Alec Kowalewski

April Chastain

Artemio Morales
Pacific Landscape Management, Regional Water Manager
Artemio Morales has had a successful 28-year career in the landscape profession, spending the last 16 years at Pacific Landscape Management. Starting as an irrigation technician in 2001, he has risen to the role of water manager for Oregon and Washington, where he has led initiatives that saved millions of gallons of water through effective conservation strategies. millions of gallons of water in the region.

Corey Christopherson
Rain Bird Corporation
Combined Corey and Sam have over two decades of experience in landscape market. They have been involved in all phases of landscape design and installation with a specialty in irrigation. Corey is currently responsible for promoting the intelligent use of water with the Rain Bird Corporation for the PNW market and Sam covers the Arizona market for Rain Bird.

Courtney Brose, CSP
SAIF Senior Safety Management Consultant
Courtney Brose, CSP is a bilingual senior safety management consultant at SAIF, with over a decade of experience supporting Oregon’s landscaping, construction, and agriculture industries. A Willamette Valley native and Oregon State University graduate, Courtney brings a global perspective to her work, having studied in Mexico and Ecuador and taught in Spain. She holds the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential and an OSHA 30 certification and is an active member of the Construction Safety Summit (CSS) and the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). Courtney is passionate about equipping both English and Spanish-speaking crews with practical, effective safety training that makes a lasting impact. 

Dan Manning
Dan Manning P.C. - General Contractor, Certified Green Roof Specialist
For over 20 years with 300 plus installations Dan Manning has a wealth of experience navigating what was a fledgling industry in the Pacific Northwest. Now, as that industry and the technology of Greenroofing is evident as an important building component he’ll speak to the benefits of green roofing and the potential Greenroofing has for our future.

David Jones
Keynote Speaker
David Jones is a dynamic leadership speaker, consultant, and professional jazz musician whose message bridges inspiration, connection, and actionable growth. Through his organization, David Jones Leadership / Consulting (DJLC), he travels across the United States delivering interactive presentations that transform how people lead, communicate, and collaborate. 
Drawing on over three decades of experience in education, athletic coaching, and leadership development, David empowers audiences to strengthen personal accountability, team culture, and purpose-driven performance. His programs—focused on Leadership, Personal Development, and Team Culture—blend storytelling, humor, and participation, creating an environment where people don’t just listen but engage, reflect, and grow together. 
David’s approach is rooted in practical wisdom and human connection. Whether speaking to corporate teams, college athletic teams, schools, or community organizations, he tailors every session to the audience’s needs—helping leaders recognize their influence, build stronger relationships, and foster trust within their teams. His presentations, such as What I Learned From a Day With John Wooden, Leadership Radar, and 360 Degrees of Leadership, have inspired countless individuals to lead with greater clarity and intention. 
Outside of speaking, David brings a creative energy from his parallel career as a professional jazz musician. Having toured across the U.S. and opened for the legendary Aaron Neville, his music reflects the same rhythm, authenticity, and emotional resonance that define his leadership philosophy. His Pandora channel, David Jones (Jazz) Radio, continues to reach listeners worldwide with soulful, reflective sound. 
From classrooms to corporate boardrooms, David Jones has built a reputation as one of the most engaging connectors in the leadership space—a storyteller who doesn’t just entertain but transforms. His goal is simple yet profound: to inspire people and organizations to grow from the inside out, unlocking the best version of themselves through intentional leadership and personal growth. 

David Sandrock
Portland Community College, Instructor
David is an instructor in the Landscape Technology Program at Portland Community College and has been teaching plant identification for over 20 years. He believes that plant identification is our street credit as landscape professionals and that it should be fun to maintain our knowledge through practice. When he is not teaching at PCC, David enjoys drawing, skateboarding, riding dirt bikes and working in his garden.

