INSTRUCTOR PROFILES

Amy Highland obtained her degree in Public Horticulture from Purdue University and is currently the director of collections and conservation lead at Mt. Cuba. She manages both living and non-living collections, focusing on expanding the genetic diversity of the gardens and coordinating Mt. Cuba’s conservation efforts.

Duncan Himmelman, PhD, is the former education manager at Mt. Cuba. He earned his doctorate in Ornamental Horticulture at Cornell University, has taught college for 24 years, and has also contributed to a number of horticultural publications.

Sam Hoadley is the manager of horticultural research at Mt. Cuba, where he evaluates native plants to determine their horticultural and ecological values, and produces award winning reports on native plant research. Sam received his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont.

Diane Keesee has a passion for creating interesting signature cocktails, spirit infusions, shrubs, and bitters, using unique seasonal ingredients. She has been involved in hospitality management and the beverage industry for more than 20 years, including having worked for Greenville Country Club and Vicmead Hunt Club.

Scott Kelley is the head arborist at Mt. Cuba. He has more than 35 years of experience working with trees and is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist®.

Jay Kratz is a Mt. Cuba educator. He shares his enthusiasm for native plants outside Mt Cuba›s gates as the co-horticulturist and Rancocas chapter leader for the Native Plant Society of NJ, and as a native plant garden designer and landscaper.

Faith B. Kuehn, PhD, has spent most of her career working on pollinator conservation, invasive species control, and pest management. Her current project is Green Cabinet, focusing on pollinator conservation and therapeutic gardening at Planting Hope Gardens.

Ellen Lake, PhD, is the director of conservation and research at Mt. Cuba. Ellen has a MS in Entomology and PhD in Entomology and Wildlife Ecology from the University of Delaware, where she researched biological control of mile-a-minute weed and how to integrate weed management techniques to restore plant communities. Ellen has extensive experience researching insect-plant interactions, including work for the USDA in the Greater Everglades ecosystem.

Jessica Lewis, CPT, CNC, is an accredited T›ai Chi Chih instructor, personal trainer, and nutritional counselor. For close to 20 years, Jessica’s been providing a unique blend of customized exercise routines, solid nutritional advice, and movementbased relaxation principles for a diverse population of clients via Sculpt Your Life®, her private practice.

Monica Lopez works with Healing Through the Arts at the Delaware Art Museum as an instructor for the Latin community. Her art has been exhibited at the Delaware Art Museum, The Delaware Contemporary, Grand Opera House, Artist Avenue Station, The Rock Lot, and Jerry’s Artarama.

John McElderry is a sound therapist and credentialed Yoga Alliance teacher with over 20 years of experience.

Holly Merker is an avid birder, educator, writer, and lecturer, who has a passion for bird conservation. She is an instructor for National Audubon and the American Birding Association and is the lead data reviewer for eBird in Pennsylvania. Holly believes in the powerful benefits nature holds for our wellbeing and is lead author on a book on the subject, aptly called Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul, guiding readers into deeper connections to the birds around them.

Nedda Moqtaderi has spent more than a decade researching the history of the Mt. Cuba property. She received her MA from the University of Delaware/Winterthur Program in Early American Culture and has experience in historic preservation, oral history, archaeology, museum education, and archival collections management.

Serah Pesce is the education specialist at Mt. Cuba. She holds a BS in Landscape Contracting, Design/Build from Pennsylvania State University and is a Delaware Nature Society Certified Habitat Steward and certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional. In addition to teaching classes for the Ecological Gardening Certificate, she shares her extensive experience in floral design with Mt. Cuba students.

Maria Phillips is an artist and art therapist from Philadelphia, PA with a background in woodworking and printmaking. Using nature as the canvas, she hopes to encourage others to reflect on their relationship with the environment.

Steve Pyne is a greenhouse assistant at Mt. Cuba and worked for over ten years in the Victorian Fernery at Morris Arboretum. His current projects include propagating ferns, lycopods, and terrestrial orchids.

Robert Raguso, PhD, is a professor of Chemical Ecology at Cornell University. His research interests run the spectrum of insect-plant interactions mediated by chemistry, especially the role of fragrance in pollination ecology and animal behavior. He has promoted his research by organizing symposia, short courses, and workshops worldwide.

Charlie Reidinger is a grounds maintenance technician at Mt. Cuba. A native of Newark, DE, he worked in Arizona and California constructing and maintaining trails for the American Conservation Experience for the past ten years.

James Rockwell is the greenhouse and nursery manager at Mt. Cuba, where he oversees plant propagation and production in the conservation research greenhouse. His work focuses on native species of conservation concern, producing plants for the gardens, partner organizations and the nursery industry. James earned a BS in Environmental Horticulture from Virginia Tech and has spent his career in public horticulture.

