Jeff Ard, BLA, has been working full-time in the Pacific Northwest since 1988 as a landscape designer, landscape contractor, IPM consultant, and master pruner since earning his Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Oregon. He has been an associate of Owen Dell and Associates, LLC, Landscape Architecture since 2012. Jeff contributed valuable insights for Owen Dell’s 2025 Deer Friendly Gardens article.

Owen Dell, RLA, ASLA, is a grizzled veteran of the sustainable landscape era. Since 1971, he has designed and built countless landscapes on all scales for residential, commercial, and public clients both in California and in Oregon, where he has resided since 2012. He is the principal at Owen Dell and Associates, LLC in Corvallis, Oregon. Owen is the author of two popular books: Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies and How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business. He has also written for Pacific Horticulture, Sunset Magazine, Southern California Gardening and numerous other publications. Owen has taught homeowners and landscaping professionals at conferences throughout North America. He was also the co-creator and on-camera personality for the television series “Garden Wise Guys,” produced in Santa Barbara for five years.

Will Lerner is the Communications Manager at the Portland Japanese Garden & Japan Institute

Stephen Reid is a passionate Horticulturalist, Landscape Designer, and Educator dedicated to community service and environmental stewardship. As a member of the Urban Agriculture Advisory Committee for Neighborhood Housing Services LA and the Board of Directors for the inaugural UCANR Non-profit Foundation, Stephen advocates for sustainable, culturally relevant gardening practices that empower underserved communities.

Through educational workshops, mentorship, and writing, he shares his expertise in gardening and herbalism, inspiring youth and system-impacted young men to embrace the healing power of green spaces and the transformative act of growing their own food. In his role as Head Gardener of the Rose Garden at The Huntington Library and Botanic Gardens, Stephen oversees the care and cultivation of the roses, applying his expertise to maintain one of the most prestigious rose collections in the country.

Outside of his gardening work, he enjoys pursuing his creative passions, including DJing and exploring technology. When he’s not cultivating landscapes or fostering growth in others, he enjoys spending time with his daughter, Phoenix.

Doug Kent is an author, activist, and educator in ecological land management. He has been exploring the dynamics and ecology of human sustainability since 1988. Doug is the author of eight environmental land management books and many gardening articles. He has two master’s degrees. And along with managing a small business, he teaches at the Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona, UCLA Extension, and USC’s School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture + Urbanism.

Lea studied Biology in Mexico City, her major was in plant ecology, but her professional development has also been closely related to the field of Horticulture. She started doing applied research in plant production systems at Tree of Life Nursery in 2000 and was part of the research team of the Nursery and Floriculture program of the University of California Cooperative Extension in San Diego County, until she retired in July 2024. She collaborated on studies about different aspects of propagation, nutrient, and pest management of California native and non-native plants.

Lea enjoys looking at plants from many different perspectives and engaging students, volunteers, and the public in the world of plant science and natural resource conservation. She is currently teaching General Biology and Ecology at two Community Colleges in Southern California.

Josh Gevertz, Arboretum Director at Cypress Lawn, is a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). As a vocal advocate for the importance of the human connection to nature and the trees all around us, Josh showcases the remarkable living collection of Cypress Lawn Arboretum through the seasonal newsletter Branching Out.

A diverse educational background – including a Biological Sciences degree from UC Davis and a master’s degree from UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design – has informed a unique trajectory for Josh to embrace his love for trees in an ideal professional setting as the steward and speaker for the trees of Cypress Lawn Arboretum.

Josh manages care for nearly 4,000 trees representing over 150 species across 300 acres of Arboretum grounds, including original plantings dating back to Cypress Lawn’s founding in 1892, a living legacy 132 years in the making.