Board of Directors

Kitty McCracken
President
Natural Resources Management Team
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6351
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
P.O. Box 2008
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6351
Kitty McCracken is a member of the Natural Resources Management Team of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Her responsibilities include management of invasive plant species and native grass restoration projects for the Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park (a Biosphere reserve). She is on the ORNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and is lab manager of the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory. Kitty also leads a project to survey bats and identify habitat crucial to 3 species of endangered bats on the NERP. She has worked in environmental sciences and animal research for over 40 years.

Christine Bertz
Treasurer
Research Assistant Professor
Center for Research in Educational Policy
The University of Memphis
325 Browning Hall
Memphis, TN 38152
Center for Research in Educational Policy
The University of Memphis
325 Browning Hall
Memphis, TN 38152
Christine Bertz currently serves as research faculty at the Center for Research in Educational Policy, a State of Tennessee Center of Excellence at the University of Memphis. She designs and conducts research evaluations of projects that aim to improve the quality of STEM teaching and learning throughout the United States. Christine holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Mississippi, where her research focused on interactions between native and invasive plants within xeric scrub ecosystems following large-scale disturbance. Her background also includes work in exotic animal physiology and captive husbandry, surface water quality, and the distribution of threatened and endangered prairie plants.

Diane Warwick
Secretary
Urban Watershed Forester
Tennessee Department of Agriculture/Forestry
2416 Fletcher Luck Lane
Knoxville, TN 37901
Tennessee Department of Agriculture/Forestry
2416 Fletcher Luck Lane
Knoxville, TN 37901
Diane is Tennessee's state urban forestry program coordinator. After receiving her BS in Natural Resources and Land Management she worked for the National Park Service, then back to school to receive her MS in Forest Biology from UTK. Currently she has worked for the Forestry Division for 20 years and has extensive background in forestry related issues.

Byron Brooks
Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center
400 Garden Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37419
400 Garden Rd.
Chattanooga, TN 37419
Byron has a BS in Environmental Science from UT Chattanooga, 2001. He has worked for private nonprofit conservation organisations (Tennessee River Gorge Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and with RRANC since 2018) and for a government agency (Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission). He is personally responsible for the deaths of approximately 4,822,794 Celastrus orbiculatus plants by various methods (estimated conservatively, of course), and mixes a mean Garlon3A cocktail. He is also the world's mediocre-est acoustic guitar player.

Jimmy Groton
EnSafe Inc.
308 North Peters Road
Suite 200
Knoxville, TN 37922
308 North Peters Road
Suite 200
Knoxville, TN 37922
Jimmy Groton is an Environmental Scientist/Ecologist with EnSafe Inc., an environmental consulting firm. At EnSafe he works on wetland and stream mitigation and natural resource management projects (including invasive species control/replacement) for federal, state, and private clients. Jimmy is also a board member of Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning, a 55-year-old nonprofit, environmental advocacy organization based in Oak Ridge. At TCWP, Jimmy helps to manage stewardship activities including cedar barren restoration and invasive plant control at the Oak Ridge Barrens State Natural Area and TVA’s Worthington Cemetery Ecological Study area. Jimmy is a member of the Tennessee Native Plant Society, Emory River Watershed Association, Society of Wetland Scientists, and Association of State Wetland Managers. He joined the TNIPC Board in 2015 as a representative of TCWP.

Margie Hunter
Writer
Margie is a writer and author of Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee: The Spirit of Place. She gives presentations on native plants and natural history, serves on the boards of the Tennessee Native Plant Society and Tennessee Naturalist Program, and volunteers with the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Gatlinburg. Her blog on hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains features trail and natural history accounts for the national park and the Appalachian Trail. (Photo by J. Paul Moore)

Kristine Johnson
Supervisory Forester
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park HQ Rd
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park HQ Rd
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Kris is Supervisory Forester for the National Park Service at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, involving exotic plant management, forest health and native plant restoration in the park. A member of TN-EPPC’s original board of directors, she has served continuously since, including a term as president.

Sam King
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Division of Natural Areas
Tennessee Tower, 2nd Floor
Rosa L. Parks Ave.
Nashville, TN 37243
Division of Natural Areas
Tennessee Tower, 2nd Floor
Rosa L. Parks Ave.
Nashville, TN 37243
Sam King is a stewardship ecologist with the Division of Natural Areas in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. His work involves a variety of natural resource management projects (including invasive plant management, native plant restoration, and rare species protection) within the natural areas of middle Tennessee. Sam also works closely with Tennessee State Parks on resource management projects.

Bill Moll
Red Bank, TN
Bill is active in the Tennessee Valley Wild Ones native plant advocates and helps organize their Plant Natives! Symposium &Expo. He is currently the Chair of the Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter Conservation and Political Committees. He has practical experience managing invasive plants on his 3 acre private botanical garden.

