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.

 

 

AHTA Past Presidents

  • 2022-2024  Lana Dreyfuss, LPCC, LCAD, SEP,HTR
  • 2021-2022  Derrick R. Stowell, PhD, CTRS, HTR
  • 2020-2021  Erin Backus, CRC, HTR 
  • 2015-2020  Leigh Anne Starling, LCPC, CRC, HTR
  • 2013-2015  MaryAnne McMillan, HTR
  • 2010-2013  Gabriela Harvey, HTR
  • 2007-2010  Lana Dreyfuss, HTR
  • 2002-2007  Nancy Easterling, HTR
  • 1999-2002  Karin Fleming, HTR
  • 1998-1999  Maria Gabaldo, HTR
  • 1996-1998  Martha Straus, HTM
  • 1994-1996  Rebecca Haller, HTM
  • 1992-1994  Gene Rothert, HTR
  • 1989-1992  Nancy Stevenson, HTR
  • 1987-1989  Douglas Airhart, PhD, HTM
  • 1986-1987  Judy Carrier, HTR
  • 1984-1985  T. Kent Titze, HTM
  • 1983-1984  Ken T. Stoutamire, HTM
  • 1980-1983  Merle M. Moore
  • 1979            William Townsley, PhD
  • 1975-1979  Paula Diane Relf, PhD, HTR
  • 1973-1975  Earl Copus