2025 UConn Native Plants and Pollinators Conference
Student Union Ballroom (Room 330)
2100 Hillside Road, Storrs, CT 06269
Agenda and Speaker Bios
November 13, 2025
8:00 – 8:45 a.m.
Registration and Coffee
8:45 – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions: Vickie Wallace, Extension Educator, UConn Extension; Amy Harder, PhD., Associate Dean for Extension, UConn Extension
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Who are Connecticut’s Specialist Bees: Tracy Zarillo MS., Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Come learn about Connecticut’s specialist bees and the plants they need, as well as other common bees to watch for in the yard.
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Soil Microbial Allies in Managed Systems: Mia Maltz, PhD., Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut
This presentation will highlight suburban soil ecology and how it impacts native plant and pollinator health.
11:00 – 11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 – 12:15 p.m.
Knockout Natives: Sam Hoadley, Mt. Cuba Center Botanic Garden
Top performers and favorites of Phlox, Echinacea, wild hydrangea, Carex, Amsonia, and Vernonia from Mt. Cuba Center’s research trials will be discussed.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Seeing Nature: Andrew Brand, MS., Coastal Maine Botanical Garden
Draw gardening inspiration from images of plant and pollinator interactions captured beautifully and like you’ve never seen before.
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.
Native Landscape Plants with Local Roots: Jessica Lubell-Brand, PhD., Professor, University of Connecticut
Native shrub selections that were discovered in and originate from New England will be covered.
3:15 p.m.
Pesticide Recertification and Adjournment – Safe Travels!
Pesticide recertification credits – Pending
This program is brought to you by Jessica Lubell-Brand, Vickie Wallace, Mark Brand and Alyssa Siegel-Miles, Departments of Extension and Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.
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2025 Native Plants and Pollinator Conference Speaker Bios
Tracy Zarillo MS
Ms. Zarrillo is a melittologist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Tracy’s work has focused on wild bee taxonomy, diversity, health, and conservation. She is a regional wild bee expert and active member of the US National Native Bee Monitoring Research Coordination Network. Tracy developed and managed Connecticut’s wild bee monitoring program from 2010-2021, and in 2025 published a checklist of confirmed bee species for the state. She is currently conducting research to develop a pollinator seed mix for southern New England and is monitoring the effects of pollinator plantings on wild bees in meadows established by CT DEEP and the New England Pollinator Partnership.
Mia Maltz PhD
Mia Maltz is a soil microbial ecologist working at the interface of community ecology, biogeography, and mycology. Her work broadly focuses on community responses to disturbance, which feedback to influence plant and fungal community structure and ecosystem functioning. Maltz studied at the University of California, Irvine where she received a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with an emphasis on Ecological Restoration and Fungi. Maltz was a UC Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Biomedical Sciences at UC Riverside and is now an Assistant Professor in UConn’s Plant Science and Landscape Architecture Department, focused on fungal communities and functional ecology in novel ecosystems.
Sam Hoadley
Sam Hoadley, the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center, will highlight knockout native species and cultivars from trials including Phlox, Helenium, Echinacea, wild hydrangea, Carex, Amsonia, and Vernonia. Sam will discuss their horticultural and ecological performance and will share important information on standouts that will make beautiful additions to your garden.
Andrew Brand MS
Andy was born and raised in Connecticut and graduated from the University of Connecticut with BS and MS degrees in Plant Science. For 27 years, he was employed at Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT where he was the nursery manager and played an integral role in introducing several valuable plants to the nursery trade including Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’. Andy is currently the Director of Horticulture at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. Andy’s interests include native plants, new and unusual ornamentals, butterfly gardening, butterflies and their life histories, and increasing biodiversity in landscapes. You can follow Andy on Instagram @andyjbrand.
Jessica Lubell-Brand PhD
Jessica Lubell-Brand is Professor of Horticulture at the University of Connecticut, with 20 years of experience working with the horticulture industry. Jessica’s research is focused on improving the availability of native shrubs in the nursery trade and broadening their use among landscapers and designers. She has developed methods for the propagation and container production of ornamental plants so that they can be grown more easily and sustainably in a nursery setting, and she works with growers to help them expand their production.
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Food Allergy Information and Disclaimer
The University of Connecticut Department of Dining Services makes every attempt to identify ingredients that may cause allergic reactions for those with food allergies. Every effort is made to instruct our food production staff on the severity of food allergies. In addition, we label items with possible allergen-containing ingredients; however, there is always a risk of contamination. There is also a possibility that manufacturers of the commercial foods we use could change the formulation or substitute at any time, without notice. For items labeled gluten-friendly, the manufacturer ingredient labels have been reviewed and some do not contain a certified gluten-free seal. Customers concerned with food allergies need to be aware of this risk. Dining Services also operates its own bakery. Our bakery is not a nut-free bakery. We cannot guarantee the absence of cross-contamination with our baked goods. The University of Connecticut Department of Dining Services will not assume any liability for adverse reactions to foods consumed or items one may come in contact with while eating at any University establishments. Guests with food allergies are encouraged to contact their conference coordinator at 860-486-9030 for additional information and/or support. You can also visit the dietary restrictions information page.
NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS – Because a food manufacturer may change the ingredients and nutritional content of its food products without our knowledge, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional values, allergens, or ingredients of each food item. We label all stated allergens by the manufacturer – please keep in mind that some of these ingredients may have been made in facilities that contain other allergens.
For more info: dining.uconn.edu/nutrition