Ryan L Murphy
Researcher 5
Specialization: Nursery management, plant propagation, and Urban & Community Forestry
Email: [email protected]
Ryan’s Research and Interests: Ryan currently manages the Urban Forestry Outreach & Research (UFOR) group. Our main mission is to support Minnesota's community forests through educational programming such as the MN Certified Tree Inspector Program, Tree Care Advisor, Tree Steward, and Team Tree Youth Engagement. He is also a collaborator on the University of Minnesota Elm Selection Program - a longterm project which seeks to identify native MN survivor elms which may have resistance to Dutch elm disease.
Monica Randazzo
Researcher & Graduate Student
Specialization: Youth education and volunteer engagement
Email: [email protected]
Monica's Research and Interests: Monica researches the intersection of environmental education and social movements. She directs the Youth Engagement in Arboriculture program, as well as provides instruction for volunteer outreach programs.
Nick Neylon
Researcher 2 & Graduate Student
Specialization: Arboriculture, urban forestry, and landscape design
Email: [email protected]
Nick’s Research and Interests: Nick is a climbing arborist focused on bringing beneficial greenspaces to cities. He teaches tree care, tree planting, and tree climbing with the UFOR Nursery, and collaborates with lab partners on research projects. His interests center around ecological restoration, habitat creation, and native plantings.
Molly Codding
Researcher 5
Specialization: Environmental Health
Email: [email protected]
Molly’s Research and Interests: Molly manages a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project, which assists communities to increase urban canopy using gravel beds and improve water quality. Molly's past research in community-oriented practice revolved around environmental health, including: food systems, cooperative governance, health impact review and assessment, program evaluation, and state legislative policy. Molly is a passionate about the intersections of environmental stewardship and public health and want to support communities in their pursuit of environmental justice, and climate resilience.
Certifications: Minnesota Certified Tree Inspector, Minnesota Tree Care Advocate
Mirae Guenther
Sonja Tosteson
Volunteer & Partnerships Coordinator
Specialization: Volunteer engagement and partnership development
Email: [email protected]
Sonja's Research and Interests: Sonja enjoys sharing her expertise in cultivating partnerships, inspiring stakeholders, and activating solutions through dynamic and meaningful programs. She helps coordinate the Tree Care Advocate program, including Tree Care Advisor and Tree Steward volunteers throughout Minnesota. Her ecological interests include forests, bogs, and birds. Sonja lives in Minneapolis and enjoys rocking out to musical theater and getting her hands dirty in her bouquet garden.
Gary Johnson
Professor Emeritus: Urban and Community Forestry