Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Mark J. Beamish
Manager, Vegetation Management
Orange and Rockland Utilities

Mark Beamish is the Manager of Vegetation Management for Orange and Rockland (ORU) Utilities with over 33 years in the utility vegetation management field. He oversees the Transmission and Distribution vegetation maintenance programs throughout the ORU service territory. Mr. Beamish is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, and serves on several arborist committees and boards in New York and New Jersey. Mr. Beamish is a graduate of Plattsburgh State University with a degree in Environmental Science.

Carl Bowles
Executive Board Member, American Public Works Association

Carl Bowles started his career in vegetation management with the Public Works Department at the Borough of Tinton Falls in the summer of 1973. Through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Program while in high school, he worked part-time mowing and cutting grass, maintaining flower beds, and pruning trees in the local parks. Upon graduation in 1975, he started full time learning about the daily operations involving Public Works and the town. Mr. Bowles later attended Rutgers University, preparing himself for the Public Works Administration and Management Program earning his Certified Public Works Manager License #0085 in 1988 and later his Certified Recycling Professional Certificate as well as his Collection System Operator License 0003268. Mr. Bowles was the Public Works liaison for the Tinton Falls Shade Tree Commission for many years, where he would attend meetings with the commission, review tree plans for developments and tree plantings, check hazardous tree complaints, and make recommendations for resolutions, etc. Mr. Bowles worked for several communities over a 30 plus year career, inspecting trees, cutting and removing trees for public right of ways, filling out grant applications, and resolving tree complaints. He retired from Public Works in 2009 and has been a member of the New Jersey Community Forestry Council for over 20 years and an active member in the Public Works Organization statewide for over 30 years. Mr. Bowles served as past President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and is currently a member of the APWA Executive Board.

Bill Brash
Owner, Shelterwood Forest Managers, LLC

Bill Brash received his Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from West Virginia University and earned his Masters in Environmental Science from Montclair State College. He is the owner of Shelterwood Forest Managers, LLC, a NJ Approved Consulting Forester for 36 years, a NJ Licensed Tree Expert (LTE#375), a Fellow of the Society of American Foresters since 2007, and a wildfire planner and crewmember of the NJ Forest Fire Service (Wildfire Planner from 2010-present and Section B10 Crewmember). Mr. Brash is also Founder and President of the NJ Fire Safety Council (2015-Present).

Steve Chisholm, Sr.
Founder, Aspen Tree Expert Co.

Steve Chisholm, Sr. founded Aspen Tree Expert Co., Inc. in 1976 and is President of this full- service tree care company in Jackson, NJ. Mr. Chisholm has been involved in the tree care industry since 1967 and has served, or is still serving, on numerous tree care related organizations, both in New Jersey and nationally, including the Tree Care Industry Association, the International Society of Arboriculture, the Committee for the Advancement of Arboriculture, and the New Jersey Community Forestry Council. He has served on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z133 Committee since 2000 helping to set the safety standards for the industry and has worked especially hard as President of the NJ Board of Tree Experts (LTE#248) to help write, lobby for, and get passed the Tree Expert and Tree Care Operators Licensing Act, which became law in 2010.

Donna Drewes, PP/AICP
Sustainable Jersey (Retired)

Donna Drewes is a professional planner with over 40 years of experience in sustainable development, land use policy, sustainability rating systems and natural resource management planning. Ms. Drewes has worked as a professional planning consultant in the private sector and for both public agencies and non-governmental organizations. For 13 years Ms. Drewes was the Co-Director of the Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey where she was one of the principals that founded and directed the Sustainable Jersey municipal focused certification program, a hugely successful state level effort to engage local governments in advancing sustainable development. Ms. Drewes holds a Masters in City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University and a B.S. in Soil Science from Rutgers- Cook College.

