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.
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.
Alicia Coleman
Assistant Professor of Urban and Community Forestry
Email: [email protected]
Alicia's Research and Interests: Dr. Alicia Coleman's research interests include 1) the equitable and just allocation of urban forest resources; 2) the tools, techniques, and planning processes behind arboricultural and urban forestry decision making; 3) effectively measuring the impacts of trees and forests in cities.
Before joining UMN, Dr. Coleman was a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Applied Forest Ecology Lab at the University of Connecticut, working with Dr. Robert Fahey and CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. She holds a PhD in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a Master of Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science from Wilmington University, and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Penn State University.
Daniel Gjertson
Arboriculture Program Coordinator and Educator
Specialization: Chainsaw safety & maintenance, aerial rescue, best management practices, tree climbing, tree pests and diseases, tree removal and rigging operations, tree risk assessment
Email: [email protected]
Dan's Research and Interests: Dan's professional experiences include caring for trees in the private sector and within public gardens in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado. As a graduate student in horticulture at the University of Minnesota, he is furthering his knowledge of woody plants and ecological restoration. Outside of work and education he enjoys woodworking, fly-fishing, nordic skiing, and gardening at home with his partner.
Mirae Guenther
Marissa Endres
Education and Outreach Assistant
Specialization: Media and event coordination
Email: [email protected]
Marissa's Research and Interests: Marissa enjoys sharing her creativity through platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and the UFOR website by creating educational content for the public. She helps plan and organize events for the Minnesota Certified Tree Inspector Program and assists in administrative tasks for other UFOR programs. Marissa enjoys helping out around the nursery during the warmer months and hanging out with all of it's residents such as the friendly elm field coyote.
Gary Johnson
Professor Emeritus: Urban and Community Forestry