2021 GAA OFFICERS AND DELEGATES

Officers

President – Christie Bryant (3rd term) - This is Christie's fifth year serving on the board. This is her 3rd and last year serving as President. Christie ran the Tree Healthcare division at Gunnison Tree Specialists and currently serves as a consultant at her own company, Speaking for Trees. She has a degree in Environmental Horticulture from Chattahoochee Tech, and is also trained as a Horticultural Therapist.

Vice President – Brian Ziegler (2nd term) - Brian is general manager of AKA Tree Removal. He has worked for both Davey Tree and Bartlett Tree in the greater Chicago Area. He also served as a Foreman for Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for ten years. He has his degree in Project Management from Waubonsee Community College. 

Treasurer – Scott Offen (3rd term) - Scott is the Arborist for Bold Springs Nursery. He has worked at Valley Crest and Brightview as chief purchasing agent of all “green” goods for jobs around the southeast. He has a Bachelor of Arts Business in Marketing from the University of Georgia and has served in the US Army. Scott is an Atlanta native and has been a certified arborist since 2002. 

Secretary – Joelette Bembry (3rd term) - Joelette is the Agricultural and Natural Resource Agent with DeKalb County Extension. She is responsible for assisting homeowners with troubleshooting, landscape issues, conducting workshops on relevant landscape topics, plant and insect ID, and providing recommendation and management to homeowners for their landscape. Joelette has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry Science from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. She has over 12 years of experience in Invasive Plant Control, GIS database and Natural Resource Management. 

Past President – Rusty Lee - Rusty Lee has been in the green industry since 1989. He has worked for some of the largest landscape companies in the Southeast and maintained some of the most well known properties throughout Atlanta. Since 2000 he has been in the Arboriculture industry and held positions from VP to COO with several of the largest companies in the Atlanta area. He is currently an Arborist with ArborEquity. He holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, TRAQ, Georgia Certified Landscape Professional, Georgia Pesticide Cert. in categories #24 and #27 and a Georgia Certified Turfgrass Professional. 

Delegates

Rolando Orellana (3rd term) - Rolando is the Urban Water Management/Irrigation Agent for the UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Service. Rolando has been working in the industry since 2002 and has a degree in agriculture engineering from Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, Honduras.

Ellen Bauske (3rd term) - Ellen joined UGA’s Center for Urban Agriculture as a program coordinator in 2005 and is a member of the Department of Plant Pathology. She coordinates Center programs in urban water, safety training, local food, turfgrass, and arboriculture. Her primary charge is to increase the impact of UGA Extension outreach in Georgia’s urban areas. She has her PhD from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Logan House (2nd term) - Logan is an arborist representative at Arbor Equity. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Forestry and in Parks Management. He has worked with the Georgia Forestry Commission helping municipalities develop tree ordinances and Tree City USA programs and worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to build forest habitat for endangered species.

Quentin Holden (2nd term) - Quentin takes care of Georgia Tech’s 13,000 trees. He is a certified arborist and tree surgeon. Quentin's interest in trees and working outdoors stems from childhood. His father owned a tree removal company, and Holden helped him out.

Quintin earned a degree in history in 1990. He worked in the corporate world for a few years before joining the Peace Corps in 1993 and going to Grenada to work as a junior forester. There he managed the building of trails in a national forest, surveyed an acre plot in the Grand Etang National Park, and managed a mahogany tree-planting site.

Art Morris (1st term) - Art Morris is a Board-Certified Master Arborist. He is the General Manager at New Urban Forestry in Winterville, GA. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia. Art started his career at Bartlett Tree Experts, where he worked for 13 years.

Kay Evanovich (2nd term) - Kay serves as the City of Decatur Arborist. Kay is a certified arborist with 34 years’ experience in the field. Her primary experience came from 1999 to 2010 when she was DeKalb County’s Chief of Environment, Land Development and Building Inspection. From 2009 to 2014, she was a self-employed arborist, substitute teacher and soccer coach. She also served as Brookhaven’s City Arborist and Land Development Inspector for Brookhaven.

Josh Goodman (1st term) - Josh is a utility Arborist for the Northwest Region for the Southern Company. He has his Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources. He became certified as an ISA Arborist in 2015.

