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KENTUCKY INVASIVE PLANT COUNCIL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
Officers |
| Jess Slade, President Jess has worked in the fields of horticulture and natural areas management for over 11 years. In her current position as Conservation Manager with Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, she helps to conserve wildlands across the state through the stewardship of KNLT’s natural areas and the acquisition of additional preserves for forever-wild protection. Jess has participated in hands-on invasive species management and management planning in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New York. She earned her master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Pennsylvania and is an ISA Certified Arborist. |
| Ellen Crocker, Vice President Assistant Professor, Forest Health Extension |
| Carey Ruff, Secretary Carey has been involved with the Kentucky Invasive Plant Council for nearly two decades. Her work has focused on educating and training individuals to combat invasive species and promote native plant conservation. In her current role at KY State Parks, she continues this mission by raising public awareness, training staff, and promoting effective management strategies. |
| Derrick Lindsay, AWB®, Treasurer Derrick provides land management and stewardship coordination for Kentucky Natural Lands Trust (KNLT) preserves on Pine and Cumberland Mountain by protecting, connecting, and restoring wildlands in eastern Kentucky. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management (concentration in Fish and Wildlife Management) from American Public University and B.S. in Biology from Lincoln Memorial University. He is also a certified Pollinator Steward, Wildland Firefighter, and Associate Wildlife Biologist with over 14 years of invasive plant and pest management experience in Kentucky. |
Members At Large |
| Joyce Bender In 1991, Joyce was the lone voice in Kentucky raising awareness of the impact of invasive plants on natural areas. A founding member of the Kentucky Invasive Plant Council, she has served as an officer and board member since 2000. In retirement she continues to educate the public and train people to manage invasive species. She is grateful for the growing chorus now spreading the message. |
| Kasia Bradley Research and Extension Associate, Kentucky State University - Forestry and Natural Resources Kasia is currently a Research and Extension Associate in the Forestry and Natural Resources program at Kentucky State University. Her background is in wildlife biology with a current focus on invasive species management, wildlife conservation, and outreach and extension. |
| David Brown Dr. David Brown is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University. David is a wildlife biologist and specializes in migratory and winter biology of songbirds. He has a Ph.D. from Tulane University, an M.S. from Southeastern Louisiana University, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado. He is the faculty manager of Taylor Fork Ecological Area, which is part of the EKU Division of Natural Areas. He supervises a student natural resource crew that manages invasive plant species for EKU. |
| Paul Cappiello Executive Director, Yew Dell Botanical Gardens Dr. Paul Cappiello is former University of Maine professor of horticulture and current adjunct professor of horticulture at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Cappiello has authored more than 600 scientific, technical, green industry, and popular press publications and has written a weekly garden column for the Louisville Courier Journal. He is known locally, nationally, and internationally for his work as a plantsman, scientist, gardener, and writer and since 2002 has led the effort to develop Yew Dell Botanical Gardens into an international public garden destination. |
| Brice T. Leech, Jr. After earning his degree in biology & geology from WKU, Brice spent 4 years in theUS NAVY, and then began his park service career as a seasonal cave guide at Mammoth Cave NP in 1991. Brice has worked at Wind Cave NP & Jewel Cave NM as a hydrology technician, at Cumberland Gap NHP as a physical science technician, with cave guiding at Mammoth Cave on and off. He has worked as a Natural Resources Specialist at Mammoth Cave National Park since 2002.In this role, he coordinates bird monitoring (including song birds & nesting eagles), exotic species management (plant and animal), pest management and pesticide use for the park. Healso assists with mussel/fish/snail/air & water quality/cave biota monitoring, chestnut/elm/butternut/orchid plantings in the park, and has been part of the fire team for all the parks where he has worked. |
| Jason Nally Jason serves as the Natural Areas and Recovery Branch Manager with the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, where he works to protect and restore Kentucky’s rare, threatened, and endangered plant species and natural habitats. With a passion for native plants, conservation, and public engagement, he leads efforts in invasive species management and habitat restoration and assists with volunteer coordination. An avid outdoorsman, Jason enjoys backpacking, canoeing, and exploring Kentucky’s natural landscapes. |
| Frannie Preston Frannie is the Invasive Species Outreach Coordinator at the University of Kentucky. She developed a training program to teach others how to implement invasive plant programs in their communities. Along with outreach and education, she is working with the KY-IPC to update Kentucky’s Invasive Plant List. She has a background in wildlife education with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation Education from Murray State University, and she loves to learn and teach about how plants function within ecosystems. |
| Mike Smith Roadside Environment State Administrator, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Mike holds a B.S. in Entomology from the University of Kentucky and has spent 25 years with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, where his primary responsibilities include pesticide applicator training, administering a vegetation management research program at the University of Kentucky and coordinating KYTC’s pollinator habitat program. He has an additional 17 years of experience in retail and wholesale pesticide sales. Mike is a past president of KYIPC, a board member and past president of Vegetation Management Association of Kentucky, and a board member and past president of the National Roadside Vegetation Management Association. He is the 2024 recipient of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Roadside Management Award. |
| Kris Stone Kris has been involved with the Kentucky Invasive Plant Council since 2002 including a stint as the group’s President. He is currently the Director of Boone County Arboretum and Owner of Green Vision Professional Services. He has over 20 years of experience in the administration of a successful level IV accredited Arboretum. His areas of expertise are in public garden development, urban forestry, and nonprofit development. In 2019, Kris founded Green Vision Professional Services where he offers consulting services in all of these areas to various organizations. |
 | Adam Taylor Invasive Plant Coordinator, Kentucky Division of Forestry Adam obtained a bachelor’s degree in Geoscience with a minor in Plant Science from Indiana University Southeast. Since then, he has gained experience in utility vegetation management as well as GIS data analysis. He leads the first invasive plant strike team for KDF and is currently championing the first Kentucky – led CWMA/CISMA in the Louisville area. |
| David Taylor David Taylor graduated from Berea College with a Biology/Agriculture degree with course work that emphasized plant sciences. He has an MS in Biology from Northeast Louisiana University with a floristic emphasis looking at the vascular flora of Washington and St. Tammany Parishes. He has 60 hours in botany from Miami University. He currently works for the USDA Forest Service with nearly 30 years as Forest Botanist for the Daniel Boone National Forest. He works with rare plants and invasive species management, writes and reviews environmental documentation, and assists with various projects on the Forest. |
| Liz Winlock Liz Winlock serves as the Director of Buffalo Trace Land Trust. From a background in environmental science and education, she spearheads initiatives that prioritize collaboration, urban natural areas conservation, and biodiversity. Her work not only revitalizes and preserves natural landscapes but also fosters community engagement and environmental stewardship. |
| Brian Zaborski State Plant Health Director, USDA-APHIS Brian Zaborski directs the federal APHIS-PPQ pest detection and regulatory activities and coordinates the initial PPQ emergency response if an exotic pest is detected in the state. |
