Exciting Career Opportunities – Join Our Team
We are seeking two dynamic individuals to join the UAA. As we grow, we are looking for professionals to help us streamline operations, support our members, and ensure the continued success of our mission. If you, or someone you know, has a passion for making an impact and thrives in a collaborative environment, we encourage you to apply.
Events Coordinator
This person will play a vital part in organizing events, driving member engagement, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. They will help plan, promote, and execute association events, playing a pivotal role in our continued growth. Apply for Events Coordinator
Membership and Office Coordinator
This position is key to maintaining and organizing our member database and office operations. The ideal candidate will help with file structures, data management, and member outreach, focusing on database oversight and maintenance. They will proactively engage with members and assist in making our administrative processes more efficient. As the association grows, this role will help us scale smartly, while providing essential support to our members. Apply for Membership and Office Coordinator
The UAA plans to complete interviews by the end of January, so if you or someone you know is interested, don’t hesitate to apply soon. As part of our interview process, we focus on aligning with our core and team values to ensure the right fit for both the individual and the organization. We look forward to welcoming new team members who are passionate about the UAA mission.
Feedback Needed on New Credit-Bearing UVM Program by Friday, January 10
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), home to a nationally recognized College of Natural Resources, is seeking feedback from professionals in the Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) industry.
UWSP currently offers an online Professional Utility Vegetation Management (Pro-UVM) Program, which can be completed in approximately two years. To enhance accessibility, UWSP is considering the introduction of a credit-bearing certificate within this existing program. This certificate would be the only one of its kind in the U.S., endorsed by the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) and the Utility Vegetation Management Association (UVMA) in Canada.
The Pro-UVM Program consists of several certificates, ranging from foundational to advanced levels, with courses covering key topics such as electrical systems, arboriculture, leadership, risk management, and compliance.
To ensure this new credit-bearing option meets industry needs, UWSP is asking for feedback from those within the field. If your company employs individuals who would benefit from this training or if you are an employee seeking to enhance your expertise in UVM, your input is invaluable.
Complete a brief, 5-minute survey, before Friday, January 10 to help play a vital role in shaping this exciting new opportunity.
Join Us for the BNEAT Conference – Shaping the Future of Sustainable Infrastructure
The UAA is excited to co-host the Biodiversity + Nature in Energy and Transportation (BNEAT) Conference, a groundbreaking event dedicated to nature-based sustainability in utility and transportation corridors.
This event will take place August 12–14, 2025, in Chesterton, Indiana, and bring together corporate sustainability leaders, environmental experts, and vegetation managers to explore how infrastructure management can drive biodiversity, resiliency, and sustainability at the local level.
Utility and transportation corridors are key community assets, offering unique opportunities for habitat improvement and biodiversity gains. The BNEAT conference will feature a range of presentations and working sessions designed to help organizations align their vegetation management practices with nature-positive goals. You will learn from peers, gain valuable insights, and develop strategies to improve your teams’ contributions to environmental and sustainability efforts.
Along with the UAA, additional supporters of this conference include the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group, University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) Sustainable Landscapes, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and NiSource.
Whether you want to enhance your organization’s approach to vegetation management or connect with industry leaders in sustainability, this conference is an invaluable opportunity. Don’t miss out. Find more details, including sponsorship opportunities.
Call for Papers & Speakers – Deadlines Approaching for Two Major Events
Are you interested in sharing your expertise with the Utility Vegetation Management (UVM) community?
The Trees & Utilities Conference and the Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management 14th International Symposium are both calling for papers and speakers, with upcoming deadlines:
Trees & Utilities 2025 Conference
The submission portal for the Trees & Utilities will close next month. If you have valuable insights or innovative solutions to share with the UVM community, this is your chance to get involved. The Call for Papers & Speaker Submissions closes on February 12, 2025. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your work and contribute to the growth of the UVM field.
Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management 14th International Symposium (ROW)
The ROW 14 is also accepting submissions for papers. This event focuses on key issues within the rights-of-way (ROW) industry, providing a platform for professionals to present their research and insights. The Call for Papers closes on March 31, 2025. If you have research, case studies, or best practices to share, make sure to submit your paper before the deadline.
Mark your calendars and submit your proposals before these critical deadlines to be a part of shaping the future of UVM and ROW management. We look forward to seeing your ideas and contributions at these key conferences.
T&D World Magazine Abstracts Due in February for Annual VM Supplement
If you have an idea for an article in the T&D World magazine June 2025 Vegetation Management Supplement, we need to hear from you in the next three weeks.
Submit abstracts by February 3, 2025.
Authors who have their articles accepted for publication will need to sign an author agreement, and they will be able to review the PDFs of their articles before they go to press.
- Articles must be 1,500 to 2,500 words in length
- The content must follow T&D World’s editorial style and include a short headline, deck, subheads and an author bio at the end
- Final articles are due March 15, 2025
More details can be found on the T&D World website.
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.
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.
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 will 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.
Sara Dreiser is a Senior Program Manager with ComEd. She works with a team to oversee ComEd’s routine cycle maintenance and ComEd’s interruption investigation programs. She has been working in the Vegetation Management industry for close to 15 years.
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.
Brandon graduated from Minnesota State University–Mankato with a B.S. in Geography. Brandon has been with Rainbow Tree Company since 2009 and has gained experience in several roles, including Business Developer for our utility products division, GIS Tree Inventory Analyst, and Technical Arborist. Brandon has been the Director of VM Services, the fastest growing division inRainbow Tree Company, since 2012.
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.
Jim Neeser is a business developer for the Davey Resource Group, a division of the Davey Tree Expert Company. Jim primarily works with utility companies to provide innovative and customized solutions. Jim earned his AA from Vermillion Community College in 1997 and his BS in Forestry with an emphasis on Hydrology and Soils from the University of Minnesota in 2000. Jim is an ISA Certified Arborist with the Utility Specialist endorsement. Jim has been involved in the UAA training committee for nearly a decade as a past chairman and is currently the treasurer and Champion of the finance committee. Jim spent his first 7 years in the industry as a field arborist in the commercial and utility markets. The last 10 years, Jim has been working with utility companies to enhance their Integrated Vegetation Management programs. Jim’s other interests include spending time with his family, sports, hiking, fishing and coin collecting. Jim is also active with the Boy Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout. Jim lives in Forest Lake, MN with his wife and 2 children.
Adam’s experience includes leading business development strategies for a utility vegetation management consulting firm, vegetation management field operations at two major investor-owned utilities in the southeastern US, project management at a variety of utilities in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern regions, and vegetation management program development and assessments across the country. His utility arboricultural experience provides a broad understanding of the many different methods used to create a successful utility right-of-way, vegetation management program, including remote sensing, data analytics, optimization, and the utilization of third-party consulting foresters for planning and auditing duties.
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.
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.
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 
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.
Diona has been with the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) since December 2015 and has worked in various capacities within the organization.