Wayne S. Dubin
Vice-President/Division Manager, Bartlett Tree Experts

Wayne Dubin started his career with Bartlett Tree Experts in January 1989 in Westchester County, New York as an Arborist Representative. In 1993, Mr. Dubin was promoted and transferred to Local Manager in Warren, New Jersey and subsequently became District Manager and then Assistant Division Manager for the Metropolitan Division in April 1999. Mr. Dubin currently serves as Vice President and the Division Manager for Metro West Division (New York and New Jersey excluding Long Island) managing eight offices and thirty-four Arborist Representatives. Mr. Dubin has a successful track record in sales and sales management for over forty years. He is a member of the New York State Arborists Association and the New Jersey Arborists, Chapter ISA, serving as president of the New Jersey Arborists, Chapter ISA from 2006-2007. Mr. Dubin is Vice-Chair of the New Jersey Community Forestry Council and past president of the New Jersey Shade Tree Federation. He also serves as the Bartlett Representative for the ANSI A300 Committee, which develops standards for the tree care industry. Mr. Dubin is active in public speaking, specifically educational radio and television programs on gardening and tree care. He is Bartlett’s point person for the National 9/11 Memorial tree care project and has been involved with the project since 2006. Mr. Dubin oversees all care of the trees and their management and has spoken extensively about the project at conferences both here in the United States and internationally. Mr. Dubin holds a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science from Cook College, Rutgers University.

Barry C Emens
Chairman, Riverton Shade Tree Board

Barry Emens has served as Chairman of the Riverton Shade Tree Board for over 30 years. Mr. Emens retired after 42 years from the US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. As director, Mr. Emens spearheaded the eradication of The Asian Long-Horned Beetle in New Jersey.   He is currently a member of the NJ Board of Tree Experts representing the public. Mr. Emens has an Associate Degree in Forestry from the University of New Hampshire and a BS Degree in Communications and Public Relations from Rowan University.

Yvonne Favaro
NJ Liaison to the Society of Municipal Arborists

Yvonne Favaro’s interest in trees began while studying botany with Dr. Marie Kuhnen at Montclair State College. After graduating, Ms. Favaro taught science, mostly biology, at Fort Lee High School. Upon retirement, while editing science textbooks for Prentice Hall Publishing, Ms. Favaro was appointed Chairperson of the Englewood Cliffs Shade Tree Commission-a position she held for 15 years. During those years Ms. Favaro became an ISA Certified Arborist. During Ms. Favaro’s tenure as Chairperson, the Commission received the Green Community Achievement Award for 2011 and the 35 Year Tree City USA award. After retiring from the Englewood Cliffs Shade Tree Commission, Ms. Favaro serves as NJ Liaison to the Society of Municipal Arborists and now on the New Jersey Community Forestry Council.

Dr. Jason Grabosky
Director, General Honors Program; School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Co-Director, Center for Resilient Landscapes, A Joint Venture of Rutgers NJ Agricultural Exp. Station and the USDA Forest Service
The John and Eleanor Kuser Faculty Scholar in Urban and Community Forestry

Rutgers University

Dr. Jason Grabosky teaches courses in tree biology and forest management and serves as the John and Eleanor Kuser Faculty Scholar in Rutgers Urban and Community Forestry. Dr. Grabosky’s research largely focusses on urban tree management as individuals and as a component of plant communities, but his graduate and undergraduate research students have interests across a very wide range of urban forestry interests. Dr. Grabosky also works with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension and has delivered various topics for such audiences.  Dr. Grabosky holds a PhD in Ornamental Horticulture and a Master of Science, Ornamental Horticulture, from Cornell University. He holds a B.S. in Ornamental Horticulture from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and an Associate of Applied Science Ornamental Horticulture, from the State University of New York at Cobleskill

Lori Jenssen
Executive Director, New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association & New Jersey Forestry Association

Lori Jenssen is the Executive Director of both the New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association (NJNLA) and the New Jersey Forestry Association (NJFA).  For NJNLA, Ms. Jenssen provides support to the green industry in New Jersey, including growers, greenhouse growers, retail garden centers, and landscaping companies.   For NJFA, membership consists of woodland owners and those interested in the forest resource in New Jersey.  Ms. Jenssen has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University and serves as chair of her town’s Environmental Commission.

Vinh Lang
Forestry Consultant, Pine Creek Forestry LLC

Vinh Lang is a forestry consultant in southern New Jersey with expertise in forest ecology, forest stewardship, and silviculture. Mr. Lang received his Bachelor’s degree from Stockton University in Environmental Science and a Master’s of Forestry from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Previously, Mr. Lang has worked in both the private and public sectors, for the US Forest Service, Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry, as a researcher in Sri Lanka, as a geospatial consultant in Ecuador, and forest manager/technician on the east coast. Mr. Lang has planted A LOT (hundreds of thousands) of trees by hand!

Robert (Bob) Lee
NJ Licensed Tree Expert

Bob Lee is a New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert with over forty years of experiences in varied facets of arboriculture. With a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University’s Cook College, Bob’s background includes expertise in commercial, municipal and utility forestry. You may know him from his work as a Forestry Manager at Jersey Central Power & Light, but Bob can also be credited with contributions to Urban and Community Forestry in the Northeast, edited by John E. Kuser and “Landmark Trees of Summit”.

