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.

London-born botanist and gardener Dr. Ross Bayton gained his PhD at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, studying the classification of tropical palms. He’s the author of several books on horticulture including New Trees: Introductions to Cultivation (with John Grimshaw), Plant Families: A Guide for Gardeners and Botanists (with Simon Maugham), and most recently The Gardener’s Botanical: An Encyclopedia of Latin Plant Names, as featured in the New York Times. Formerly the Gardening Editor of the UK’s best-selling gardening periodical, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, he is now the Director of the world-renowned Heronswood Garden in Kingston, Wa., and is developing a 5-acre garden at home in nearby Bremerton.

Shay Perryman is the Natural Resource Manager at the Lake Washington Ship Canal, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District. She and the Natural Resource Management team, along with a number of official Army Corps partners, host summer events to promote environmental stewardship, many of which take place in the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden. The team also promotes water safety and interprets the Corps mission at Lake Washington Ship Canal, including Navigation, Fish Passage, and Water Control.

Nicole Celestine is a Public Affairs Specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, Seattle District, telling the Army Corps’ story. Along with her Public Affairs team, she provides public affairs counsel and assistance to various construction and operating projects across Idaho, Montana and Washington State, including Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. She has written several articles highlighting projects the district is managing, including the Stormwater Bay Dune Berm Restoration project (Tokeland, Washington). Her article on the Mountlake Terrace Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration project was featured in America’s Engineers and The Corps Environment magazines.

José Gabriel Martínez-Fonseca divides his time between Nicaragua and Arizona, where he recently completed a PhD in bat ecology. He owns almost as many headlamps and cameras as Charles does and has contributed images to wildlife publications worldwide. He is also very adroit at catching specimens, including the tarantula he is holding here (featured also on page 71). José is the coauthor, along with Charles Hood and Erin Westeen, of Sea Turtles to Sidewinders: A Guide to the Most Fascinating Reptiles and Amphibians of the West.

Poet and naturalist Charles Hood lives in the Mojave Desert. He recently released two books with Heyday: Wild Sonoma and A Salad Only the Devil Would Eat: The Joys of Ugly Nature. While working on this book, Charles passed the thousand-species mark on his world mammal list—an achievement that he says “ranks somewhere between being a local pickleball champion and accumulating the world’s largest ball of string.” Always ready for the next excursion, he owns three bat detectors, nine headlamps and flashlights, and a hard-copy world atlas, “since you never know when Siri will go wonky on you.”