Dr. Nina Bassuk has been a professor and program leader of the Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University for 30 years. She is co- author of 'Trees in the Urban Landscape”, a text for landscape architects and horticultural practitioners on establishing trees in disturbed and urban landscapes. In addition, Dr. Bassuk has authored over 100 papers on the physiological problems of plants growing in urban environments, including improved plant selections for difficult sites, soil modification including the development of 'CU-Structural Soil' and improved transplanting technology. She works closely with municipalities to help implement best practices in urban forestry management.
Lynn Braband, a Certified Wildlife Biologist, joined the NYS Community IPM Program at Cornell University in May 1999 as an Extension Educator. Since joining the Community IPM Program, he has had major responsibilities in assisting New York State schools and municipalities in the implementation of IPM. As a volunteer, Braband regularly runs U. S. Geological Survey Breeding Bird Survey routes and participates on the management committee of a private wetland preserve.
Lori Brewer is a Senior Extension Associate in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University. In the Cornell Garden-Based Learning program, Lori Brewer leads adult and family education with Cornell University Cooperative Extension's county network of community horticulture educators and Master Gardener Volunteers. Collectively they aim to connect with the 7 million gardening households in New York State to advance environmental and scientific literacy, build community, and promote human well-being by creating opportunities for successful gardening experiences. Through Citizen Science in Horticulture projects, Lori addresses garden-related research questions by tapping the knowledge and enthusiasm of gardeners.
Richard Buckley is Director of Soil Testing and Plant Diagnostic Services at Rutgers University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Entomology and Plant Pathology from the University of Delaware. A Master of Science degree in Turfgrass Pathology from Rutgers led to his position in the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory. In addition to his responsibilities as the Director of Testing Services, Mr. Buckley is an instructor in the Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School teaching courses in diseases and insect pests of turfgrass and ornamental plants.
Having retired from the West Chester Area School District after 36 year,
Jim Cornelius joined Fisher & Son in 2010 to begin a new career dedicated to synthetic turf maintenance. Jim is committed to creating longevity and ensuring playability, safety and performance for all users. He obtained his Certified Sports Fields Managers certification from the Sports Turf Managers Association in 2010, and currently serves on the board of the Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization (KAFMO) in Pennsylvania. Jim has written articles on turf maintenance and utilizing students as grounds keepers, and has been published in Sports Turf, Between the Lines, Virginia Turfgrass and New Jersey Turf magazines.
Dr. Paul Curtis has coordinated the Wildlife Damage Management Program for Cornell Cooperative Extension in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University during the past 24 years. His applied research interests include testing novel fencing and repellents for protecting plants and fruit crops, deer impacts to forest regeneration, wildlife fertility control, management of colonial waterbirds, and resolving community-based wildlife issues. Dr. Curtis has conducted research on white-tailed deer, controlled hunting programs, black bear ecology, Canadian geese, woodpeckers and urban coyote behavior. He is a co-author of the National Wildlife Control Training Program, and is a Certified Wildlife Biologist with the Wildlife Society.
Kevin Doyle graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1995 with a B.S. in biochemistry. Doyle also earned a master's in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University in 2010. After more than 17 years managing golf courses in the southern New Hampshire area, Doyle was hired by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to fill the position of Northeast Regional Representative in the Field Staff Program. The role of the program is to communicate and promote GCSAA resources to the members and affiliated chapters, and assist in advocating for the game of golf.
Dr. Alex Ellram is a Professor at SUNY Cobleskill in the Department of Animal and Plant Science where he teaches Agricultural Chemicals, Golf Course Management, Plant Pathology, Entomology and Integrated Pest Management. Alex earned his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Minnesota. His research included field studies in mowing practices to reduce dollar spot on creeping bentgrass. Alex also worked as a practitioner in the turfgrass field for 16 years managing golf courses, and athletic fields. He is a member of the American Phytopathological Society, the American Society of Agronomy, and the Golf Course Superintendents’ Association of America.