Jake Henry (1st term) (CAA Representative) - Jake is the Field Manager of the Savannah Tree Foundation, where he coordinates tree planting events, volunteer and community engagement, and educational opportunities. Jake has been an arborist since 2019, and received his master's degree in forestry from Mississippi State University where he studied his favorite tree: the longleaf pine!

Travys Harper Travys Harper, graduate of Auburn University holding a B.S. in Environmental Design, is the First Green Infrastructure Manager for Trees Atlanta. This program seeks to engage Atlanta area residents and homeowners with opportunities to address stormwater management and learn about "Green Collar" careers through integration with the organization's tree planting and maintenance crews. Additionally, in his previous role with the organization as an Urban Tree Technician, Travys has helped plant over 1200+ ball and burlap trees along Atlanta's Beltline Eastside & Westside Arboretum Trails.  Travys is now approaching his fifth year with Trees Atlanta and he continues to pursue certifications and environmental education to keep the program cutting-edge.

Alex Ballard Alex Is a Community Forester for the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), where he works with cities to improve and maintain their urban tree canopy through education, tree planting, ordinance assistance, Tree City USA Certification, and other technical advice. Alex is also a part of the Urban Forest Strike Team that assists communities after disasters to help mitigate risk from storm damaged trees.  

Alex has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 2019 and will soon complete the ISA TRAQ class. Alex received his Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry with an Urban concentration, along with a minor in GIS and Remote Sensing from Mississippi State University in 2018. 

Jessica Perry Jessica currently works for Chatham County Department of Engineering as the Arborist for Unincorporated Chatham County. Her Undergraduate degree is in Natural Resource Management - Forestry. She is a certified Arborist and TRAQ.

“It’s hard not to love trees growing up in Southeast Georgia.” 

John Colavecchio

NEIL NORTON (Executive Director) has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 2002 and is a Board Certified Master Arborist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified. He holds Masters Degrees in Business Administration (Non-Profit Management) and Latin American Studies from Tulane University. Neil is passionate and active around issues of tree conservation and education, both locally and nationally. He is currently the Executive Director of the Georgia Arborist Association. He has also worked with other non-profit organizations including the Georgia Tree Council (formerly the  Georgia Urban Forest Council) and Trees Atlanta. Neil loves to explore hidden local urban forests with his family. He co-founded the Glenn Creek Nature Preserve, a 3-acre greenspace in Decatur, Georgia, and can be seen with his children on many a bike path around town. Neil also loves inspecting trees, and thoroughly enjoys his encounters with clients and their trees in all the hidden neighborhoods of Atlanta.

HELEN NASH (Project Manager) joined GAA in June 2021. Previously she worked in corporate communications with The Coca-Cola Company for more than 15 years, in areas ranging from speechwriting to public relations to social media. She's looking forward to learning more about trees!

2020 GAA OFFICERS AND DELEGATES

Officers

President – Christie Bryant (2nd term) - This is Christie's fourth year serving on the board. Christie ran the Tree Healthcare division at Gunnison Tree Specialists and currently serves as a consultant at her own company, Speaking for Trees. She has a degree in Environmental Horticulture from Chattahoochee Tech, and is also trained as a Horticultural Therapist.

Vice President – Brian Ziegler (2nd term) - Brian is general manager of AKA Tree Removal. He has worked for both Davey Tree and Bartlett Tree in the greater Chicago Area. He also served as a Foreman for Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for ten years. He has his degree in Project Management from Waubonsee Community College.

Treasurer – Scott Offen (2nd term) - Scott Offen is the Arborist for Bold Springs Nursery. He has worked at Valley Crest and Brightview as chief purchasing agent of all “Green” goods for jobs around the southeast. He has a Bachelor of Arts Business in Marketing from the University of Georgia and has served in the US Army. He is an Atlanta native and has been a certified arborist since 2002.

Secretary – Joelette Bembry (2nd term) - Joelette Bembry is the Agricultural and Natural Resource Agent with DeKalb Co. Extension. She is responsible for assisting homeowners with troubleshooting, landscape issues, conducting workshops on relevant landscape topics, and plant and insect ID. Joelette has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry Science from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. She has over 12 years of experience in Invasive Plant Control, GIS database and Natural Resource Management.

