61st Annual WCTA Conference and Trade Show - Presenter Bios
61st Annual WCTA Conference and Trade Show - Presenter Bios
February 11-13, 2025, River Rock Casino Resort, Richmond, BC
Conference Educational Theme – ‘What’s Next for Turf???’
Opening Keynote, Fraser Mulholland, Commissioner, Vancouver Golf Tour - 'Vision, Passion, Desire and Golf'
Headlining this year’s conference is Fraser Mulholland, Commissioner and prime visionary behind the Vancouver Golf Tour.
A PGA member of Canada since 1992, Fraser is passionate about the game and has a strong desire to develop the young talent in this province. He is responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to make this vision happen.
With over 40 years of experience in golf instruction, tournament play and golf course & tournament operations, he has become one of the most accomplished professional golfers in BC and in Canada, winning 34 professional tournaments, qualifying for the South African and Australian Opens and twice playing on the PGA Tour.
Throughout his golf tournament and travel experiences, Fraser has implemented similar tournament models for VGT that have made the top international golf bodies so successful.
Dr. Trey Rogers, Michigan State University – 'Update on 2026 World Cup Preparations’ and ‘Delivering World Class Quality for World Class Play – Part 1'
Dr. John N. Rogers, III (Trey) is a legendary figure in the field of Turfgrass Management with globally recognized expertise. His substantial body of work includes over 270 national and international presentations, 230 publications, and two U.S. Patents, solidifying his standing in organizations such as the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and ASTM.
Holding the position of Professor at Michigan State University's Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences since 1988, Trey’s journey in turfgrass began at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he cultivated a passion that eventually led him to a B.S. in Agronomy from the University of Arkansas in 1982. After serving as an Assistant Superintendent at Hardscrabble, he pursued further academic milestones, earning an M.S. in Agronomy in 1985 and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Penn State University in 1988.
With a legacy of advising and graduating over 1100 students, Trey's impact extends globally. His research at Michigan State University focuses on performance turf renovations, turfgrass establishment, and soil modification, marking him as a key contributor to over 20 golf course renovations since 2012.
Beyond academia, his leadership roles in turf projects include the 1994 World Cup Soccer matches at the Pontiac Silverdome and the 2001-02 Spartan Stadium turfgrass conversion. His international influence is underscored by contributions to the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympic Games, the 2008 UEFA Cup, and a recent commitment to FIFA for the North America World Cup 2026.
Dr. Josh Friell, Chief Research Scientist, The Toro Company – 'What’s Next for Turf’
Dr. Josh Friell is the Chief Research Scientist for the Toro Company and Engineer with 15 years of experience pursuing resource conservation through research, problem solving, and leadership of customer-centered initiatives.
Developing use and implementation strategies for technology to enable data-driven decision support in land management systems is at the core of Josh’s research program. Through thoughtful definition and execution of interdisciplinary and collaborative projects, he has tangibly improved resource conservation outcomes and communicated those results to a global audience through an outreach and engagement program based on strong public speaking skills and a focus on developing common language and knowledge bases among stakeholders for the advancement of science-based land management.
Dr. Sara Stricker, Communications Coordinator, Guelph Turfgrass Institute – 'Turf in the Fast Lane’ and ‘How Turfgrass Supports an Active, Healthy Lifestyle’
Dr. Sara Stricker is a plant pathologist working as the Communications Coordinator at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. She aims to make turfgrass research interesting and accessible to the industry and the public.
Sara obtained her B.Sc, M.Sc, and Ph.D degrees at the University of Guelph and completed a Bachelor of Education at Western University. She has conducted research on foliar diseases including tar spot of maple, Stemphylium leaf blight of onion and Microdochium patch of creeping bentgrass.
