Dr. Geoffrey Donovan
Forest Economist, US Forest Service (ret.)
Owner, Ash and Elm Consulting (Portland, Oregon)

Talk title: "The Surprising Benefits of Trees"

Bio:
Dr. Donovan received his PhD in forest economics from Colorado State University in 2001. He then worked for 23 years as an economist for the USDA Forest Service in Alaska and Oregon. Currently he’s the owner of Ash and Elm Consulting, which is focused on making the business case for urban trees. His primary research focus has been quantifying the benefits of urban trees. These have ranged from intuitive benefits—reduced summertime cooling costs and increased home values, for example—to less intuitive benefits such as crime reduction. He has worked extensively on the relationship between trees and public health, finding that mothers with trees around their homes are less likely to have underweight babies, and when trees are killed by an invasive pest, more people die from cardiovascular and lower-respiratory diseases. Currently, he is focusing on how exposure to plant diversity may protect against a range of immune diseases.

Andrea Faber Taylor, PhD
Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. 

Talk title: "Let’s Go … Under the Trees! Greenspaces Support Children’s Well-being, Learning & Care for the Earth"

Bio:
Dr. Faber Taylor's research is advancing our understanding of the importance of nature experiences for child development including healthy day-to-day functioning and future stewardship of the earth. She examines the links between children’s exposure to nature and greenspaces and measures of attention, self-regulation, creative play, science learning, and ADHD symptoms. Her most recent research has been examining schoolyard greenspaces as a tool to support children’s self-regulation development and science learning. She teaches courses on this topic as well as Horticultural topics, including planting design to support pollinators and other beneficial species.

Monica Mundy, PhD, MPH
Assistant Extension Professor and Community and Family Health Specialist in the School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky

Talk title: "Not Just Shade: Tree Canopy as a Community-Level Driver of Health"

Bio:
Dr. Mundy's work focuses on the social and environmental conditions that shape community health. Her work turns community-engaged research into practical solutions that help families and communities thrive. With over 18 years of experience in health promotion and community engagement, she translates research into culturally informed, people-centered strategies that support families and build healthier communities.

Ray Yeager, PhD
Health Geographer and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville. 

Talk Title: "Implementation Research at the Intersection of Forestry, Equity, and Health in Louisville, Kentucky"

Bio:
His research is focused on the development of actionable evidence needed for growing healthier urban environments. He studies how neighborhood design, greenspaces, air pollution, and climate change interact to influence cardiometabolic health. He is a member of the American Geophysical Union, National Institutes of Health Climate Change and Health Research Coordinating Center Community of Practice, International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (co-chair of the North America Policy Committee), and a steering committee member of the Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition.

Jonathan Larson, PhD
Assistant Professor and Extension Entomologist in the Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky. 

Talk Title: "Alpha Gal Syndrome: What to Know"

Bio:
Dr. Larson specializes in urban landscape pests, turfgrass, and nursery crops. He is also cohost of Arthro-pod, a podcast that teaches listeners about the weird and wonderful world of insects.

Dr. Connie Jennings has practiced internal medicine at the University of Kentucky for over 30 years since graduating from UK College of Medicine in 1988. She has served as the medical director of ambulatory primary care clinics and UK Integrative Medicine & Health Clinic. Through three decades of clinical practice, she has pioneered the university's integrative care initiatives to bridge the gap between traditional clinical practice and holistic well-being. A passionate advocate for the mind-body connection, Dr. Jennings oversees evidence-based programs in mindfulness, meditation, and "Nature Rx," focusing on how contemplative practices and environmental connection can fundamentally improve health outcomes. Her work at the University of Kentucky emphasizes treating the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—making her a leading voice in the healing power of presence and self-awareness and its connection to the world at large.

Dr. Jennings enjoys spending time outdoors, walking for health and practicing her tree hugging skills.