Past President – Rusty Lee - Rusty Lee has been in the green industry since 1989. He has worked for some of the largest landscape companies in the Southeast and maintained some of the most well known properties throughout Atlanta. Since 2000 he has been in the Arboriculture industry and held positions from VP to COO with several of the largest companies in the Atlanta area. He is currently an Arborist with ArborEquity. He holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, TRAQ, Georgia Certified Landscape Professional, Georgia Pesticide Cert. in categories #24 and #27 and a Georgia Certified Turfgrass Professional. 

Delegates

Rolando Orellana (2nd term) - Rolando is the Urban Water Management/Irrigation Agent for the UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Service. Rolando has been working in the industry since 2002 and has a degree in agriculture engineering from Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, Honduras.

Michael Pavlis (CAA Representative-4th term) - Mike Pavlis is the owner of Ossabaw Consulting, an arboriculture consulting firm based out of Savannah. He has a Bachelor's in Science degree from West Virginia University, a MS from Virginia Tech and is an ISA-Certified Arborist. Michael is also the President of the Coastal Arborist Association, serves on the Tybee Island Tree Board and is a community lacrosse coach for area youth and high school programs.

Ellen Bauske (2nd term) - Ellen joined UGA’s Center for Urban Agriculture as a program coordinator in 2005 and is a member of the Department of Plant Pathology. She coordinates Center programs in urban water, safety training, local food, turfgrass, and arboriculture. Her primary charge is to increase the impact of UGA Extension outreach in Georgia’s urban areas. She has her PhD from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Logan House (1st term) - Logan is an arborist representative at Arbor Equity. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Forestry and in Parks Management. He has worked with the Georgia Forestry Commission helping municipalities develop tree ordinances and Tree City USA programs and worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to build forest habitat for endangered species.

Quentin Holden (1st term) - Quentin takes care of Georgia Tech’s 13,000 trees. He is a certified arborist and tree surgeon. Holden’s interest in trees and working outdoors stems from childhood. His father owned a tree removal company, and Holden helped him out. Holden earned a degree in history in 1990. He worked in the corporate world for a few years before joining the Peace Corps in 1993 and going to Grenada to work as a junior forester. There he managed the building of trails in a national forest, surveyed an acre plot in the Grand Etang National Park, and managed a mahogany tree-planting site.

James Rhynold (1st term) - James Rhynold is the owner and operator of Dad’s Tree Care in Kirkwood Atlanta. He is an ISA Certified Arborist and a UGA Double/Dawg. He holds two degrees for UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources: a Bachelor of Science with emphasis in soils and hydrology and a Master of Science in Forest Resources.

Art Morris (1st term) - Art Morris is a Board-Certified Master Arborist. He is the General Manager of New Urban Forestry in Athens, GA.

Kay Evanovich (1st term) - Kay Evanovich is currently the City of Decatur Georgia Arborist.  She has held her International Society of Arboriculture Certification (I.S.A.) as an Arborist for 17 years. In 2017 she passed her Tree Risk Assessment Qualification from the I.S.A. She is a Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Certified Erosion Control Inspector, Plan Reviewer, and Trainer. She has taken numerous courses of study in environmental issues and tree/forest health thru the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and the Warnell school of Forestry beginning in 1999 and she continues to broaden her scope of knowledge yearly by attending a wide variety of trainings around the country including trainings at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City where Arbor Day began in 1872.

Kay was the City of Brookhaven Arborist from 2013 to 2016. She served as the only female Chief of Environmental Inspections Section and one of seven on staff arborists for the DeKalb County Georgia, Department of Planning and Development, from 1999 to 2009.

Kay is also a Consulting Arborist and has been performing tree health assessments and tree valuations for the general public since 2009. Currently she only accepts consulting jobs outside of the City limits of the City of Decatur.

Dennis Tourangeau (1st term) - Dennis is a proud US Army Military Police Veteran and a Practicing ISA Certified Arborist since 1983. He earned his degree in Forest Technology from Alleghany College of Maryland. His Commercial Arboriculture career literally began from the ground up. The initial ten years in Baltimore Maryland found him dragging brush, handloading wood, climbing for pruning and removals, fertilizing and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Bartlett Tree Experts. He became a Division Trainer for IPM. He went on to be promoted into sales followed by a 1997 appointment to Branch Manager in Atlanta Georgia. He joined ranks with Arborguard in 2000 and rose from sales to Vice president in 2004. He was the Vice President of the GUFC in 1998 and served on the Planning Committee from 2000 - 2005. He has been a frequent public speaker on Tree Preservation, Soil Management, and Pruning.