Andy Gates has been with Walton Central School District for 9 years. He started as the physical education teacher and coach, and is now in his second year as the Athletic Director.
James Gorman graduated from SUNY Delhi with a bachelor’s degree in business in 2003. After graduating James went to work as an assistant superintendent at Grossinger’s Country Club for 8 years. He joined The Pond and Lake Connection 4 years ago. The Pond and Lake Connection manages over 700 acres of water in the NY/NJ/CT area.
Dr. Michael Goatley, Jr. is a Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist in the Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Kentucky specializing in Turfgrass Science, and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. Dr. Goatley served on the faculty of the Plant and Soil Sciences Department of Mississippi State University for 15 years before returning to Virginia Tech in 2004. His responsibilities are statewide development and implementation of educational outreach programs for all areas of turfgrass management in the state of Virginia. Dr. Goatley’s research program focuses on applied strategies in environmental stewardship in turfgrass management through cultivar evaluation, improved establishment and maintenance methods, and urban nutrient management. He has co-authored four books on sports turf management and served as President of the Sports Turf Managers Association in 2012 and 2013.
Dr. Jennifer Grant is the Director of the New York State IPM Program at Cornell University. She received a Ph.D. in entomology from Cornell University, and a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont. Grant’s specialty is researching and extending low-impact pest management practices for turfgrass.
Joann Gruttadaurio holds a bachelor's degree in Agronomy and a master's degree in Extension Education from Cornell University. Joann retired from Cornell University in 2007, where she was a Senior Extension Associate with the Cornell Turfgrass Team and on the Horticulture faculty. She served as Executive Director of the Sports Turf Managers of New York for 2 years and was an Adjunct Instructor at SUNY Delhi in the fall of 2008.
She is president of Rosenza Professional Turf Services, an education and consulting firm that utilizes research based information as the foundation piece of lectures and workshops coupled with practical application for professional turfgrass and landscape managers and Master Gardeners.
Jim Hornung, Sr. has more than 36 years of experience in athletic field maintenance and management. Jim and his wife, Beth Ann, purchased Elbers Landscape Service in 1980, where he started his career. In 2008, Jim became the Erie County Parks Commissioner and managed all the Erie County Parks and the City of Buffalo Parks. He has been a sports field consultant for World University Games; Mar-co Clay Products; Erie Seawolves; and SUNY Fredonia. He and his son Jim Jr. started Great Lakes Athletic Fields in 2003.
Dr. Norman Hummel is President and Owner of Hummel & Company Inc., a soil testing and turfgrass consulting business serving the golf course and sports turf industries. Norm is a graduate of New Mexico State University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in Agronomy. He then went to Penn State, where he earned his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Agronomy, with an emphasis on turfgrass soils and nutrition.
Norm served on the faculties at Iowa State University and Cornell University. During that tenure, he published research and technical articles on many aspects of turfgrass management. In 1991 and 1992, he worked with the USGA on writing their greens construction specifications and test protocol. He is also the primary author of several ASTM Standards and Guide for sports fields and greens. He was the recipient of the 1995 NYSTA Citation of Merit.
Andy Jackson has been employed at Walton Central School District for 29 years as the Director of Facilities II.
Dr. Jenny Kao-Kniffin is an Assistant Professor of Urban Weed Ecology at Cornell University. Her research and extension duties focus on managing weeds in urban landscapes that minimize the use of chemical inputs. The New York State Turfgrass Association supported Jenny’s first year salary at Cornell through the Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Fund
Dr. Jim Kerns is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Pathology at North Carolina State University.
Leo LaCroix is the Upstate New York Sales Representative for Belgard Hardscapes and has been in the hardscape industry for 19 years. He has been an instructor with the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) for level 1 Contractor Installation, Permeable Paving, and Level 1 Commercial Installation. Leo has also instructed the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) Segmental Retaining Wall Level 1 installation classes.