Deborah Jeffries, SHRM-CP, PHR, CPC
HR Answers, Inc., Vice President
Deborah Jeffries harbors a deep passion for people. With a diverse background spanning HR, Education, Service, Retail, Manufacturing, and Food Service, she has dedicated four decades to training others in Recruitment, Communication, Team Building, HR, Supervisory Skills, and beyond. As a consultant, trainer, and coach, she zeroes in on inventive yet practical strategies for the modern workplace, divulging her secrets for aiding and guiding others. She captivates, inspires, and propels participants towards personal growth and skill enhancement, all while fostering introspection. Her workshops are characterized as humorous, slightly eccentric, and immensely educational, offering excellent tools, applicable frameworks, and invaluable insights, coupled with compelling stories and pertinent experiences.

Emanuel Hernandez
Western Interlock, Outside Sales
Emanuel Hernandez has over 24 years working in various portions of Western Interlock to better serve the localized Hardscape industry. His primary focus is to service and assist contractors and distributors with the multiple aspects of the concrete materials he represents. This includes the installation practices that support longevity in the project, as well as how to help the distributor support their contractor clientele.

Gabriel Barajas
Pacific Landscape Management
This year Gabriel (Gabby) celebrated his 23rd year in the landscape profession and his 23rd anniversary with Pacific Landscape Management. Gabby joined Pacific as they were founded and has grown with the company through his career from laborer to foreman to field manager and now as director of training for their 5 Oregon and SW Washington branches.
Gabby is an OLCA/NALP Landscape Industry Certified and an Oregon Certified Pesticide Applicator. He has attended countless industry-related seminars and classes. He currently organizes the field training for Pacific’s 300 field employees and has helped countless develop from laborer to foreman to field manager as he did.
Gabby is passionate about operational perfection and efficiency as well as employee personal development. As an immigrant who has acclimated into American society and developed his professional skills as well as those around him, Gabby is excited to share his thoughts and wisdom with those who aspire to develop their skill and make the move from the field to supervision and management.

Este año, Gabriel (Gabby) celebró sus 23 años en la profesión del paisajismo y su 23º aniversario con Pacific Landscape Management. Gabby se unió a Pacific cuando se fundaron y ha crecido con la empresa a lo largo de su carrera, desde obrero hasta capataz, gerente de campo y ahora como director de capacitación para sus 5 sucursales de Oregón y SW Washington.
Gabby es una Industria de Paisajismo Certificada por OLCA/NALP y una Aplicador de Pesticidas Certificada por Oregón. Ha asistido a innumerables seminarios y clases relacionados con la industria. Actualmente organiza la capacitación de campo para los 300 empleados de campo de Pacific y ha ayudado a innumerables personas a desarrollarse desde obrero hasta capataz y gerente de campo como él lo hizo.
A Gabby le apasiona la perfección operativa y la eficiencia, así como el desarrollo personal de los empleados. Como inmigrante que se ha aclimatado a la sociedad estadounidense y ha desarrollado sus habilidades profesionales, así como las de quienes lo rodean, Gabi está emocionado de compartir sus pensamientos y sabiduría con aquellos que aspiran a desarrollar sus habilidades de pasar del campo a la supervisión y la administración.

George Urvari
Oriole Landscaping
George started Oriole Landscaping in 1986 with his business partner Peter. Over the past 38 years, they have dedicated themselves to promoting excellence in the industry, and have grown their business to become one of the top residential design/build firms in Toronto. Their company has grown beyond landscaping alone, and for over a decade they have also been providing high-end residential construction services through Solid Space Construction. 
Now George helps other construction and landscape businesses through his consulting firm, Knowledge Tree Consulting (KTC). By sharing the systems that he developed over a lifetime in business, KTC has been able to significantly improve the businesses and the lives of other entrepreneurs across the United States and Canada. Ultimately, the goal is to make sure that the journey to success in business is far less painful, and more enjoyable for everyone - from owners, to employees, to clients and the community. 

