Industry Events
Stay connected to the utility arborist community through industry events that foster learning, collaboration, and professional growth. Explore upcoming opportunities or submit your own event for consideration.
Industry Events
At UAA, we recognize the value of collaboration and shared knowledge across the utility arborist industry. Our Industry Events page features events from across the broader professional community. If you have an upcoming event that you believe would benefit utility arborists, we invite you to submit it for consideration.
TREE Fund Webinars
Event Dates
Multiple Recurring Dates
Location
Online
Description:
TREE Fund webinars bring you the latest in tree research directly from the scientists themselves. These one-hour sessions are free, offer CEU opportunities, and are some of the largest and most well-attended in the world, highlighting the cutting-edge research funded by TREE Fund.
T&D World Webinars
Event Dates
Multiple Recurring Dates
Location
Online
Description:
Webinars for utility professionals covering planning, design, operations, maintenance, and safety of transmission and distribution systems, including automation and IT. Browse upcoming and archived sessions at tdworld.com/resources/webinars.
EDM 2026 International Conference on Overhead Lines
Event Dates
March 29-April 2, 2026
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Call for Papers
June 18 – September 24, 2025
Description:
We’re excited to officially announce the Call for Papers for the 2026 EDM International Conference on Overhead Lines, is opening June 18th and will run through Sept 24, 2025!
Who should submit?
Utility professionals, engineers, asset managers, vegetation managers, biologists, researchers, and anyone passionate about the overhead line systems.
Why Present?
Share your hard-earned insights with a global audience – Advance the safety, reliability and resiliency of overhead line systems – Inspire collaboration and thought leadership across generations
Save the Date and share this graphic
Wildfire Frontiers Summit
Event Dates
March 31, 2026
Location
Virtual event
Who Should Join
Designed for utility leaders responsible for managing evolving operational risk, including:
- Wildfire Mitigation
- Vegetation Management
- Grid & Field Operations
- Reliability & Asset Strategy
- Risk, Resilience & Compliance
What You’ll Learn
- How wildfire risk is evolving across regions, and what it means for your operations
- The building blocks of a defensible wildfire readiness roadmap
- How to balance regulatory compliance with cost-effective mitigation strategy
- Lessons learned from utilities further along the maturity curve
- Practical approaches to turning risk intelligence into field execution
- Where wildfire resilience strategy is heading next
The 45th Annual Membership Meeting of the Vegetation Management Association of Kentucky (VMAK)
Event Dates
April 7 – 9, 2026
Location
Lexington, KY
VMAK Conference 2026
The 45th Annual Membership Meeting of VMAK will be held in person. Conference sessions and association meetings will take place throughout the event.
Pre-Conference Event: VMAK Golf Scramble 2026
Pre-Conference Event Date: April 6, 2026 at 1 PM EST
Pre-Conference Description: Join us for the 3rd annual VMAK Golf Scramble. This will be a four-person team scramble format, soft spikes only. There will be several games during the scramble, and prizes will be awarded.
Northeastern Safety Summit
Event Dates
April 9, 2026
Location
Augusta, Maine
Description
The Utility Arborist Association is proud to host the Northeastern Safety Summit in Augusta, Maine on April 9 2026. This focused one day event is designed especially for the field professionals who carry out vegetation management work every day, along with the safety leaders and trainers who support them.
The Summit will deliver practical, hands on learning geared toward the realities of field operations, featuring high value safety discussions, demonstrations, and interactive sessions that strengthen safety culture and reinforce essential work practices across the Northeast.
Additional details including venue information, agenda highlights, and registration will be available soon. We look forward to gathering with you in Maine for a powerful and inspiring day dedicated to supporting the professionals who keep our industry safe.
2026 West Virginia Forests & Drinking Water Forum
Event Dates
April 29-30, 2026
Location
Charleston, WV
Description:
Share knowledge, develop partnerships, and advance implementation projects that promote healthy forests and clean drinking water in WV.