Margaret Saylor is the editor/designer of ASBA’s The Botanical Artist journal. She earned a Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration, with distinction, from the NYBG.

Joe Sebastiani is the director of adult engagement for the Delaware Nature Society. He is passionate about birds and wildlife, founded the Ashland Hawk Watch, and edits Delaware eBird, an online checklist program, for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Sara Setzer is a fiber artist who specializes in the art of felt work. Inspired by nature, she creates eco-dyed and printed scarves, wraps, and collars using natural materials and leaves.

Nate Shampine, CERP, is Mt. Cuba’s natural lands manager responsible for implementing land conservation practices through the creation and maintenance of healthy, functional ecosystems. He is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and he is also a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner through the Society for Ecological Restoration.

Shelly Silva holds a BFA in Fine Art Photography from Corcoran College of Art + Design, an MS in Management from Wilmington University. When Shelly is not teaching others about botanical cyanotypes or wine, she works as a digital communications specialist at the University of Delaware. She enjoys teaching people about the connections between nature, art, and the process of art making.

Judy Simon is a botanical artist and freelance illustrator who has combined her love of gardening with her drawing and painting career. She is a member of the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators and the American Society of Botanical Artists. Her work is in many private collections.

Melissa Stanley has been a yoga instructor for children and adults since 2015. Melissa teaches a variety of styles, levels and ages.

Melissa Starkey, PhD, is the marketing and communications manager at Mt. Cuba. She earned her PhD in biology from Northwestern University and an MS in plant biodiversity and taxonomy from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Melissa is an active Philadelphia County Master Gardener and PA Master Naturalist and serves on the Board of Directors at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in PA, where she grew up.

Ian Stewart, PhD, was raised in Newcastle, England and received a doctorate in ornithology from the University of Leicester. He has conducted research on tree swallows and bluebirds and how local land management activities are affecting bird numbers and diversity throughout the year. Ian works for the Delaware Nature Society where he is studying the effects of non-native plants on birds.

Derek Stoner is a past president of the Delmarva Ornithological Society, enjoys being out in nature, and is involved in improving land for floral and faunal biodiversity. His photographs and articles have been published in books, regional newspapers, nature magazines, and blogs.

Michael Strengari is a senior horticulturist at Mt. Cuba, where he works in the Formal Garden. During his career in horticulture, he has gardened at private estates, public institutions, and his home. He is a graduate of the Longwood Gardens Professional Gardener Program. With an eye for design and a passion for native plants he hopes to continue to inspire the public by creating and maintaining beautiful garden spaces.

Gregg Tepper is a Senior Horticulturist at the Arboretum at Laurel Hill and co-author of Deer Resistant Native Plants for the Northeast

Emily Tinalli is the horticulturist for the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art where she gardens with native plants on their 10-acre Chadds Ford campus, and co-coordinates the native plant seed and propagation program. Prior to that, she was a horticulturist with Mt. Cuba for eight years. She has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Farmingdale State College.

Liana Thompson completed the Vibration Sound Therapy Certified Practitioner training with the Vibrational Sound Association in 2019. Her passion is in helping others gently address stress and emotional trauma using the healing sounds of the Tibetan singing bowls.

Brian Tuel has over 20 years of experience with the Art of Bonsai. He has numerous trees in his personal collection and has displayed at the Philadelphia Flower Show. He is a devout gardener with a wealth of experience in the fundamental elements of horticulture and Bonsai.

William Trescott is the arboriculture manager at Mt. Cuba where he has worked for 34 years. He is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist®.

Donna Wiley is the former horticulturist in the Formal Gardens at Mt. Cuba. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in plant science from the University of Delaware, Donna started her career at Mt. Cuba in the greenhouses where she also had the opportunity to use her floral design skills to make flower arrangements for Mrs. Copeland’s home.

Jenna Webster is a designer with Larry Weaner Landscape Associates where she works on meadow and habitat plans for public parks and preserves as well as landscape master plans for residential properties. She holds a MS in Ecological Design from the Conway School.

Claire Zuidervliet is the conservation propagator at Mt. Cuba, where she propagates a large variety of native plants in the conservation research greenhouse. Before Mt. Cuba, Claire worked as a Senior Grower at Longwood Gardens, where she managed the stock plant collection and specialty Chrysanthemum propagation. She earned her BS in Floriculture and Nursery Production from Delaware Valley University.

Kevin Zuidervliet’s passion for plants has taken him from farms on the Tasmanian shore to Longwood Gardens. He currently works as the head propagator at Octorara Native Plant Nursery where he now focuses on producing the highest quality native trees and shrubs.