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A Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH), June Davis is one of WGW's popular instructors on all things gardening. She is a garden consultant—The June Garden—with 25 years in the nursery industry. As Sales Manager for Skagit Gardens, she worked with breeders to introduce new plants to the market. She gardens on Whidbey Island.

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Carol Anne, an Island County Master Gardener, has a passion for gardening, landscape and floral design. Much of her botany, horticultural and design knowledge was gained during her undergraduate years at Cornell University. Her gardens and floral designs have been featured in numerous garden tours and fund raising events. As a basket weaver and stone scupltor, Carol Anne found making kokedama a new and relaxing way to use many of her design and contruction skills.

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Sue has been a Master Gardener here on Whidbey since 2018. She has grown strawberries in 7 states from hot weather to Alaska. Her gardening experience includes home gardens and indoor planting in all those states. As Executive Director, Sue enjoyed (and learned a lot) overseeing the development and maintenance for the new community garden and trail with small plots, large fountain area, butterfly segment, dry gardens and 474 roses on the 11-acre property at Rosewood Retirement Community in Bakersfield, CA. Retired now, her best efforts have been installing her small home beauty and bounty landscape here on south Whidbey (with lots of strawberries!).

Jenny Rebecca Glass is the Extension Coordinator/ Plant Diagnostician at the Washington State University, Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory. She earned her M.S. in Plant Pathology at Oregon State in 2000. Her current work involves diagnosing plant and insect problems, managing the WSU Puyallup Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, and teaching plant pathology, diagnosis, and integrated pest management to various audiences in western Washington. She enjoys spotting (minor) disease and pest pressure on plants while out walking and loves to read. Jenny can be reached at jennyglass@wsu.edu.

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Eva Gordon has a degree in Zoology and Master’s work in Biology. She is a science educator who taught AP Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science for twenty years. She was instrumental in bringing Biotechnology to the SFUSD and San Mateo County School Districts. She has also taught STEM programs from elementary to high school level. Eva is acting Education Chair for the North American Mycological Association, is currently an author of fantasy fiction, and a Master Naturalist and is working on a non-fiction book titled, "Animal Mycophiles."

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Gary Ketcheson moved to Whidbey Island 10 years ago after a career as a Hydrologist with the US Forest Service, managing soil and water resources. Over the years he has become deeply interested in trees, their unique properties, and the many benefits they provide. He became a Master Gardener in 2013 and is a regular volunteer at the Greenbank Demonstration Garden.

Don Krafft is a WSU Island County Master Gardener and former Master Composter in Santa Clara County, California. He is focused on practicing and teaching soil and water management and composting for home and community gardeners. In addition to the Master Gardener and Master Composter trainings, Don has completed the comprehensive Soil Food Web and Microscope Soil Analysis courses and is currently managing composting piles at home and at the South Whidbey Tilth Community Garden.

Paul Kusche is a two-state Master Gardener, having completed training first in Bonner County, Idaho in 2015 just after retirement and again in Kitsap County, Washington in 2019 when he relocated back to the Northwest. While growing dahlias is his passion (see the Papa Paul’s Dahlias cover story in the "July 2020 West Sound Home & Garden Magazine"), he has also been involved in teaching alternative gardening techniques including Edible Landscaping and Growing in Small Spaces.

Paul graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a BBA and MBA. He is a former Marketing and Marketing Research Instructor, a frequent speaker at garden clubs and Master Gardener seminars, and a writer for the American Dahlia Society’s Bulletin. As a Kitsap County Master Gardener, he is a Clinic Lead, President of the Foundation, and speaker for Clean Water Kitsap – Septic Sense and Pierce County Septic Seminars.

Paul Kusche
Master Gardener since 2015
Growing Dahlias for over 20 years

Seth Luginbill currently serves as the Noxious Weed Program Coordinator for the Island County Noxious Weed Control Board. Seth's background is in botany and natural resource management.

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Deb earned her B.S. in Horticulture from South Dakota, so not a lot of her degree applies to the Pacific Northwest other than basic botany. She spent 20 years in the Navy, traveling the world and learning different ecosystems, and she appreciated that the Navy funded her explorations. She has been a Master Gardener since 2006, and also has a teaching certificate in the sciences, hence her love of teaching. Deb appreciates feedback and is always seeking to enhance her classes.

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Anza Muenchow has perfected the art of culinary horticulture by growing food at her two-acre Maha Farm for the past 15 years. But beyond her farming expertise, she is also passionate about improving fresh food access for her community, especially low-income families. And, as a Master Gardener since 1992, she is the go-to expert for other Master Gardeners who want information on crop varieties and maximizing their harvests. Anza also volunteers for Master Gardeners at South Whidbey Tilth.

Tobey Nelson has a B.S. in Landscape Horticulture from Michigan State University and is a Certified Professional Horticulturist. She has been designing, installing, and maintaining gardens for over 29 years. Tobey focuses on "horticulture for a healthy planet" encompassing environmentally responsible approaches, such as drought-tolerant plantings, planting for pollinators, building soil health, and using sustainable floral design methods.

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A horticultural consultant and educator with 40 years experience and a long-time pruning instructor at Edmonds Community College, Christina Pfeiffer holds degrees in Horticulture from Michigan State and the University of Washington. Christina is an ISA Certified Arborist and the author of Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening.

Lisa started beekeeping on Whidbey Island over 18 years ago. She has worked with large beekeepers and other hobby beekeepers. Her bees have been all over the island, pollinating farms and small orchards. After becoming a Master Gardener Lisa embraced native pollinators as fiercely as her honey bees. Now she plants her gardens with an eye towards helping the pollinators in her yard.

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Dan Vorhis has a B.S. in Agriculture from The Ohio State University, with over 40 years of experience in fruit horticulture. Dan and his wife Bernadine Mahar own and operate Muscle and Arm Farm, a small farm and orchard in Freeland, Washington.

Diana Wisen has been a WSU Master Gardener for 32 years. She has been a Skagit County Master Gardener trainer for 20 years, served as Chair of the Outreach and Education Committee and of the Speakers Bureau, and regularly teaches gardening classes to a variety of audiences.

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