We are excited to convene our fifth annual West Virginia Forests & Drinking Water Forum to bring together forestry, drinking water, and conservation professionals from across the state. The Forum will highlight national and state-wide programs as well as local case studies. There will be a focus on sharing knowledge and insights, forging meaningful partnerships, and advancing implementation projects that promote healthy forests and clean drinking water in West Virginia.
ROW 14
Event Dates
May 11-14, 2026
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Description
The UAA and ROW Steering Committee are looking forward to bringing the event back to Canada in 2026 for another spectacular international event.
This series has been held every three to four years since the early ’70s and has consistently been one of the greatest environmental research-based conferences to attend and we are excited to be coming to Vancouver, British Columbia in May of 2026.
Our Steering Committee is working on creating an amazing local field tour, engaging plenary session, educational academia panel, research programs, and more so mark you calendars now as you will not want to miss this in person event.
Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group Meeting
Event Dates
May 15, 2026
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Description
Join us in Vancouver, Canada, at the upcoming spring Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group Meeting!
Hosted by the University of Illinois Chicago and the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
As a finale to the 14th International Symposium on Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management (ROW 14), this Working Group meeting aims to encourage bi-national participation among energy and transportation organizations across the U.S. and Canada to facilitate collective processing and action on topics discussed at at the Symposium. The meeting will foster peer connection and learning, and identify follow-up actions for the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group.
2nd Annual West Virginia University Forestry Innovation Summit
Event Dates
June 9, 2026
Location
Bruceton Mills, WV
Description
We are pleased to announce the 2nd Annual West Virginia University Forestry Innovation Summit, a one-day event that will be held on June 9, 2026, at the Natural Resource Center (NRC) in Bruceton Mills, WV. Please save the date, a detailed agenda and registration information will be shared soon.The inaugural summit in June 2025 brought together an enthusiastic group of professionals, industry leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs, sharing emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges in the forestry sector. The event generated productive discussions, and we are excited to continue this momentum with our second annual summit.Why Attend?
- Connect with forestry professionals, business leaders, academic faculty, students, community stakeholders, and representatives from state and federal agencies
- Gain insights into emerging trends and innovations shaping the forest sector
- Build strategic partnerships with industry professionals and innovators
- Engage in discussions on opportunities and challenges influencing the future of forestry
We invite you to join colleagues and partners from across the region to exchange ideas and help shape the future of forestry. We look forward to seeing you at the NRC at the WVU University Forest (1397 Chestnut Ridge Rd, Bruceton Mills, WV) this June.More details will be shared soon.If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Kathryn Gazal, Kathryn.Arano@mail.wvu.edu, Dr. Kirsten Stephan, Kirsten.Stephan@mail.wvu.edu, or Dr. Jason Hubbart, Jason.Hubbart@mail.wvu.edu
Utility Vegetation Manager’s Summit (Invitation Only)
Event Dates
June 15-17, 2026
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Description
Join the most senior leaders in utility vegetation management for a select, invitation-only forum hosted by the Utility Arborist Association (UAA). This summit is exclusively designed for system-level managers and decision-makers who oversee UVM programs across utilities.
At this event, you’ll engage in peer-to-peer sessions, led discussions on emerging trends, and strategic workshops focused on contractor performance, workforce development, risk management, and technology integration. Held at an intimate venue to foster candid dialogue and meaningful benchmarking, this forum gathers utility professionals intent on elevating the role of vegetation management within the enterprise.
Midwestern Regional Safety Summit
Event Dates
July 20-24, 2026
Location
Ohio/Indiana (TBD)
Description
The Utility Arborist Association is pleased to host the Midwestern Regional and Safety Summit in July 2026. This combined event brings together utility vegetation management professionals, contractors, safety leaders, educators, and industry partners for a comprehensive multi day program focused on both regional insights and practical safety excellence.
The Summit will offer attendees the option to participate in the Regional Meeting, the Safety Summit, or experience the full program with an all-inclusive registration. Sessions will highlight Midwestern operational considerations, emerging industry trends, field focused safety practices, interactive demonstrations, and opportunities to collaborate with peers across the region.