Pat Finlen, Executive VP, DENEHY Club Thinking Partners – ‘What’s Next for Golf Superintendents'
Pat Finlen is a renowned leader in the golf and private club industry, boasting 40 years of experience across Agronomy, Golf Operations, and Club Management. His career includes leadership roles at prestigious clubs, notably The Olympic Club in San Francisco, where he served as General Manager, overseeing major events like the U.S. Open and securing contracts for future championships. Before that, he worked as a Golf Course Superintendent in Kansas City, Virginia Beach, and Monterey. Most recently, he led Winchester Country Club, integrating golf operations with residential development.
Pat’s contributions extend beyond club management. He served as GCSAA President and on 29 committees, earning accolades like chapter superintendent of the year and the 2025 Col. John Morley Award. Now Executive Vice President at CTP, Pat excels in executive searches and turf management consulting, focusing on operational efficiency and leadership excellence.
Dr. Matt Pringle, Green Section Managing Director, United States Golf Association – 'Sustainability Through Science’
Dr. Matthew Pringle has been with the USGA since 2000 after completing his doctoral thesis at McMaster University. He was hired to the position of Research Engineer and from 2000 to 2016, held the positions of Sr. Research Engineer, Research Manager, and Technical Director in the Equipment Standards group.
Matt is the inventor or co-inventor on seven United States patents related to golf and in 2010, was named to Sports Illustrated’s ‘GOLF's 40 Under 40: The most influential people in golf under 40-years-old’.
Some of his contributions to the USGA include the invention of the pendulum test for spring effect in drivers, the USGA TruFirm turf firmness measurement system used at all USGA championships as well as many other PGA TOUR and major golf championships, co-inventor of the USGA’s GrooveScan portable groove measurement system and the USGA’s flagstick pace of play tool.
Beginning in 2016, Matt lead a new team at the USGA called Research, Science, & Innovation with a mission to create innovative tools that help golf facilities improve the golf experience and reduce the consumption of key resources. In 2017, this team organized the 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium in Vancouver and unveiled the USGA Resource Management tool which enables golf facilities to quantify and conduct resource use ‘what-if scenario’ analysis.
Katie Dodson, Global Technical Manager Turf & Landscape, Syngenta Crop Protection – 'Biological & Digital Solutions to Manage Turfgrass Stress’
Katie is part of the fourth generation of her family who have dedicated their careers to turfgrass management. She worked for 9 years on golf course maintenance crews in Ontario, Alberta, and her last position as Assistant Superintendent at Mountain View Golf Club in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Katie has been researching turfgrass science and landscapes for 17 years at Washington State University, University of Guelph, Jacklin Seed, the Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre, and currently with Syngenta. Her research has focused on various topics ranging from breeding cool season turf, weed control, seedbank dynamics, cold tolerance, plant health promotion, and best management practices for preventing wear damage on sports fields.
She has taught turfgrass management courses at Humber College and the University of Guelph, agro-ecosystems at the University of Guelph, and World Agricultural Systems at Washington State University. In her current role as Global Technical Manager for Syngenta Turf & Landscape she has the privilege of working with researchers across the globe, focused on continuing to bring plant potential to life.
Mario Lanthier, CropHealth Advising & Research - 'CEC Point Central Pre-Conference Seminar’ and ‘Hard to Get CEC’s’
Mario Lanthier, a popular speaker at WCTA, CGSA, ISA and many other conferences over the years, is back again delivering a 4-hour pre-conference seminar devoted to earning pesticide CEC’s/CEU’s for BC and Alberta applicators focusing on the two hard-to-get point categories, ‘Application Technology’ and ‘Safety and Environmental Protection’.
For those who can’t make the pre-con seminar, Mario will also deliver a one-hour talk on the main show program of interest to persons using boom sprayers at work. He will review 2 methods of calibration to ensure the delivery rate of the sprayer is meeting the spray volume required on the pesticide label. Bring your phone, we will need the calculator for math questions. Attending last year’s session is not a pre-requisite but this year, Mario will build on lessons when he used a test area to calibrate back-packs and boom sprayers. Pro tip - participants enrolling in the pre-con seminar will free up their remaining conference time to choose from a wide variety of presentations without worrying about the need to collect more points!