Joellen Lampman is the School and Turfgrass IPM Extension Support Specialist with the New York State IPM Program at Cornell University. She has a degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University with additional course work in Elementary School Education at SUNY Cortland. Before joining Cornell, Joellen directed the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary programs for Audubon International, a non-profit environmental organization, from 1997 to 2013.
Dr. Ben McGraw is an associate professor of turfgrass science at Penn State University, and an authority on the ecology and management of turfgrass insect pests. He obtained his Masters of Science degree in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a doctorate in Entomology from Rutgers University. Dr. McGraw’s research focuses on understanding insect ecology and behavior to develop sustainable turf pest management practices. A main focus of his research over the last decade has been the biology and ecology of the annual bluegrass weevil. Prior to joining the Plant Sciences department at Penn State, Ben worked in agrichemical research and development, and most recently as an associate professor in the Golf and Plant Sciences department at SUNY Delhi.
Adam Moeller is an agronomist in the Northeast Region of the USGA Green Section. He attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture with special emphasis on turfgrass management. Adam also received a Master of Science degree in Agronomy from Purdue University conducting research in several areas of turfgrass management. He has worked on several notable golf courses in Wisconsin, including Blackwolf Run/Whistling Straits in Kohler and Blackhawk Country Club in Madison.
Dominic Morales is Professor Emeritus at SUNY Delhi. Dom began his career at SUNY Delhi in 1975 and retired in 2013. He received an Associates of Applied Sciences degree in Horticulture from SUNY Farmingdale, a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master of Science degree in Horticulture from the University of Connecticut. He is a past recipient of the NYSTA Citation of Merit Award, and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Presently, Dom is on NYSTA’s Board of Directors.
Walter Nelson is the Horticulture Program Leader at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, where he has been a horticulturist for over 30 years. Walt provides educational programs and consultation to the sports turf, lawn maintenance, greenhouse, landscape horticulture, and Christmas tree industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Rochester.
David Oatis has been the Director of the Northeast Region of the USGA Green Section since 1990. He joined the staff in 1988 as an agronomist in the Green Section’s Mid-Atlantic Region and has made approximately 2,000 Turf Advisory Service visits in the United States and Canada. He has authored numerous articles for national and international publications on golf course management and has made presentations throughout the United States and internationally.
David attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture with special emphasis in turfgrass management. He holds an Associate in Arts degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California.
Dr. Marty Petrovic is a professor of turfgrass science at Cornell University. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Dr. Petrovic specializes in turfgrass and golf course management, and has published over 200 articles in scientific journals and trade publications. His areas of research include environmental impact and management, soil amendments, and soil nutrient issues. His extension responsibilities include water quality, water use issues and nutrient management in turf.
Dr. Daniel Potter, Professor of Entomology at the University of Kentucky, is an international authority on insect pests of turf and landscapes, having done research and published extensively on those topics for more than 35 years. Dr. Potter is a frequent keynote speaker at international turf conferences and has taught educational programs for Green Industry practitioners all over the world. He has received national awards for teaching, research and service including the 2010 U.S. Golf Association Green Section Award, the Professional Land Care Network’s Leadership Award, and the American Nursery and Landscape Association’s Distinguished Career Achievement Award.
Dr. Frank Rossi is an Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science and the New York Extension Turfgrass Specialist. He leads the turfgrass teaching program at Cornell University and advises students interested in turf, landscape architecture and resort management. In addition, Frank conducts research and outreach education programs in the areas of environmental quality, integrated pest management, mowing and nutrient management
James Skorulski joined the USGA Green Section staff as an Agronomist in the Northeast Region in 1989. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science and Forestry degree in Forest Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a Master of Professional Studies degree from Cornell University. He is involved with teaching turf management programs at Cornell University and the University of Massachusetts.
Jim has authored articles for the Green Section Record and actively participates in USGA Regional Meetings. He was a member of the Advisory Subcommittee for the Golf Course Integrated Pest Management Project for the State of Massachusetts and is active in the regional development of IPM protocols for golf courses.