Next generation of plant breeders to talk plants in WNLA webinar

The Western Nursery and Landscape Association has announced a new webinar: "What's new? A conversation on new plants with the next generation of plant breeders."

The event takes place Nov. 17 from noon to 1 p.m. Attendance is free for WNLA members and $50 for non-members. David Roberts, Kim Shearer Lattier and Jason Lattier.

Register here for the webinar.

About the speakers:

David Roberts acquired a master’s degree from North Carolina State University in Horticultural Science (Dec, 2015) with a concentration in ornamental plant breeding. Roberts worked as a graduate student for Dr. Dennis Werner and Dr. Tom Ranney, where he developed a passion for ornamental plant breeding and propagation. Bailey Nurseries, Inc. hired Roberts to be the general manager and head plant breeder for Plant Introductions, Inc., where he manages day-to-¬day operations, leads breeding direction, and coordinates breeding objectives for the Watkinsville, Ga.-based company.

Kim Shearer Lattier is the new tree and shrub breeder at The Morton Arboretum. She completed her M.S. degree at Oregon State University in Horticulture with a concentration in Plant Breeding and Genetics where she worked with Dr. Ryan Contreras. Her graduate degree projects focused on inducing and evaluating hereditary variation in maples, penstemon, and cape hyacinth. She completed her B.S. degrees in Horticulture and Plant Biology at North Carolina State University. In North Carolina, Kim was mentored by Dr. Tom Ranney and Dr. Jenny Xiang. As an undergraduate, she conducted research on dogwoods and azaleas.

Jason Lattier is a plant breeder and current Ph.D. candidate at Oregon State University working with Dr. Ryan Contreras. He completed his M.S. degree at NC State University under the direction of Dr. Tom Ranney. Jason’s previous work experiences are diverse. His former experiences in plant breeding include research internships at Garden Genetics LLC and Longwood Gardens. As a McLaren Scholar with the Royal Horticultural Society, he worked in premier gardens, research laboratories, and trial fields across the U.K. including Kew, Wisley, and RBG Edinburgh. Throughout his career in public gardens and academia, Jason’s work has been well-received in the trade and is documented by his many speaking engagements, publications, and awards. Jason is currently studying heritability of ornamental traits in lilacs and hardy hibiscus, and is expected to graduate in 2017.