Michael Lee, Senior Manager Government Affairs, GCSAA – ‘Golf’s Ever Growing Regulatory Issues’
Michael Lee is GCSAA’s manager of Government Affairs. Having joined the association in November 2016, he manages state and local affairs with a strong focus on grassroots management and advocacy for the Industry. Prior to GCSAA, Lee worked for 8 years for United States Senator Jim Inhofe in his home state of Oklahoma.
Sean Tonner, Superintendent, Neskowin Beach Golf Course – ‘Bottom-Up Approach’
Sean Tonner is an American/Scottish citizen greenkeeper who graduated from Elmwood College in Scotland, worked on the crew at St. Andrews, moved to Austin, Texas to become an assistant at the illustrious Austin Country Club and is currently the Golf Course Superintendent at the Neskowin Beach Golf Course located on the central coast of Oregon.
Emily Elsliger, Section Head Surface Water, BC Ministry of Environment – ‘Provincial Water Restrictions Coming to a Town Near You!’
Emily Elsliger is the Section Head for the Surface Water Allocation Team in the South Coast Region with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. Emily has 9 years of experience implementing the Water Sustainability Act which includes licensing water use, authorizing works impacting water resources, and flood and drought response. Emily holds a degree in Geography and GIS from the University of Guelph and a Master of Science in Integrated Water Resources Management from McGill University, is a Professional Agrologist and an Assistant Water Manager under the Water Sustainability Act.
Hector Velazquez, GCSAA TV Host of Inside the Shop – ‘Hector’s Shop’
Hector Velazquez’s background is in outdoor power equipment repair (Golf Course Technician) and videography. He started his career as a certified motorcycle technician and has been working in the OPE industry for nearly three decades. In addition to running Hector's Shop, he produces educational videos for a variety of clients, including Home Depot's tool rental department, GCSAA.org and also for His Rumble Channel.
Hector and his team have won several awards for their instructional videos, including the Edwin Budding Award from GCSAA.org in 2018. In addition to video production, Hector's Shop offers Reel Grinding Service, onsite tech training, shop organization consultations and speaking engagements.
Sun Roesslein, President, Sports Field Management Association – ‘Determining Permissible Hours’
Sun Roesslein, CSFM, has been the Sports Stadium Manager at the North Area Athletic Complex (NAAC) for over 18 years, overseeing the natural grass football and soccer stadiums that serve six high schools in the Jefferson County School District.
Her career in turfgrass management began with the Lexington Legends Minor League Baseball team in 2001. After moving to Denver, she briefly worked for the City of Thornton before joining Jeffco Schools Athletics. Under her leadership, the NAAC earned SFMA Field of the Year honors for its soccer field in 2014 and football field in 2015.
Sun holds a B.S. and M.S. in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky University, where she discovered her passion for turfgrass management. An SFMA member since 2002, she has served in various leadership roles, including SFMA Board Director and Conference Committee Chair. In 2016, she achieved her Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM) designation.
Catherine Eiswerth, Senior Principal, RF Binnie & Associates – ‘Long-Term Costs of Synthetic Turf Fields’
Catherine Eiswerth manages a diverse and talented team of landscape architects, civil engineers, technologists, and technicians. Her division specializes in outdoor sports facilities, with expertise in synthetic turf fields, sand-based natural grass sports fields, competition running tracks, sports and tennis courts, lacrosse boxes, and their associated infrastructure. The division is also involved in landscape architecture for land development and public parks and recreation projects.
Catherine is deeply engaged in design, project management, public consultation, contract and specification writing. She has served as an expert witness in court cases related to sports injuries and field construction failures and has presented at numerous industry seminars and conferences.