Final location details, venue information, and the full agenda will be announced soon. We look forward to welcoming you in either Indiana or Ohio for an engaging and impactful UAA event designed to support both regional collaboration and safety leadership.
GA Regional Meeting
Event Dates
August 17-21, 2026
Location
Columbus, GA
Description
The Utility Arborist Association is thrilled to bring our Georgia Regional Event to the Southeast this August. This one day gathering will bring together vegetation management professionals, utilities, contractors, educators, and industry partners for a full day of learning, connection, and practical insights tailored to the Georgia region.
Final dates, timing, and venue details will be announced soon. Stay tuned for updates as we finalize the schedule and open registration. We look forward to seeing you in Columbus, Georgia for an engaging and impactful regional event.
4th International Summit on Non-Renewable and Renewable Energy
Event Dates
August 24-25, 2026
Location
Venice, Italy
Call for Papers
August 16 – November 30, 2025
Description:
We are delighted to welcome all researchers, industry professionals, and thought leaders in the energy sector to the 4th International Summit on Non-Renewable and Renewable Energy (ISNRE2026) which will be held in Venice, Italy on August 24-25, 2026.
Over two intensive and inspiring days, attendees with engage in high-level plenary & keynote talks, panel discussions, technical sessions, and networking opportunities designed to spark collaboration and foster actionable solutions. this summit will bring together leading voices from academia, industry, and government to share the latest breakthroughs, explore critical challenges, and discuss pathways toward a more sustainable energy future.
We look forward to welcoming you to Venice for an impactful and memorable edition of ISNRE!
Global Summit on Space Sciences and Aerospace Engineering (SPACESCIENCE2026)
Event Dates
August 26-27, 2026
Location
Venice, Italy
Description:
We are delighted to invite you to the Global Summit on Space Sciences and Aerospace Engineering (SPACESCIENCE2026), organized by Research Connects.
This prestigious event brings together leading scientists, researchers, engineers, industry professionals, space agencies, and academic experts from across the globe to share their latest findings and innovations in the fields of space exploration, satellite technology, propulsion systems, aerospace materials, remote sensing, and beyond.
SPACESCIENCE2026 will feature keynote presentations, oral talks, poster presentations, and exhibitions, providing a platform for researchers to connect, exchange ideas, and forge new collaborations, this summit is designed to facilitate meaningful dialogue and foster interdisciplinary partnerships.
Tour des Trees Bike Ride to Benefit TREE Fund
Event Dates
September 12-18, 2026
Location
North Carolina
Description:
Join us in North Carolina at the annual Tour des Trees bike ride to benefit Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund). The 2026 ride will be September 12-18.
Join your fellow arborists, industry professionals, and other tree enthusiasts while we ride aroudn teh state, spreading the word about the importance of trees and proper tree care. Make long-lasting connections and support TREE Funds’s grant scholarship programs at the same time.
Registration for the 2026 ride will take place between January and June. Look for more info on our website.
Trees & Utilities Conference 2026
Event Dates
September 22-24, 2026
Location
Portland, OR
Description:
Join industry leaders September 22–24 in Portland, Oregon, for the premier convening in utility vegetation management — where fresh ideas, practical solutions, and powerful connections come together to advance safe, reliable, and resilient utility systems. Join our email list to stay in the loop as more details become available.
New York Regional
Event Dates
October 12-16, 2026
Location
TBD, New York
Description:
The Utility Arborist Association is excited to bring our New York Regional Event back next October. This gathering will bring together vegetation management professionals, utilities, contractors, educators, and industry partners for a full day of learning, connection, and practical insights tailored to the Northeast region.
Final dates, timing, and venue details will be announced soon.
Stay tuned for updates as we finalize the schedule and open registration. We look forward to seeing you in New York for an engaging and impactful regional event.
Western Regional Safety Summit
Event Dates
November 2-6, 2026
Location
Lake Tahoe, CA
Description:
The Utility Arborist Association is excited to bring a special combined Western Regional Meeting and Safety Summit to beautiful Lake Tahoe. This unique event blends two powerful experiences into one gathering, offering expanded learning, networking, and hands on safety programming for vegetation management professionals across the Western region.
