About our Speakers - 2024 SHOW 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Holly Tuten, Ph.D. Department Affiliate, Entomology, University of Illinois - My professional interests center on animal behavior, basic and applied biological research, data gathering and analysis, ecology, entomology, invasive species biology, neglected and (re)emerging diseases, symbioses and coevolution, science communication and collaboration, and teaching.
I have a B.Sc. in Biology (UNC - Chapel Hill) and an M.Sc. and PhD in Entomology (Clemson University). During my graduate matriculation I won an NSF-GRF for my research on mosquito ecology in zoological parks. I completed two postdocs, in American Samoa and Switzerland, on biology and control of insect vectors. Following those, I worked for two years as an Agricultural Risk Analyst with NCSU & USDA APHIS.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Chef Robert Rhymes  - Chef Rhymes is a professional chef and educational consultant who is a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi and now resides in Centralia, IL.  He currently serves as the Executive Chef/Program Coordinator for the Kaskaskia College Department of Culinary Arts; the owner and executive chef of Spirals Gourmet Foods: Great Foods with A Twist, a traveling personal chef and catering company; and as the owner and lead consultant of Robert Rhymes Consulting.  He has over 18 years of professional culinary experience and 15 years of culinary educational experience.  He is an avid traveler and has visited and studied the authentic cooking techniques of over 18 foreign nations. His goals as an educator is to provide his students with a foundation in the fundamentals of food cookery.  Desires to see each student blossom into a professional culinarian that has unwavering commitment to quality and excellence.  A large number of non-traditional students serve as an inspiration.  Fuels my engine and makes me more passionate about the role I play in education and future.

Mark Glenshaw - "The Owl Man" - Glenshaw, a services manager at Fontbonne University, first became fascinated with the park's elusive owl population after a chance encounter in 2005. It took him years of nightly park visits to get to know the stealthy predators.

Mike Chervinko - Photographing Ancient Indian Artifacts - Mike is a self-taught photographer and lives in southern Illinois.  Born and raised in southern Illinois, I have long loved the purity and intimacy this landscape has to offer. It is one of the Midwest's best kept secrets. And it is in this landscape that many unexpected secrets and stories can be found. Experiences that are sure to draw you in and leave you asking for more. For years now, I have wielded a photographer's eye towards these scenes and relish capturing moments of enthrallment and splendor. I point my camera towards the grand, towards the hidden, and towards fleeting moments sure to inspire. A large part of what motivates me is the unconditional solitude I find here hiding around every corner, a rare gift in today's world, indeed! It is my home. It is beautiful. It is the Shawnee National Forest. Please enjoy my interpretations of the marvelous landscape.

Tom Guggenheim - PhD, ISA Certified Arborist New Harmony Native Trees and Shrubs. Using the Douglas Tallamy concepts on Tree and Shrub care. Basics of Planting and Caring for Trees and Shrubs, site selections, transporting the Trees/Shrubs purchased, planting instructions, care after planting, and enjoy. 

Ann Butsch -  Evansville, In, Retired Family Physician. Master Gardener and past-President of the Indiana Native Plant Society. Studied Forestry and Environmental education at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Main interest is teaching people how to use native plants in residential landscapes and urban areas to support urban wildlife and improving biodiversity in these (often) ecological wastelands. Gardens on ¼ acre lot in mid-century modern neighborhood. 

Steve and Regina Garr,  Birds-I-View - have spent decades presenting programs on attracting desirable wildlife to almost any setting. They are co-founders of two state Bluebird societies and Steve is a past president of the North America Bluebird Society. From Hummingbird Research to leading "Owl Prowls", Steve and Regina try to stay involved in all aspects of enjoying wild birds!

Christine Lueking, Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension Educator specializing in Horticulture serving Bond, Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington Counties.  Chris is responsible for horticulture programming, emphasizing the home gardener, culinary herb production, cut flower production in high tunnel and field conditions, and community garden establishment. Additional responsibilities include providing training opportunities, continuing education, advanced training, seasonal events, and organizing community outreach programs for horticulture and conservation assistance/education for the volunteers involved in the Master Gardener and Master Naturalist programs. 


Donnarae Woolston- Ancient Roots Native Nursery, Poseyville, IN. Donnarae has always been a nature lover, often exploring and admiring life that grew around her as a child. She began to reclaim her own land and woods when she learned how imperative native plants were to the ecosystem that supports wildlife and human health. Native plants became her passion. Donnarae, with support of her husband Daniel opened a native plant nursery, Ancient Roots Native Plants.