Donna Massa
Executive Director for the NJ Shade Tree Federation

Donna Massa has been the Executive Director for the NJ Shade Tree Federation since 2005. The NJ Shade Tree Federation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization whose mission is to educate NJ municipalities, professionals in the tree industry, and the public in general on the care and maintenance of shade trees. Ms. Massa coordinates the functions of the office which include the release of a bi-monthly newsletter and an Annual Conference where members throughout the State of New Jersey gather to learn about trees.  She is supported by an Executive Board of individuals with varied backgrounds and many years of experience in the tree industry.  The NJ Shade Tree Federation works in partnership with the NJ Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program at the state level to assist those municipalities participating in the Urban and Community Forestry Program maintain accredited status with the State regarding their educational requirements. 

Melanie Hughes McDermott, PhD.
Sustainability Institute for Sustainable Jersey

Dr. Melanie McDermott is Senior Researcher at the Sustainability Institute of The College of New Jersey.  The Sustainability Institute provides the staff for Sustainable Jersey, a non-profit organization that certifies New Jersey municipalities for taking action to meet sustainability goals.  (These actions include maintaining approved status in the NJ Urban and Community Forestry Program.) Dr. McDermott is also Visiting Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Human Ecology at Rutgers University, where she previously served as associate director of the Climate and Society Initiative. With graduate degrees in interdisciplinary social science (PhD., University of California, Berkeley) and forestry (MSc., Oxford University), Dr. McDermott has over two decades of experience in the U.S. and the global South conducting and applying research on community forestry and, more broadly, the relationships among social equity, communities and the environment.

Lisa Simms
Executive Director, New Jersey Tree Foundation

Lisa Simms is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Tree Foundation. She develops and directs all Tree Foundation programs and projects and runs the Green Streets Program. Ms. Simms provides technical assistance and educational programs to other forestry groups, educators and community organizations.

Matt Simons
Retired, Electric Utility Forester

Matthew J. Simons’ career spanned 37 years as an Electric Utility Forester in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, NJ Licensed Tree Expert, and a member of the NJ Urban & Community Forestry Council since its inception. Mr. Simons is a graduate forester (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY), and has been involved with the ANSI Standards A300 Review Committee, the ISA Certification Board, and the NJ Shade Tree Federation.

Kevin Thompson
NJ Licensed Tree Expert

Kevin M. Thompson is a New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert with over 45 years in both public and private sectors. Mr. Thompson has served as the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works in Manasquan Borough for the past 5 years. Mr. Thompson previously served 4 years with the Monmouth County Shade Tree Division where he held the positions of Division Head and General Supervisor.

Prior to that, Mr. Thompson served as the Assistant Administrator/Superintendent for 9.5 years. Before entering the public sector, Mr. Thompson was the owner/operator of Kevin Thompson Tree Expert Inc. Mr. Thompson has a Master of Administrative Science, Bachelor of Science, Cook College, Rutgers University.

Pam Zipse
Outreach Coordinator for the Rutgers Urban Forestry Program

Pam Zipse is the Outreach Coordinator for the Rutgers Urban Forestry Program. Ms. Zipse works to connect the personnel and programs at Rutgers to the community of forestry consultants and shade tree program volunteers in NJ who can utilize the information, contacts, and tools developed through these programs in the management of their local shade tree resources. Ms. Zipse is a NJ Licensed Tree Expert and serves as a Board Member for the NJ Shade Tree Federation, the NJ Tree Foundation, and the NJ Board of Tree Experts in addition to the NJ Community Forestry Council. Ms. Zipse has a degree in Forest Resource Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Kristin Ace
Chair, Morristown Shade Tree Commission

Kristin Ace has been with the Morristown Shade Tree Commission since its inception in 2013 and Chair since 2015. Under her leadership, the STC has secured over $100,000 in grant money, raised awareness in the community about the importance of trees and their care, updated Morristown's tree care practices, and formed strong community relationships with residents and Morristown organizations. Kristin was instrumental in raising local awareness of the Emerald Ash Borer and the proactive management of Ash tree removal/replacement. Kristin is now actively working and lobbying to eliminate invasive species in NJ. Adding to that, she is leading the Town of Morristown's efforts to reclaim and replant all forested areas of Morristown.