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2026 KEMG Conference: Speaker Bios
ETHAN TAPPER is a forester, digital storyteller, and the bestselling author of How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World. For more than a decade, Ethan has been recognized as a thought-leader in the world of ecosystem stewardship, winning numerous regional and national awards for his work. More recently, he has been recognized as a writer– since its publication in 2024, How to Love a Forest has been named the winner of the 2025 New England Book Award for nonfiction, and received international acclaim. Ethan’s message of relationship, responsibility and hope reaches millions of people each year through his writing, social media channels with hundreds of thousands of followers, and the hundreds of walks, talks and keynotes that he delivers across North America each year.
MISTY GISH​ is a Professor of Biology at Owensboro Community and Technical College. xxxx
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Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC), part of the KCTCS system, strives to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in the Commonwealth. Following with this mission, OCTC has implemented various conservation and environmental stewardship activities. This presentation will involve these many different ongoing initiatives that occur on the main campus of OCTC, including the planting and maintaining of pollinator gardens, wetland restoration, Motus Wildlife Tracking System, monitoring monarch butterflies and student conservation projects.
​DR. MICAH W. PERKINS is a Professor of Biology at Owensboro Community and Technical College. He has worked at the college since August 2005. Micah has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Murray State University, a M.S in Natural Resource Sciences with an emphasis in Avian Conservation from the University of Nebraska, and a Ph.D. in Biology from University of Louisville. Some of his previous work has included being the naturalist for John James Audubon State Park and a research coordinator at The Jones Center at Ichauway in Newton, Georgia.
ROBERT HOFFMAN is the Restoration Ecologist and consultant for Roundstone Native Seed. Robert has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management – Wildlife Biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida.
In this presentation you're going to learn about the history of native plants in KY and how native plants differ from nonnative plants, and their benefits. You will also learn about native plant alternatives for landscaping and the details that go into seed mix design.
JEFF NELSON has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Jeff worked as the IT Director of the Paducah Independent School District for 15 years, retiring in 2008. A native of California, Jeff, his wife Liz, and their son Aaron, moved to McCracken Co., Kentucky, in 1987. After building their house on their 10 acres, the family has spent the last 35+ years restoring the property from farmland to a native woodland. As a lifelong amateur naturalist, Jeff loves exploring Kentucky and learning about the rich diversity of the Commonwealth’s many ecosystems. He has been a member of the Kentucky Native Plant Society since the early 1990s, on the KNPS Board since 2017, and president from 2022 to 2025.
LAURA JOHNSON has served as the Director of Thrive Forest School—the Louisville area’s first nature-based preschool—since 2022. In this role, she leads multiple programs that emphasize outdoor learning, social emotional development, and child-led exploration in nature. She holds a Master of Social Work from Indiana University and, prior to joining Thrive, spent many years in classrooms supporting teachers and young children with social-emotional needs. Laura is passionate about helping children build confidence, resilience, and a lifelong connection to the natural world.
KATHRYN KEEFE joined Thrive Forest School as an educator in 2018. In 2021, she created Acorns, Thrive’s toddler program, engaging children and their parents in outdoor learning. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English from Northern Kentucky University. Kathryn has always loved working closely with the environment and truly enjoys teaching in the forest.​
ASHLEY OSBORNE is an Extension Specialist for 4‑H Youth Development with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. She has worked with Kentucky 4‑H since 2016 and provides statewide leadership in natural resources education, plant and soil sciences, and the Kentucky 4‑H Achievement Program.
This session provides an overview of the Junior Master Gardener (JMG) Program, including program structure, participation levels, and how youth can work toward Junior Master Gardener certification. Participants will explore JMG curriculum guides designed to support hands‑on learning, with a closer look at specialty resources such as the Wildlife Gardener curriculum. This presentation is ideal for Master Gardeners looking to engage with 4‑H youth and support horticulture and environmental education in their communities.
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