2019 GAA OFFICERS AND DELEGATES

At the November 2018 membership meeting, elections were held for the 2019 GAA Board (officers and delegates). Congratulations to the new GAA Board, as follows:

Christie Bryant, President
Christie was a delegate for 3 years and served as the VP for one before becoming president. She started her green industry career as a Landscaper and while getting her degree in Environmental Horticulture. She has also trained as a Horticultural Therapist and is currently running the Tree Health care division of Gunnison Tree Specialist. 

Brian Ziegler, Vice President 
Brian is general manager fro AKA Tree Removal. He has worked for both Davey Tree and Bartlett Tree in the greater Chicago Area. He also served as a Foreman for Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for ten years. He has his degree in Project Management from Waubonsee Community College.

Scott Offen, Treasurer
Scott Offen is the Arborist for Bold Spring Nursery. He has worked at Valley Crest and Brightview as chief purchasing agent of all “Green” goods for jobs around the southeast. He has BBA/Marketing from the University of Georgia and has served in the US Army. He is an Atlanta native and has been a certified arborist since 2002.

Joelette Bembry, Secretary
Joelette has a Bachelor of Science in Forestry Science from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University.  Joelette has over 12 years of experience in Invasive Plant Control, GIS database and Natural Resource Management.  In Joelette's current position as the Agricultural and Natural Resource Agent with DeKalb Co. Extension, she has been responsible for assisting homeowners with trouble shooting landscape issues, conducting workshops on relevant landscape topics, plant and insect ID, and providing recommendation and management to homeowners for their landscape. 

Rusty Lee, Past President
Rusty has served on the GAA board for 5 years.Rusty has been employed in the green industry for 30 years. He is currently the Sr. VP of Gunnison Tree Specialist. He was employed with Downey Trees for 18.5 years, and previously worked in the landscape industry with Weeks Landscape and Nature Scapes as well as owning his own company. Rusty's degree is in Environmental Horticulture. He is a GA Certified Landscape Professional, GA Certified Pesticide License holder, GA Certified Turfgrass Professional, and an ISA-Certified Arborist as well as TRAQ Certified. Rusty has served on the board of directors of the GUFC from 2007 -2011, including two terms as President in 2010 and 2011).

Delegates:

Mike Pavlis is the owner of Ossabaw Consulting, an arboriculture consulting firm based out of Savannah. He has a Bachelor's in Science degree from West Virginia University, a MS from Virginia Tech and is an ISA-Certified Arborist. Michael is also the President of the Coastal Arborist Association, serves on the Tybee Island Tree Board and is a community lacrosse coach for area youth and high school programs.

Josh Goodman
Josh is is a utility Arborist for the Northwest Region for the Southern Company. He has his Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources. He became certified as an ISA Arborist in 2015.

Braden Smith has been in the Green Industry for seven years. His family had a small landscape company where he worked with for five years. He has been with Arbor Equity full time for 2 years and has been a Certified Arborist for one year.  He loves being outdoors and enjoying nature and coaching youth academy soccer. He is recently married and living in Covington with his wife and two dogs.

Roland Orellana

 is the Urban Water management/Irrigation Agent for the college of  Agriculture and Environmental Service. Rolando has been working in the industry since 2002 and has a degree in agriculture engineering from Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, Honduras.

Jason Anderson has worked in the tree care industry for the past 17 years. He has managed businesses in both the utility sector of the industry, and the commercial/residential sector. Jason has worked in GA, FL, SC, and CO recently returning to GA with SavATree as Branch Manager. Jason has a passion for safety and customer service which he has studied at length. Jason attended Georgia Southern University where he majored in Building, Contracting, and Construction.  Jason holds an ISA Certification, TRAQ Certification, CTSP, MOT, and EHAP credential in the field of professional arboriculture. He has been happily married to his wife Casie of 12 years and has a 7 year old son. Hobbies and interests include hunting, fishing, offroad vehicles, football, reading, golf, and family.

Dr. Ellen Bauske joined UGA’s Center for Urban Agriculture as a program coordinator in 2005 and is a member of the Department of Plant Pathology. She coordinates Center programs in urban water, safety training, local food, turfgrass, and arboriculture. Her primary charge is to increase the impact of UGA Extension outreach in Georgia’s urban areas.  She has her PhD from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.