Pat D. Parr
Retired Oak Ridge National Laboratory Natural Resources Manager
Pat is retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory where her responsibilities as Natural Resources Manager included natural resource management, integrated land use planning, and management of the Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park (also a Biosphere Reserve). She is Past President of the Association of Southeastern Biologists and TN-IPC, Chair-elect of the Executive Committee of the Southern Appalachian Man and Biosphere Cooperative, and board member of the East Tennessee Regional Leadership Association and Discover Life in America.
Kitty McCracken — President
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Natural Resources Management Team Oak Ridge National Laboratory P.O. Box 2008 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6351 |
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865-576-5269 (office) | |
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McCrackenMK@ornl.gov | |
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Kitty McCracken is a member of the Natural Resources Management Team of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Her responsibilities include management of invasive plant species and native grass restoration projects for the Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park (a Biosphere reserve). She is on the ORNL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and is lab manager of the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory. Kitty also leads a project to survey bats and identify habitat crucial to 3 species of endangered bats on the NERP. She has worked in environmental sciences and animal research for over 40 years. | ![]() |
Belinda Ferro — Vice President
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Ecological Site Inventory Specialist USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service MLRA Region 18-5 2691 Andersonville Hwy Clinton, TN 37716 |
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865-494-2343 ext. 110 (office) | |
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865-494-2346 (fax) | |
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Belinda.Ferro@tn.usda.gov | |
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Belinda Ferro is an ecologist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). Her current work involves developing ecological site descriptions for East Tennessee, Northwest Georgia, and Northeast Alabama to inform conservation planning on privately owned land. Previously, her graduate work at the University of Tennessee focused on exotic, invasive plants and pathogens. Native plant conservation has been a life-long interest. | ![]() |
Christine Bertz — Treasurer
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Research Assistant Professor Center for Research in Educational Policy The University of Memphis 325 Browning Hall Memphis, TN 38152 |
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901-678-4657 (office) | |
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CABertz@Gmail.com | |
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Christine Bertz currently serves as research faculty at the Center for Research in Educational Policy, a State of Tennessee Center of Excellence at the University of Memphis. She designs and conducts research evaluations of projects that aim to improve the quality of STEM teaching and learning throughout the United States. Christine holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Mississippi, where her research focused on interactions between native and invasive plants within xeric scrub ecosystems following large-scale disturbance. Her background also includes work in exotic animal physiology and captive husbandry, surface water quality, and the distribution of threatened and endangered prairie plants. | ![]() |
Margie Hunter — Secretary
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Writer | |
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MHunter55@comcast.net | |
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Website | |
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Margie is a writer and author of Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee: The Spirit of Place. She gives presentations on native plants and natural history, serves on the boards of the Tennessee Native Plant Society and Tennessee Naturalist Program, and volunteers with the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in Gatlinburg. Her blog on hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains features trail and natural history accounts for the park and the Appalachian Trail. (Photo by J. Paul Moore) | ![]() |
Sam King
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Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Natural Areas Tennessee Tower, 2nd Floor Rosa L. Parks Ave. Nashville, TN 37243 |
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Website | |
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Sam King is a stewardship ecologist with the Division of Natural Areas in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Education. His work involves a variety of natural resource management projects (including invasive plant management, native plant restoration, and rare species protection) within the natural areas of middle Tennessee. Sam also works closely with Tennessee State Parks on resource management projects. | ![]() |
Andrea Bishop
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Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Natural Areas Tennessee Tower, 2nd Floor Rosa L. Parks Ave. Nashville, TN 37243 |
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615-741-9141 | |
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Andrea.Bishop@tn.gov | |
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Website | |
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Andrea Bishop is a biologist/botanist with the Natural Heritage Program in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Her work includes the protection and management of federal listed plant species in Tennessee. She began her career with the Heritage Program in 1990 through 2001 and moved to Florida and worked with Florida State Parks. She returned to the Heritage Program in 2005. She was very involved in the initial development of TNEPPC and served on the first board of directors for several years. | ![]() |
Kristine Johnson
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Supervisory Forester Great Smoky Mountains National Park 107 Park HQ Rd Gatlinburg, TN 37738 |
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Kristine_Johnson@nps.gov | |
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Kris is Supervisory Forester for the National Park Service at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, involving exotic plant management, forest health and native plant restoration in the park. A member of TN-EPPC’s original board of directors, she has served continuously since, including a term as president. | ![]() |
Pat Dreyer Parr
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Retired Oak Ridge National Laboratory Natural Resources Manager | |
pdptn@aol.com | ||
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Pat has participated on the TN Invasive Council for many years, including serving as Chair. She worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for 40 years where she managed natural resources on 35,000 acres of federal land. Since retiring in 2014 she has maintained her connections and involvement with Discover Life in America, ORNL, and TNIPC. Along with traveling, she plays acoustic guitar and sings at the Museum of Appalachia, assisted living facilities, and other events. | ![]() |
Alix Pfennigwerth
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Graduate Student Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of TN, Knoxville |
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APfennig@utk.edu | |
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Website | |
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Alix Pfennigwerth is a graduate student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee. Her research investigates the role of plant-soil linkages in the range expansion of the dominant understory shrub, Rhododendron maximum into declining hemlock stands. Before entering graduate school, Alix managed invasive plants and pests as a Biological Science Technician with the National Park Service, worked as a Research Intern with TN-EPPC to address the economic cost of invasive plants in TN, and managed various research projects at UT as a Research Specialist. | ![]() |