Board of Directors

Meet the volunteers who serve AHTA

	President Matthew Janson, HTR, CTRS Matthew Janson is a registered horticulture therapist and certified therapeutic recreation specialist. He received his certificate from the Horticulture Therapy Institute and holds a BS from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, with a degree in parks and recreation management-therapeutic recreation and exercise science. Matt has therapeutic experience working in behavioral health and with veterans in hospice, long term care, and physical rehabilitation on a range of therapeutic issues integrating both recreation therapy and therapeutic horticulture.
	President-Elect Kelly Warnick, HTR, JD Based in the Midwest, Kelly has a multi-faceted background in greenhouse/garden center, design and floriculture settings, horticultural therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and legal advocacy. As owner of Horticulture 4 Health, LLC, Kelly delivers therapeutic horticulture sessions to many populations, including Veterans, youth, older adults, and individuals with physical, developmental, cognitive, and sensory challenges. She also is experienced in providing mobile horticultural therapy sessions to hospitals and older adult care facilities. Kelly is an Adjunct Instructor at College of DuPage and serves on the AHTA Board of Directors and work teams. She is committed to writing, speaking, practicing, and teaching to nurture the people-plant connection and further the impact of the horticultural therapy profession.
	Secretary VACANT
	Treasurer Nicole Giron, CTRS, HTR, MPH she / her / hers Nicole is a registered horticultural therapist, receiving her certificate from the Horticulture Therapy Institute, as well as a certified therapeutic recreation specialist. Nicole holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she works as the Director of the Recreation Therapy program at UNMC’s Munroe Meyer Institute. Nicole works with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and incorporates horticultural therapy into her practice with the primary focus being on a farm to fork cultivation.
	Immediate Past President Lana Dreyfuss, LPCC, LCADC, SEP, HTR she / her / they / them Lana is a licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, somatic experiencing practitioner, and horticultural therapist registered. She/they holds a MA from the University of Maryland in counseling. Currently working at United Indian Health Services in northern California, living gratefully on Tolowa Dee-ni’ land and serving Native American community members providing behavioral health services to include the modality of horticultural therapy. Lana has been serving on the AHTA Board of Directors and work teams since 2004.
	Linda Brown-Kuhn, HTR Linda is a New Jersey-based registered horticultural therapist and a certified forest therapy guide. She received her certificate in horticultural therapy from Rutgers University. Linda is currently an independent contractor. She has worked with various populations of Veterans at two VA Medical Centers: those with substance abuse issues, Alzheimer’s disease, mental health issues, homeless veterans, those in hospice care, those with spinal cord injuries and female veterans who experienced sexual abuse in the military. She also works with young women coping with substance use issues.
	Donna Hunt Donna Hunt graduated from St Martin's University with a degree in Biology. She has a MA in Political Science from Webster University and a MA in Adult Education from Loyola Marymount University. She was in the first class of the Horticultural Therapy program at the University of Florida. Donna currently coordinates the maintenance and events at Hope Garden on Robins AFB GA. She is also working towards achieving her HTR.
	Rebecca Pulliam Francis, EdD, HTM Rebecca Francis is employed as the Associate Dean of the College and Director of Adult and Online Education at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY. She received her Doctor of Education and an MS degree in plant pathology from NC State University, a BS degree in IPM from the University of Kentucky, and her North Carolina teacher certification. Rebecca has been a member of AHTA since 1992 and professionally registered since 1995.
	Katie Ryzhikov, HTR Katie is a licensed occupational therapist and registered horticultural therapist. She obtained her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. She now lives in Davidsonville, Maryland, where she owns and operates Blossom Therapeutic Services. Katie brings a rich background in behavioral health, specializing in work with adolescents and refugee populations. She also has extensive experience in sensory integration for children and physical rehabilitation for adults, providing a well-rounded approach to supporting diverse needs across the lifespan.
	Kamyshia Thompson Kamyshia Thompson is a student at Montana State University Billings obtaining her BS in psychology and is registered in the therapeutic horticultural therapy certification program with the University of Florida. Kamyshia has mental health work experience through working at a psychiatric residential treatment facility. Kamyshia currently works with troubled youth and youth with a wide range of developmental and behavioral disabilities.
	Binxia Xue, PhD, HTR Binxia, Ph.D. in Engineering and Master in Architecture, serves as an associate professor and doctoral supervisor in the School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology at Harbin, China. He received his certificate in horticultural therapy from the Horticultural Therapy Institute. He is professionally engaged in the design and research of the restorative environment and healing space in urban planning with abundant accumulations both in the theory and practices of healthy living environment and horticultural therapy theory and project planning.
	Brendan Yukins Brendan Yukins, LSW, is a therapist in Chicago, IL. He is a co-president of Chase Park Community Garden (7 years) and staff therapist at The Expansive Group specializing in sexual & intimate partner violence with LGBTQ populations. He holds a Masters in Social Work from Loyola University and is currently a PhD student in Couple and Family Therapy at Adler University. Brendan's research is in Nature-based therapy and he enjoys bonsai gardening on his back porch.
	April Ellis LCSW, HTR April is a licensed clinical social worker and a registered horticultural therapist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her certificate in horticultural therapy from the Horticultural Therapy Institute. She has worked as a med/surg hospital social worker. She was director of social work at the geriatric psychiatric hospital in San Francisco where she designed the HT program and built two therapeutic gardens. She is currently the clinic director at Ellie Mental Health outpatient clinic in Redwood City where she is integrating HT with psychodynamic therapy and EMDR. She enjoys designing therapeutic gardens and playing with her 2 pet ducks.
	Christina Kocol, LPC, NCC, CGP COMING SOON
	Holly Harrison Holly Harrison is currently based in the northwest corner of California. She works for a rural non-profit community health center as the Garden and Food Resources Coordinator, managing a very large community wellness garden and facilitates garden-based wellness programs for a variety of patients and community members. Holly holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University and a B.S. in Horticultural with an emphasis in Horticultural Therapy from Colorado State University. She received her certificate in Horticultural Therapy from the Horticultural Therapy Institute. Holly is currently working on HTR registration. She also is certified as a University of California Master Food Preserver and enjoys teaching her community about food preservation.
	Jeanne Schultz, M.Ed., CARES, HTR Jeanne is a life-long nature lover and gardener, passionate about teaching and encouraging others to experience the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors. Her background is in public education and healthcare. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health science, a master’s in education and has recently become a registered horticultural therapist. She received her certificate in horticultural therapy from the Horticultural Therapy Institute and holds a certificate in peer support from the Georgia Council for Recovery. She currently works in the Horticulture Therapy program at Skyland Trail in Atlanta and is the owner of 12 Acre Farm Services a mobile horticultural therapy program emphasizing the 12 Steps of Recovery. She enjoys working with a variety of populations including unhoused individuals, men and women in recovery, community gardens and after school programs.