Jose Sosa
Pace Inc., Territory manager
With over 30 years of experience in the outdoor power equipment industry, I’ve worked at both the dealership and distributor levels, gaining a deep understanding of the business from the ground up. I spent part of my career with Stihl NW, where I taught safety and maintenance to end users. I also owned and operated a landscape company, giving me firsthand insight into the needs of professionals in the field. I’m passionate about the outdoor power equipment, landscape, and nursery industries, and continue to enjoy contributing to their growth and success.

Juanita Montes Romero
Oregon Landscape Contractors Board, Licensing Specialist
My Name is Juanita Montes Romero. I have lived in Oregon since I was 7 years old. I am from Guanajuato Mexico and attended Western Oregon University in Monmouth. I am a proud mother of two amazing kids. In my free time I love to sing, paint, and go to the beach with my kids. I have worked in the customer service field almost all my life and I am very passionate about helping people. I am the Bilingual Licensing Specialist at the Oregon Landscape Contractors Board and am enthusiastic about helping anyone that wants to get licensed! Spanish: Me llamo Juanita Montes Romero. Vivo en Oregón desde los 7 años. Soy de Guanajuato, México, y estudié en la Universidad Western Oregon en Monmouth. Soy una orgullosa madre de dos hijos maravillosos. En mi tiempo libre me encanta cantar, pintar e ir a la playa con mis hijos. He trabajado en servicio al cliente casi toda mi vida y me apasiona ayudar a la gente. Soy la Especialista Bilingüe en Licencias de el Landscape Contractors Board de Oregón y me entusiasma ayudar a cualquiera que desee obtener una licencia.

Samantha Bosley
Rain Bird Corporation
Combined Corey and Sam have over two decades of experience in landscape market. They have been involved in all phases of landscape design and installation with a specialty in irrigation. Corey is currently responsible for promoting the intelligent use of water with the Rain Bird Corporation for the PNW market and Sam covers the Arizona market for Rain Bird.

Scott Friedman
GT Landscape Solutions, President
Scott Friedman is the President and CEO of GT Landscape Solutions, a company he founded during his junior year at Linfield College. With over 26 years of being in business Scott has grown the company into a leading force in landscape construction and maintenance across the region. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance with minors in Chemistry and Biology from Linfield College. His professional credentials include certifications as a Licensed Pesticide Applicator, Certified Irrigation Auditor, and licenses through both the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and the Landscape Contractors Board (LCB). Outside of work, Scott is a self-proclaimed golf addict and an all-season sports enthusiast. He enjoys snowboarding, wakeboarding, lifting weights, and unwinding with a classic gin martini, two olives, always. He is a proud father to two grown sons, Clayton and James, and shares life with his wife, Steasia, and stepson, Mason. One fun fact: Scott has an aversion to all things pickled.

Trey Brindle, PhD
Shawgrass, Director of Research and Innovation
Trey Brindle, PhD is the Director of Research and Innovation and the PEAK Performance Labs at Shawgrass. The PEAK Performance Labs is the pinnacle of innovation for Shawgrass. In the PEAK Performance Labs, Dr. Brindle conducts research and collaborates with academic partners to find new insights into artificial turf performance. Dr. Brindle has a long history of executing innovative and significant research studies aimed at answering questions around optimizing human movement. At Shawgrass, Dr. Brindle leverages his research experience and biomechanics expertise to enhance current artificial turf performance assessments and drive new product developments.

Zebadiah Wade, CEPA
LaPorte Insurance, Vice President
Zebadiah has been in the insurance industry for the past 10 years with his most recent being a Partner at a Corporate Finance Firm. Zebadiah specializes in Succession/Transition Planning as well as MicroCaptive Insurance Companies. He is an avid outdoorsman, spending most of his free time enjoying being outside free of cell service. Zebadiah is happily married, has a Frenchie pug mix, and a pickup truck that constantly breaks down. He is passionate about his non-profit (Anchors Outdoor Adventures) and helping business owners understand their risks.