Instructors
Susie Bartz grew up in rural Pennsylvania playing in the wooded hills and rocky creeks at her house. After college and graduate school, she married and came to Santa Barbara in 1974. She enjoys hiking and backpacking, holds a degree in geology from SBCC, and works as a technical research assistant at the Museum of Natural History, helping publish the maps of legendary geologist Tom Dibblee. As a geology educator, Susie works with community organizations to bring an awareness of earth science to the general public in outdoor settings. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband and assorted cats, and has two grown daughters, and recently became a grandmother.
Dr. Sherwin Carlquist, Professor Emeritus at Claremont Graduate School and Pomona College, is a research Botanist at SBBG. He was named a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow in 1973 and holds awards from such prestigious institutions as the Smithsonian Institution and the California Academy of Sciences. His extensive list of publications centers on studies of island botanical life, but also includes monographs on plant anatomy, structure, and evolution.
Mary Carroll holds a Masters degree in botany and is a former SBBG Director of Education . She conducts botanical surveys, performs research for the UCSB Santa Cruz Island Reserve, leads botanical field trips, and teaches classes in botany and ecology. She enjoys opportunities to share her knowledge of the plant world with both novice and advanced students at Westmont College and at the Garden. Look for her as a leader on some of the greatest Garden excursions!
Fred Emerson holds a Ph.D. in wildlife management from Cornell University and an M.D. from Vanderbilt University. He has taught, conducted research, and managed natural resources for both state and federal agencies as well as universities. He has enjoyed 2 careers: 1) wildlife biology and 2) emergency and internal medicine. He is especially interested in the interfaces of human health and the health of our environment. A lifelong student and teacher, he has been fortunate to find someone to pay him for following his bliss!
Dr. Larry Jon Friesen is Professor of Biological Sciences at Santa Barbara where he teaches a wide variety of courses including Cell Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Animal Diversity, Ornithology, Insect Biology and Nature Photography. His photography is widely used in textbooks and research articles, and his own online courses in biology and nature photography. His online courses are regarded to be among the most visually striking on the Internet.
Peter Gaede is a contemporary Santa Barbara artist and illustrator. See Peter Gaede's fabulous paintings and murals on display in the Discovery Garden.
Bob Haller is Professor Emeritus at UCSB and Botanist at the Garden. He is an acclaimed plant geographer, has studied plants of Mediterranean regions, and is an expert on California pines. Join him for a class at the Garden or on a fabulous Garden excursion.
Sally Isaacson is the Garden’s former Director of Education . She holds a B.A. in natural sciences, an M.A. in botany, and teaching credentials. She worked at the Garden for over twenty years and has taught at a variety of levels for 30 years.
Steve Junak, the Garden’s Herbarium Curator, is an active researcher and expert on the flora of the islands of California and Baja California. He holds an M.A. in botany, has led field trips for more than 25 years, and has co-authored several books on the Channel Islands. Look for Steve’s trips to the Channel Islands for unique botanical experiences.
Mme. Sokyo Kasai is the Tea Master of Tea House Shin Kan An at the Garden. She graduated from the Urasenke Chado School master course in Kyoto, Japan and holds the title of associate professor. She has three decades of experience in the art of tea ceremony, and has presented lectures and demonstrations at the UCSB Art Museum, Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Antioch University, and various private functions.
Jo Ann McGeever Metzger is a local artist whose work has been featured in national exhibitions. She holds a B.A. in history and Spanish and an M.A. in education. She is an avid plant lover.
Bob Muller is a Research associate and the former Director of Research at the Garden. He is a plant ecologist and taught ecology and dendrology for many years at the University of Kentucky. His research interests are in plant community ecology and long-term change in community composition and structure. Look for his newly revised edition of Trees of Santa Barbara, co-authored with Garden Instructor Bob Haller.
Elizabeth Painter has an M.A. in botany and a Ph.D. in ecology from Colorado State University. She is a contributing author to both The Jepson Manual and The Jepson Desert Manual. She is currently a Research Associate at the Garden and at UC Berkeley.
Bruce Reed was raised on an organic farm in the Lompoc valley, and received his B.A. at Westmont College. He has traveled widely since, gaining his experience in the retail nursery industry as a manager and grower. For the past few years, Bruce has been immersed in the native plants of California while working as the Nursery Manager for the Garden’s retail nursery. Stop by the nursery and ask Bruce about the plants and products available.
Chuck Rennie has led trips to the Channel Islands for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Garden. He holds a B.S. degree in Marine Biology and is actively involved in research on marine mammals.
Cathy Rose, formerly an English teacher at Crane School, is an experienced amateur botanist who serves at the Garden as a docent and leads botanical excursions in season to her specialty areas: Yosemite, Anza-Borrego, and the Eastern Sierra.
Judy Sanregret is the Director of Education for the Garden, and formerly taught elementary school for 25 years. She has a degree in Sociology from UCSB and teaching credential from San Jose State University. She is a Master Gardener and enjoys working with children, families, and schools.
Nancy Vivrette earned a Ph.D. in Plant Ecology at UCSB, taught at UC Berkeley, and was a seed analyst at Ransom Seed Laboratory until her retirement this year. She is a current Research Associate at SBBG. Along with her husband Bob Haller, she is updating the conifer section for the revised Jepson Manual. Nancy is also an avid birder.
Dieter Wilken is the Director of Conservation at the Garden. His varied interests include taxonomy, hybridization in relation to ecological distribution, life history studies, and floristics. He is the co-author of Ceanothus with Dave Fross (Timber Press, 2006).
