation for farmers and gardeners in her area.  

Uprooting Racism in the Garden, A Contemporary and Historical View of Making Public Gardens Racially Diverse and Equitable 

Eve Rickenbaker is a PhD student researching racial inclusiveness in public gardens from historical and contemporary perspectives at the University of Washington. One of her objectives is to understand how racial history has impacted who has access to and benefits from public gardens today. Eve received her B.S. from the University of Georgia in horticulture and her M.S.  from the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. She managed the UW Botanic Gardens' herbarium from 2012-2020. A Georgia native, Eve also enjoys hiking the peaks of Washington and cycling throughout the region. 

Building a Growing Groceries Program 

Since 2007, Kate has been the Agriculture Program Coordinator for WSU Snohomish County Extension, developing workshops and events focused on helping agricultural producers become as successful as possible. She’s also been a gardener and commercial grower for over thirty years, making pretty much every mistake in the book while developing her own recipes and methods for organic-based food production.

"Can I Plant Something Pretty on my Drainfield?”

Bob Simmons is WSU Extension’s Olympic Region Water Resources Regional Specialist. Over the past 27 years, he has provided community based water resource stewardship programs focusing on water quality in the Puget Sound region. Over his career he has provided septic sewage system education and stormwater management using bio-retention strategies and served as the chairperson of the Washington Governor’s Council on Environmental Education.

Ten Things an MG should Know about Lawn Care

Dr. Gwen K. Stahnke received her B.S. in Horticulture/Turf and her Masters degree in turf grass, with a robust career path that has included teaching golf course operations, serving as area agronomist for TruGreen and sod farm management. She earned her PhD in Turf and was Turf Extension Specialist in Puyallup for over 20 years. Currently, Dr. Stahnke is Professor Emeritus, WSU-Puyallup REC, instructor for the Turfgrass Management program at Walla Walla Community College and a representative from the US. on the International Turfgrass Society’s Board of Directors.

Demo Gardens: Everything You Need to Know

Bob Taylor has been a WSU Master Gardener since 2001, serving as WSU Demonstration Garden Coordinator, Foundation member and part of the State MG Foundation Board. For the last 15 years Bob has expanded his involvement into Youth Outreach, teaching both Master Gardener and Master Recycling/Composting related topics. He is currently teaching 5 topics to Title one primary school students grades K-5.  . Bob received the Master Gardener of the Year Award in 2018.

The Importance of Trees to Our Lives and Landscapes

Ben Thompson is the Urban Forestry Specialist for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ Urban & Community Forestry Program and has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 1999. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Community Forestry and a Master’s in Forest Resources and Conservation and has worked extensively with Washington’s trees and communities for over 11 years.

Glyphosate Resistance and Cancer...What's the Latest News?

Dale Whaley has been working for Washington State University Extension for 17 years. He has expertise in entomology (Master of Science, WSU), integrated pest management (IPM) (Bachelor of Science, WSU), noxious weed control, invasive species, and alternative cropping systems and continues to work as a regional coordinator for the Washington State Integrated Weed Control Project. Dale enjoys collecting insects and fishing.  

Pesticides: WSU Master Gardener Policy and the Law

Wendy Sue Wheeler works for Washington State University’s Pesticide Safety Education Program. She has a keen interest to improve pesticide safety education in Washington, her region and across the country. An important responsibility of her pesticide safety education training focuses on pesticide stewardship to protect humans, the environment, and ecosystems for both initial certification and recertification training (in-person, webinar, and on-line).Wendy Sue worked for 14 years for the Washington State Department of Agriculture in the Pesticide Management Division as a Pesticide Registration Specialist in Aquatics. This and prior invasive species work with the Pacific County Noxious Weed Control Board have positioned her to understand stewardship from the user and regulator perspectives.