Attendees will have the flexibility to shape their experience by choosing either
• Individual tickets for the Western Regional Meeting or the Safety Summit, or
• One all inclusive ticket that grants access to the full multi day event.
The combined program will feature region specific discussions, operational insights, safety demonstrations, practical field focused training, and opportunities to connect with peers, utilities, contractors, and industry partners.
Final dates, agenda details, and venue information will be announced soon. We look forward to welcoming you to Lake Tahoe for an engaging, scenic, and highly impactful UAA event.
Submit Your Upcoming Industry Event
Please include the event’s time, date, and a brief summary explaining its relevance to the utility arborist industry. Once submitted, we will review the event to ensure it aligns with UAA’s mission and values. You will be contacted once a decision has been made regarding the posting of your event. (Feel free to rework any of the verbiage)
Contact Us
Office Hours
Monday - Friday 8:00AM/CST- 5:00PM/CST
Address
2009 W. Broadway Ave, Suite 400
PMB 315
Forest Lake, MN 55025
Additional Info
Phone: 800-680-4106
Email: office@gotouaa.org
Craig works for Pacific Gas and Electric as a Principal Program Manager in Land Management. His career spans 30 years in the utility industry serving numerous roles. He is an ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Specialist, and hold his TRAQ and is a TCIA Certified TreeCare Safety Professional. Craig has been engaged and involved in the UAA for many years, starting back in 2008. He then wanted more so he ran for UAA President and was elected in 2014. Today, Craig looks back over his 30-year career and wouldn’t change a thing, he’s made life-long friends and considers many as mentors. He also claims he would not be where is in his career if it weren’t for these people, and pledges to pay it forward to support others in their success.
Sam joins the UAA crew with over a decade of non-profit experience behind her. As our Partnership Coordinator, her focused efforts on building relationships with diverse funders include crafting proposals, cultivating connections, and cohesively earning dedicated sponsors to support the sustainability of UAA substantially and empowering our programs. Well equipped with professional skills which include program development, public speaking, proposal writing, donor relations, working with diverse stakeholders, coalition building, and public-facing service. Sam’s educational background includes a BS in Animal Ecology with a minor in Animal Science, and a MA in Philanthropy and Non-profit Development.
Jodie Braskich is an experienced professional in the utility industry with a strong background in supply chain and vegetation management. With over 18 years of industry expertise, Jodie continues to contribute her time and knowledge to the continuous improvement of the professional field of UVM. She has been a member of the UAA since 2007.
Josh Beaver is currently senior vice president of Eocene Environmental Group, a utility vegetation management (UVM) consulting and operations firm. Josh has more than two decades of experience within the UVM industry. He is currently responsible for relationship management and oversight of long-term UVM contracts throughout the United States and Canada. He considers customer and community communication to be vital aspects of his role, and he has a proven record of success working with utilities.
Crystal started her career in the Interior Design space but soon found herself 
Renée is our Member Services Manager. She is available to UAA members for questions on committee assignments, educational opportunities, scholarships, CEU questions, and any other assistance.
Jeff has enjoyed a 32-year career in Utility Vegetation Management. He began his career in 1993 with Holy Cross Energy as a temporary groundman. After receiving full time employment in 1994. He worked his way through the department from climber to foreman and eventually department manager in 2018. He brings a real-world approach to the industry.
Jason is a seasoned utility vegetation management professional with almost 20 years of experience leading data-driven, field-tested programs that prioritize safety, reliability, and operational efficiency. Jason is a forward-thinking leader who integrates emerging technologies to extract insights from complex data, streamline workflows, and drive smarter decision-making across the organization.
C. Troy Ross is the president of vegetation management at ACRT and ACRT Pacific. Shortly after graduating from Hocking College with a degree in Ranger Services and Fish and Wildlife, Ross began his career with ACRT at Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation as a contract utility forester in 1999. Since then, he has advanced through increasingly senior leadership roles, supporting vegetation management programs for a wide range of utility types and organizational structures.
