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Josh Smalley is a seasoned leader in vegetation management, bringing over 17 years of experience within the utility and forestry sectors. In his current role as Vegetation Manager – Distribution at Alabama Power Company, Josh is responsible for strategic oversight, contract administration, and operational management to maintain safe and reliable electric service across an extensive transmission and distribution network.
Josh is an Auburn University alumnus, holding a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, and is professionally recognized as a Registered Forester by the Alabama State Board of Registration for Foresters, as well as an ISA Certified Arborist. He leads with a focus on safety, sustainability, and customer satisfaction—values that closely mirror Alabama Power’s dedication to providing energy with genuine “Southern Style.”
Josh’s leadership is grounded in integrity, accountability, and the empowerment of his team. He is committed to cultivating a work environment where employees have the resources, expertise, and confidence needed to make informed decisions. Through encouraging collaboration and ongoing improvement, he seamlessly integrates operational excellence with environmental stewardship. Safety, customer trust, and innovation remain at the heart of his strategy for achieving long-term success.
Nick D’Amico is a utility vegetation management leader with more than 15 years of experience developing and leading transmission and distribution vegetation management programs across multiple electric utility systems. Currently serving as Manager of Vegetation Management for Xcel Energy, Nick oversees programs across Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico, with a focus on safety, wildfire mitigation, system reliability, regulatory compliance and operational excellence.
Throughout his career, Nick has led large-scale vegetation management programs and provided strategic direction for hundreds of contractors and cross-functional teams. At Xcel Energy, he serves as one of the vegetation management subject matter experts for the company’s Wildfire Mitigation Program.
Previously, Nick held progressive leadership and field roles with PPL Electric Utilities and Asplundh Tree Expert Co., gaining extensive experience in utility operations, contractor management, regulatory compliance, right-of-way and stakeholder engagement.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Forest Science, Nick holds ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Utility Specialist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) credentials.
Nick is passionate about advancing the utility vegetation management profession through collaboration, innovation, safety leadership and the sharing of industry best practices.
Michelle Lejins has more than 10 years of experience in the utility vegetation management (UVM) industry, with a career spanning field operations, quality assurance, program management, safety, and leadership. She currently serves as a Regional Supervisor with Eocene Environmental Group, where she leads teams supporting utility programs across Northern California. In her role, Michelle works closely with utility stakeholders and internal teams to improve safety, operational performance, compliance, and program delivery.
Michelle began her career UVM career in quality assurance before moving into program management and leadership roles. Throughout her career, she has supported electric distribution and transmission pre-inspections programs, gas pipeline vegetation management, storm response, and operational improvement.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Cal Poly Humboldt and a Foundations of Utility Vegetation Management Certificate from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. She is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, ISA Utility Specialist, and ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified. Michelle also teaches a Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) Pre-Inspector course offered at California Community colleges.
Michelle was honored with the UAA Rising Star Award in 2025 and currently serves on the Utility Arborist Association Board of Directors. Outside of the industry, she is a board member and Treasurer of The Wonder Grove, a nonprofit focused on nature-based play and learning for children.
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.
Sam’s non-working hours are filled with family fun, tending to her pollinator gardens, and enjoying nature through camping, hiking, and kayaking. She is excited to be making a difference with our UAA team.
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.
Starting her career in 2003 with a large electrical transmission company in the Midwest, Jodie initially worked in the supply chain department. As a purchasing agent, she collaborated closely with the Operating and Maintenance departments, gaining valuable exposure to the utility vegetation management sector. Recognizing her interest and aptitude in this area, she transitioned to the site maintenance and vegetation management division in 2005.
In her role within the division, Jodie excelled in various areas, including workflow process innovation, UVM Program management, program and budget development, sourcing, regulatory compliance, and community relations. Her dedication and expertise have led to her current position as Chief Operations Officer or D2K Traffic Safety, Inc..
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.
Josh joined Eocene Environmental Group in 2010 as a lead consulting utility forester in Tennessee. He was soon promoted to regional supervisor, followed by regional manager and vice president roles. In his current position as senior vice president, his primary objective is to ensure excellent, safe and efficient production from Eocene Environmental Group employees by making quarterly visits to each of his contracts. He also provides on-site consulting and training. In addition to ongoing contract management, Josh works closely with Eocene Environmental Group’s R&D division, focusing on short-term UVM-related projects and tree inventory projects for municipalities throughout the country.
Josh was the 2018 recipient of the UAA Rising Star Award. He has been published in Utility Arborist Newsline and has presented on a variety of industry topics throughout the U.S. He currently serves on the UAA’s Professional Development Committee and Events Committee. Josh has also been instrumental in securing Eocene Environmental Group’s PinE Award status since the award’s inception, which entails active support of the UAA mission each year. In 2023, he was elected to the UAA Vice President Role.
Crystal started her career in the Interior Design space but soon found herself working for non-profit organizations. She began designing bedrooms for children in need in Flint, Michigan as the Director for the Zoie Sky Foundation. She continued her work with non-profits planning events for young people and families within faith-based organizations.
Crystal has over 15 years’ experience planning events and now brings her unique blend of creativity and compassion to the Utility Arborist Association.
In her spare time, Crystal teaches yoga at a local yoga studio. She also loves hanging out with her husband Andrew of almost 25 years, her 4 hilarious children, 3 loud dogs, and 2 mysterious cats.
Felicia brings over twenty years of leadership in management, finance, and governance, with a track record built alongside community partners, executives, and board members. The Nashville-based leader has real strengths in financial forecasting and reporting, clear communication, and the special-project work that helps executives make confident decisions. She’s a creative, collaborative problem solver who thrives in fast-paced settings where every dollar counts.
