Thomas Bolles, Agriculture Extension Agent with VCE Prince William County Thomas is an Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension in the Prince William Unit in Manassas, Virginia. Food security and soil health are key emphases of his work. Thomas is also a Department of Conservation and Recreation certified nutrient planner. He oversees the BEST Lawns program and works with Extension Master Gardeners to educate homeowners about turf maintenance practices, soil health, and cover crop strategies that impact storm water management and soil fertility management.

Mary Sketch Bryant, Coordinator of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. Mary is the Director of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and is based in Roanoke, Virginia. Through her work with the Coalition, she facilitates communication and collaboration among partners across the state to advance soil health. She has experience working with collaboratives and coalitions across the country at the intersection of economic and environmental wellbeing with a focus on working lands and rural communities.

Brie Arthur, bestselling author and professional horticulturist. Brie is widely known for her leadership with the national Foodscape movement and her lively, information packed presentations. With more than two decades of professional horticulture experience, she is a long-time contributor on the Emmy award winning PBS Television show “Growing a Greener World”. 

Brie will give two presentations at this year’s symposium.  With Aromatic Symphony: Captivating Garden Fragrances, you will be able to “discover a world of scents with Brie as your guide for a captivating program through fragrant wonders”. And with Foodscape Harmony: Embracing Natives and Edibles, Brie will explain “the art of creating a foodscape that merges native plants with your beloved seasonal food crops. The best organic practices will be explained, and earth-friendly maintenance strategies will take center stage. Delve into the realm of native edible plants, unlocking their secrets and the pollinators they beckon for the vital task of ecological restoration.” 

Janet Draper, Horticulturist for Smithsonian Gardens’ Mary Livingston Ripley Garden. It is said that nothing remains the same except for change, and this is also true for the way we garden, the abundance of available information, and even for the purpose of a garden. Join us for a look back at these gradual changes and the thought leaders and technologies that have pushed us forward in Janet Draper’s talk Chasing New Knowledge Among Perennial Change.  Janet Draper, Horticulturist for Smithsonian Gardens’ Mary Livingston Ripley Garden, has spent her career chasing information, only to discover that there is a huge difference between information and knowledge in the world of horticulture.