A winner of the David H Nabi Award for dedication and service, Dr. Robert Vanderhoof earned his Ph.D. from the College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University in 1995. A veteran natural resource manager, Robert spent 15 years as Florida’s Deer Management Section Chief during which time he coordinated range management activities across Florida’s seven-million-acre wildlife management area system.
Cindy is the Senior Director, Vegetation Management Services and she manages departments responsible for maintaining vegetation in REC’s rights-of-way with the goal of reducing exposure of the electric grid to tree caused outages while encouraging habitat and species diversity. Cindy also has a consulting business, EcoAcumen, LLC that focuses on residential, commercial and government clients.
Kimberly Laing has had an exciting career in the energy industry, gaining valuable experience in various areas for almost 20 years. During her career, she has worked with numerous customers worldwide in a diverse cross-disciplined technical environment. She has extensive experience working with utilities, asset owners, equipment manufacturers, and consultants to facilitate transmission and distribution projects. Kimberly is particularly passionate about Utility Vegetation Management and its vital role in delivering safe and reliable power.
Fallon is a Utility Arborist and Executive Director of the Utility Arborist Association. Prior to his current role he was responsible for leading vegetation management programs across several upper Midwest states on behalf of a large investor-owned utility. He’s also been an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he facilitated the 
Erin Creekmur has been in the UVM industry for over 20 years. After graduating with a Bachelors in Botany from Northern Arizona University she relocated to Northern California to start her professional career. Starting as a consulting utility pre-inspector with Western ECI she quickly moving up to the ranks to Supervisor under the tutelage of folks like Nelson Money. In 2004, Erin joined PG&E as a Quality Assurance Auditor for the VM program. Eventually becoming the Program Manager for the North Coast Division, helping stand up the beginnings of CEMA as the Emergency Drought Response Initiative Lead for the Enhanced Inspection & Mitigation Program, targeting off-cycle hazard trees across the system. In 2015, Erin moved back to her home state of Arizona and took the role of Division Supervisor with Arizona Public Service, managing both transmission and distribution UVM programs out of the Flagstaff area. As part of her role with APS Forestry Fire and Resource Management Department, Erin had responsibility for creating a Hazard Tree Mitigation program. maintaining APS’s ROW Stewardship Accreditation, FERC reporting, and the Transmission Lidar program. In 2021, Erin took a shift in her career and is now Supervising the Customer Construction and Design team for APS, expanding her overall understanding of the Utility industry. Erin continues to maintain her ISA Utility Specialist Certification and TRAQ. She has also completed certifications in both Six Sigma and Lean Sigma Green Belt through accredited universities. In addition to her current service on the UAA Board of Directors, Erin spent the last 6 years as an officer with the Arboretum at Flagstaff Board of Directors. In her free time, you can find Erin in the woods taking pictures of native plants and beautiful western landscapes.
Christopher King serves as Director of Operations at ArborMetrics Solutions (AMS), based in North Carolina. In this capacity, he is responsible for overseeing operational activities across multiple accounts throughout the Eastern United States. With more than a decade of experience in the utility vegetation management (UVM) industry, Mr. King has held a diverse range of roles, including Groundperson, Foreperson, Contract Forester, Vegetation Management Program Manager, Business Development Manager, and Director of Operations Support.
Matt Goff is a Transmission Vegetation Manager at Georgia Power Company. He lives in Brookhaven, GA with his wife, two daughters, and the family’s two dogs Sam, and Payton. For leisure, he enjoys sports with his family, bird hunting, and salt-water fishing.Matt holds a BSFR from the University of Georgia in Forest Resource Management and he graduated in 1997. He has worked in the vegetation management industry for 26 years. His work experience includes six years as a procurement forester for a forest products manufacturer, and 20 years in the utility vegetation management industry with Georgia Power.
Cody is the Membership Office Coordinator for the Utility Arborist Association, where she supports membership operations with a focus on organization and engagement. She blends her experience in organizing systems, interpreting data, and working closely with people to support both the day-to-day and big-picture needs of the UAA.