Archives: Speakers

Integrated Pest Management Supervisor

Four Star Greenhouse Inc.

Andrew Luxon completed a BS in Zoology at Michigan State University. Afterwards he went on to complete an MS in Biology at the University of South Dakota with thesis research on insect cognition, specifically the role serotonin plays in predator prey interaction and its contribution to an aggression syndrome in stalk-eyed flies. After graduating, Andrew did a 1yr stint with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (USDA-APHIS) as a biological technician aiding in Emerald ash borer research where his role was to quantify pesticide levels in field treated plots to help determine if an effective dose for treating EAB could be achieved and maintained. After leaving USDA-APHIS Andrew began working at Four Star Greenhouse where he took on the role of IPM supervisor where his primary duties are to design and implement pest management programs. One of Andrews main goals at Four Star is to find ways to move pest management from reactive to proactive strategies.

Executive Chair & Cofounder

Invasive Species Corporation

Dr. Marrone spent her 30+ year career focused on biological products for pest management and plant health, having started and led three bioag companies (Entotech, AgraQjest and Marrone Bio Innovations (now called Profarm Group), all of which were sold to larger companies.  With co-founder Jim Boyd, the former CFO of Marrone Bio, Pam is currently in the process of launching a fourth company, the Invasive Species Control Corporation and its corresponding Invasive Species Foundation, to bring effective, environmentally friendly biological solutions to control destructive invasive species, such as invasive carp, zebra and quagga mussels, bark beetles and toxic algae. She is on the board of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, is a Senior Fellow of the Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems and is a past alumni-Trustee of Cornell University.  She is Chair of the Board of Elicit-Plant and serves on the boards of 180 Life Sciences (NASDAQ:ATNF), Stem Express and Pheronym and advises several agtech/agbio startups, many founded or led by women. Among her many awards, in 2022 she received the American Chemical Society “Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success.” She has a B.S. in entomology with Honors and Distinction from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in entomology from North Carolina State University. She is a Fellow of the AAAS and has over 400 patents.

Director of Horticulture

Metrolina Greenhouses

Juan graduated from National University of Colombia and currently works as a Director of Horticulture at Metrolina Greenhouses. For 13 years worked as head grower in propagation introducing multiple successful programs in biocontrol. Prior to joining Metrolina he served as entomology curator at the museum Francisco Luis Gallego in Medellin, Colombia, and pest inspector for the Colombian Agriculture Institute -ICA.

Juan has been sharing his work and experience in different events; in 2016, he participated as speaker at the 6th Annual Symposium for Professionals in the Horticulture and Landscape Industry at The Arboretum in Asheville NC. in 2022; was invited as a speaker at Plug & Cutting Conference from American Hort. in “Biocontrol Programs: Pushing the Limits” in Denver CO. and during November of 2022 joined the ESA, ESC, and ESBC Annual Meeting Entomology at Vancouver, Canada. With a work of Implementing commercial use of microbials in propagation as a part of Integrated Pest Management.

Pest Management Advisor

University of California Cooperative Extension & Statewide IPM Program

Dr. Jhalendra Rijal is an entomologist working in applied research and extension with the University of California. His current responsibility includes conducting applied pest management research and educating pest control advisers, growers, and other stakeholders on sustainable pest management solutions in orchard systems in San Joaquin Valley. His major applied research areas include 1) addressing issues related to invasive pests such as spotted wing drosophila and brown marmorated stink bug; 2) finding bio-based solutions for endemic pests such as walnut husk fly, navel orangeworm, and mites; 3) understanding the impacts of drought and climate change on important pests and their management. Dr. Rijal was recognized with several regional and national-level professional awards. Dr. Rijal authored more than 30 scientific peer-reviewed articles and more than 100 extension articles and contributed to several UC and industry-led newsletters, podcasts, and other media. Dr. Rijal has organized and spoken in more than 120 symposia, guest lectures, workshops, roundtables, and extension events and meetings.

