Meet Our Speakers:

Boone Holladay is the Galveston County Extension Horticulture Agent with Texas A&M AgriLife. He provides expert, research-based education on gardening, plant care, pest management, and sustainable horticultural practices. Through his efforts, Boone helps individuals within the community enhance landscapes, improve plant health, and promote environmentally responsible gardening.

Keaton Argubright is deeply involved in the Galveston Farmers Market gardening program, where he works to engage young people and adults in hands-on gardening experiences. His efforts focus on teaching the basics about plant growth, sustainability, and the importance of healthy food choices. Argubright’s dedication helps foster a love for gardening and environmental awareness within the Galveston community.

Ricci Simmons joined the Galveston Bay Foundation in June 2019. Her primary interests are vegetation inventory and monitoring. Ricci works towards managing native vegetation to promote high species diversity, improving hydrologic function, and increasing wildlife habitat.  Her love of gardening combined with her knowledgeable expertise makes Ricci one of the Gulf Coasts most valuable native plant authorities.

Brandi Keller is an Extension Agent with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, specializing in wildlife management with a focus on bats in the landscape. She provides valuable education on the ecological role of bats, their benefits in controlling insect populations, and how to safely coexist with them. Brandi’s work helps communities better understand bats and their importance to local ecosystems while promoting sustainable wildlife practices.

Soni Holladay is a dedicated educator at the Cockrell Butterfly Center, where she works to inspire visitors with a love for butterflies and the natural world. Through her efforts, she helps promote conservation and environmental education, sharing knowledge about native plants and butterfly species. Her passion for nature and wildlife have made her an integral part of the center's mission to connect people with the beauty of the environment.

Sara Belles is the Gulf Coast Avian Ecologist with the American Bird Conservancy working with to monitor and protect nesting shorebirds and seabirds, as well as migrating and wintering shorebirds. Sara also works closely with Bird City Texas – a community-focused certification program, created to help people protect birds and their habitats.  Sara’s work is having a major impact on creating habitat, as well as reducing other harmful factors effecting our Gulf Coast bird population.

EXHIBITORS: TBD