Panel Discussion - 2026 Cornell IPM Annual Conference

About the panelists

• Aaron Donato is an arborist and ecologist with 18 years of experience. He stewards New York City urban natural areas and previously coordinated regional conservation programs. Donato holds a master's degree in forestry from Yale University and a bachelor's degree in natural resources from Cornell.
• Ben Osborne is an arborist and ecologist with 18 years of experience. He stewards New York City urban natural areas and previously coordinated regional conservation programs. Donato holds a master's degree in forestry from Yale University and a bachelor's degree in natural resources from Cornell University.
• Margery Daughtrey, a senior extension associate in the School of Integrative Plant Science’s Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology section at Cornell University, leads research helping growers manage ornamental crop diseases such as powdery mildew. Partnering with New York growers and national initiatives, she develops sustainable, science-based disease management strategies for the industry.
• Nathan Hunter is an experienced food and garden educator. A Manhattan College graduate who built its first rooftop garden, he previously managed agricultural and biogas projects in Tanzania. He organizes around local food access and is an avid gardener and plant enthusiast.
• Richard W. Harper, Ph.D., is a University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst professor and extension urban forestry specialist. A board-certified master arborist, he researches and teaches urban and community forestry. Harper holds a bachelor's degree from Lakehead University and an arboriculture doctorate from UMass.

About the Cornell IPM Annual Conference

This panel discussion is part of the 2026 Cornell IPM Annual Conference: Urban Tree Health: New Pest and Disease Challenges. Learn more about the full conference on the Cornell IPM Annual Conference page.