Ross Niewola, Consulting Agronomist West Region, United States Golf Association – ‘Better Turf for Better Golf at Lower Cost’
Ross Niewola brings over 15 years of golf course maintenance experience to his new role with the USGA, most recently serving as superintendent at Walla Walla Country Club in Washington. A proud Eagle Scout from Virginia, Ross credits his outdoor upbringing and diverse experiences for his expertise. He has worked across the U.S. in states like Colorado, Arizona, New Jersey, and California, managing both warm- and cool-season grasses at public and private facilities.
Ross has contributed to 13 PGA, LPGA, and USGA tournaments and holds Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) status from the GCSAA. A Penn State turfgrass management graduate, he has furthered his education through programs like the Syngenta Business Institute and Green Start Academy.
Nathan Cox, Desert Green Sod – ‘Delivering World Class Quality for World Class Play – Part 2’
Nathan Cox is the President of Desert Green Turf, a sod farm located in Moses Lake, Washington. Desert Green Turf specializes in providing high-quality sod and turf solutions, particularly known for their Bluegrass and Blue-Rye grass blends grown in premium sand. The company has been servicing the Pacific Northwest for over a decade, offering not only sod installation but also custom netting systems for sports facilities, professional batting cages, artificial sports turf, and sports venue padding.
Brent Husson, Coastal Irrigation – 'Drip Irrigation'
Brent Husson, based in Surrey, BC, was formerly The Managing Director at Coastal Irrigation Inc. He brings experience from previous roles at BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA), The Irrigation Industry Association of BC (IIABC), Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), and Edmonton Irrigation.
Along with a robust skill set that includes IIABC Certified Irrigation Designer, Contractor, Irrigation Auditor, Irrigation Technician, Low Energy Technician, Brent holds an Active Tester Certification in Cross Connection Control from British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).
Jason Pick, Executive Director, Alberta Turgrass Research Foundation – ‘The Environment of Pesticide Safety’
Jason Pick, M.Sc, is the Alberta Turfgrass Research Foundation Executive Director, full-time faculty at Olds College in southern Alberta, specializing in Turfgrass Science, resort management and applied research, and WCTA Past-President
Jason's career includes a tenure as golf course superintendent with experience from eight golf courses across Canada and the Caribbean. He is a certified pesticide applicator trainer, holding degrees in Agriculture, Business, Applied Science and a Master’s degree from Penn State.
Scott Hurley, Senior Product Manager, EGO Commercial - 'Emerging Commercial Cordless/Battery Technology'
Scott Hurley is Senior Product Manager, Outdoor Power Equipment for EGO Commercial. With over 20 years of experience in product management, product marketing, and sales, Scott is leading the development of EGO Commercial’s connected tools, batteries, and charging equipment as well as the software for professional landscapers to intelligently track, monitor, and analyze them. Before joining EGO Commercial, Scott served as an executive at several Internet of Things (IoT)-focused start-ups focused on supply chain and transportation, as well as ten years at HERE Technologies, building and selling location intelligence solutions for enterprises. Scott lives in the Greater Chicago area and enjoys coaching youth baseball, hiking, and collecting rocks and maps.
Closing Presentation – Ivan Decker Comedy
Ivan Decker is an award winning stand-up comedian and writer known for his sharp, polished, and multi-layered observational comedy. He is originally from Vancouver but is now based in Los Angeles.
Ivan’s first comedy special, “Underwater Scissors,” is a part of the “Comedians of the World” collection on Netflix. Ivan has had numerous television performances filmed at the Just for Laughs Montreal festival, the Winnipeg and Halifax Comedy festivals for CBC Television, and can be heard across North America on Sirius XM radio. Ivan can also be seen and heard on the popular CBC radio program “The Debaters." In 2017, Ivan was named a “Comic To Watch” by TBS at the New York Comedy Festival, and subsequently made his U.S. television debut on “Conan.” Ivan’s debut comedy album "I Wanted to be a Dinosaur" was the recipient of the 2018 JUNO award for “Comedy Album of the Year” which can be heard on all major streaming platforms including iTunes.