Dr. Johanna Del Castillo Múnera

Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension
Department of Plant Pathology
University of California, Davis
Email: jdelcastillo@ucdavis.edu

Ph.D., Plant Pathology, Michigan State University
M.S. Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
B.S. Microbiology, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia

Areas of interest: Basic biologic understanding of fungal and oomycete pathogens, and development of applied research to solve current problems that agriculture faces in greenhouse to the field continuum. I am particularly interested in developing and improving sustainable solutions for disease control through studies of fungal and oomycete biology, population genetics, and community ecology. 

 

Dr. Tedmund J. Swiecki

Principal and Plant Pathologist
Phytosphere Research, Vacaville, CA
Associate in the Agricultural Experiment Station, U.C. Davis
Email: phytosphere@phytosphere.com

Ph.D., Plant Pathology, 1984.  University of California, Davis.  
B.S., Biology, 1979.  University of California, Riverside.  

My focus has been on maintaining healthy plants and ecosystems in both natural and urbanized landscapes, with an emphasis on native plants. My work on prevention and management of Phytophthora diseases has included investigating Phytophthora introductions into wildlands and rates of spread within native habitats, management of Phytophthora infested areas, preventing Phytophthora introductions via clean nursery stock production, and using best management practices to avoid Phytophthora contamination of restoration sites and habitats impacted by human use. I have worked on diseases and pests of California oaks since 1988, including extensive research on sudden oak death. I have also conducted extensive research on natural and assisted regeneration of California oaks and completed successful long-term oak plantings with community volunteers.

Diana Benner

Vegetation Ecologist
The Watershed Nursery
Email: diana@thewatershednursery.com

M.S., Ecology & Systematics, 2005. San Francisco State University
B.S., Marine Biology, 1991. University of California, Santa Cruz   

Diana Benner studied Marine Biology with an emphasis in Instrumental Analysis and then focused her graduate studies in the field of Vegetation Ecology. Prior to The Watershed Nursery, she conducted vegetation mapping for the Calfed Integrated Regional Wetland Monitoring project and the San Francisco National Estuarine Research Reserve, assessed success of riparian mitigation projects for the Regional Water Board and ACOE, and assisted the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the Environmental Protection Agency with the development of a rapid assessment method for wetlands.

Since co-founding The Watershed Nursery in 2001 Diana has dedicated herself to providing top quality materials and services for local habitat enhancement projects. Executing this goal has required not only the rapid attainment of horticultural knowledge and familiarization with local native plant populations (and managing entities) but also necessitated continuing research into current issues in genetics, hybridization, pest risks, and developments in environmental restoration techniques. The Watershed Nursery team has had the honor and pleasure of participating in hundreds of local habitat enhancement projects, working with non-profit, private, and government entities, and providing hundreds of thousands of plants to projects in central and northern California. In addition to her nursery work Diana is currently an organizing member of the California Native Nursery Network, Phytophthora in Native Habitats Working Group, and a participant in the Accreditation to Improve Restoration program.

Dean Watson 

Staff Research Associate
Accreditation to Improve Restoration (AIR)
Email: dcwatson@ucdavis.edu

B.S. Biological Sciences, UC Davis

Areas of Interest: Understanding Plant Pathosystems, including Microbial Ecology, Mycology, and Plant-Pathogen Relationships; Restoration Pathology and Ecology, California Native Habitat Restoration and Environmental Protection, and Disease Diagnostics. Teaching, Mentorship, and Science Communication. 

Susan Frankel

Plant Pathologist
US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Vallejo, CA
Email: susan.frankel@usda.gov

M.S. Forest Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle
Master of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle
B.S. Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley

Areas of interest: Forest tree and plant diseases, oomycete (Phytophthora) forest and wildland diseases, invasive species, climate change, restoration plant health.
Susan is an applied plant pathologist working to sustain forest and nursery plant health in California.