Felicia has served on core strategic leadership teams and rebuilt fiscal management from the ground up, from GAAP reporting and audit prep to 990 returns, net-zero budgeting, grant management, and cash forecasting. She grew the organization’s budget by 42% over six years (including the pandemic) and helped secure more than $4M in COVID relief funding. Every audit under her direction returned an unqualified opinion and no management letters, reflecting the transparency she brings to both finances and governance.Outside of work, you’ll find Felicia enjoying all that Tennessee has to offer and spending time with the people who matter most.
Kevin Puls, General Manager, EnviroScience, Inc.
Kevin Puls is the General Manager of EnviroScience, Inc.. He was previously with ACRT for more than 25 years and began his
career with us as a work planner in western Ohio. He worked his way up to become an operations
manager, senior operations manager, and director of operations. During his tenure he has managed
utility vegetation contracts, municipal forestry programs, performed environmental compliance
inspections, and many more items. He has worked with over 50 customers in over 40 states. He
attended Mount Union College where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in
ecology. He completed his internship at Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts as part of a grant
from the National Science Foundation. Kevin performed studies on plant-soil-air interactions and
presented his research in multiple forums. Kevin also holds an MBA in Executive Management from
Ashland University. Kevin also serves as a committee member on multiple BSA troops and conservation
organizations.
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.
Jeff has served on both the UVM managers summit, hosting the summit in 2024, and the UAA outreach committees where his passion is focused on co-operative outreach.
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.
Ross has spent more than 25 years shaping how vegetation management is practiced, taught, and led across North America. He has worked directly with or consulted for hundreds of utilities and organizations, helping to establish, refine, and support vegetation management programs that protect infrastructure and serve communities. Along the way, he has trained thousands of professionals — many of whom now lead programs of their own.
Within the Utility Arborist Association (UAA), Ross has been an influential voice and active leader. He is a former board director and was recognized with the UAA Utility Arborist Award in 2023 for his contributions to advancing utility vegetation management. He previously served as the Champion of the UAA Editorial Committee and as a member of the UVM Summit Committee. His contributions include helping to develop a Utility Specialist study program through training and standards development committees jointly with the ISA and UAA.
Ross is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist Utility Specialist and holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from Union University and an MBA with a project management specialization from Ashland University.
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.
In 2004 Robert was recognized by the Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society for “Extraordinary Vision, Leadership, and Dedication” in natural resource management. Until recently, Robert applied his management experience as a Utility Vegetation Supervisor for PacifiCorp across service territories in northern Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming for 15 years. An ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and Certified Utility Specialist, Robert is currently employed as a Research & Consulting SME with Arbormetrics. Robert has written several articles on the application of technology in natural resource management and routinely speaks on utility vegetation management issues.
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.
Cindy has a four year degree in Forestry (BS), a Masters of Science from Johns Hopkins University in Environmental Science and Planning and has completed all of the coursework towards a PhD in Forestry while enrolled at Virginia Tech. She is finishing her dissertation and defense at WVU related to distribution power outages caused by trees. She has been a Certified Arborist and Utility Arborist for 30 years and a Licensed Forester for 30 years She has written several nationally published articles, including two in Transmission and Distribution Magazine (2002 and 2017), Bark (Australia) and the Arbor Day Foundation’s fact sheets.
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.
Kimberly began her career at Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Hydro International (MHI), where she worked in the Power Systems Technology Centre. She later joined the T&D Division at MHI, where she focused on facilitating transmission line engineering and vegetation management projects. She then moved to the Innovation Team, where she was responsible for market intelligence, strategic account development, and research and validation of new ideas, products, and service offerings through industry collaboration. During this time, she was actively involved in R&D technology projects, and her love for UVM began. She joined the industry full-time with ArborMetrics. Currently, she is the Director of Business Development for ArborMetrics Solutions Canada, responsible for supporting long-term market growth and partnerships.
Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of Winnipeg. She is also the Manitoba Chair of Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE), whose mission is to advance the role and recognition of women and other underrepresented groups in the clean energy sector. In her spare time, Kimberly enjoys camping, cooking, and exploring new parts of the world with her family.
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 Utility Vegetation Management Certificate Program – a combined effort of the Utility Arborist Association and the Utility Vegetation Management Association. Fallon has an undergraduate degree in Urban & Community Forestry and a Master’s degree in Forestry from the University of Minnesota-St. Paul.
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.
These experiences have provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the critical functions within the UVM sector and the importance of each role in delivering effective and efficient service to stakeholders. Mr. King is deeply committed to fostering a culture of open communication and continuous improvement among team members and clients alike. He is also passionate about public education and mentoring the next generation of UVM professionals.
Mr. King holds a Bachelor of Science in Christian Leadership and Management from Liberty University and a Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University. He is certified as an ISA Certified Arborist/Utility Specialist and holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential from the Project Management Institute (PMI).
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.
She holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Biological Conservation, as well as a B.A. in a Planned Program focused on literature, rhetoric, and languages. As an undergrad, she contributed to ecological research on eastern red cedars and box turtles, gaining hands-on experience in both fieldwork and scientific documentation. Cody is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Business Analytics and Data Science, further expanding her ability to support data-informed decision-making.
From pulling yarn through loops to pulling insights from data, Cody threads order into everything she touches, making her a go-to point of contact for both members and partners alike. Outside of work, Cody enjoys quality time with her family—whether that’s around the board game table or with a crochet hook in hand.