Graduate Research Assistant

Cornell AgriTech

David Strickland is a Ph.D. candidate in the tree fruit disease research program of Dr. Kerik Cox at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York. His primary research investigates applied sustainable chemical management programs for the fungal and bacterial diseases of greatest concern to apple production in the northeast United States. He also conducts work on the fruit finish disorder apple scarf, as well as biological efficacy trials for disease management in strawberry. David has given disease management presentations to state growers’ associations along the eastern seaboard as well as in Nova Scotia and Ontario, Canada. In his free time, he enjoys well-written science fiction novels, and troubleshooting disease management problems at his family’s orchard in western New York.

Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor

The University of California Cooperative Extension

Dr. Zheng Wang serves as a Vegetable Crops and Irrigation Farm Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension in northern San Joaquin Valley, California. His research and extension program focuses on implementing innovative production practices to enhance vegetable productivity, water use efficiency, and crop health through multi-disciplinary collaborations with local producers, various industry, and commodity organizations. Currently, Dr. Wang conducts applied field research with various biologics and sustainable production practices on a variety of vegetable commodities across California’s Central Valley. As an extension professional, results of his research trials and other science-based information are disseminated to the broader stakeholder community and have generated measurable impacts on the vegetable industry. Dr. Wang earned his PhD in Horticulture from University of Kentucky and then completed his post-doctoral study at The Ohio State University.

Technical Development Manager- BSIN

UPL Ltd.

Upon completion of graduate school at the University of Davis, Drew spent a year working with UC Cooperative Extension as a Junior Specialist focusing on California specialty crops. Once that internship was complete, he worked for Helena Research and Development as their manager for the California Central Coast location. Subsequently, he worked for Almond Board of California as their Pest Management Senior Specialist for two years. He is now the Technical Development Manager for UPL working to advance their BioSolutions portfolio.

Postdoctoral Scholar

UC Riverside Department of Entomology

Dr. Kadie Britt is a postdoctoral scholar affiliated with the University of California Riverside Department of Entomology, located at the Kearney Agricultural Research Extension Center in Parlier, CA working with Dr. Houston Wilson. Her postdoctoral research is focused on arthropod pest management in hemp and cannabis with an ultimate goal of improving the sustainability of pest management practices in these systems. Prior to arriving in California, Kadie earned her PhD working with Dr. Thomas Kuhar in the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology where her doctorate research focused on arthropod pest management in hemp. Kadie has worked with growers and Extension personnel in California, Virginia, and beyond to learn about and help alleviate issues faced by those growing hemp and cannabis in field and indoor settings. Her passion within entomology is Extension and the opportunity to work with growers.

Editor

American Fruit Grower®

Eddy is Editor, American Fruit Grower magazine, published by Meister Media Worldwide, and frequent contributor to the magazine’s associated website, GrowingProduce.com. A native Minnesotan who grew up on the East Coast, Eddy is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He is based in Modesto, CA.

Integrated Pest Control Manager

Greenfield Cannabis Company

Tomás Leyva III is a second-generation farmer in California’s Salinas Valley. He began working at the age of 16 at a vineyard in the hillsides of Gonzales, CA, where his focus was on pest and disease scouting throughout the 1,000-plus-acre farm.

Tomás graduated from Napa Valley College with an Associate of Science in viticulture, and after 10 years in the vineyard, he began his career in the cannabis industry working at a state-of-the-art, 4-acre greenhouse in the Salinas Valley. Starting out as a scout and sprayer in a high-production facility, he learned from his mentors how to balance a cost-efficient, effective IPM program with tightly scheduled, highly regulated cannabis production.

Today, Tomás is the Integrated Pest Control Manager at Greenfield Cannabis Co., a 5-acre Venlo-style, glass-roof greenhouse facility where 1 acre of premium cannabis is harvested every 2 weeks.