Congratulations to our 2024 Award Recipients
2024 was another standout year for the Western Chapter, filled with inspiring achievements and exceptional nominations. We’re proud to celebrate our final award recipients—congratulations to all!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the awards celebration on April 23, 2025. Your presence helped make the event truly special.
Award of Merit:
The highest award category of the Western Chapter.
This award shall be bestowed upon an individual Active Member to recognize outstanding, meritorious service in advancing the principles, ideals and practices of progressive arboriculture.
Richard Adkins
Honorary Chapter Life Membership:
This award of membership shall be bestowed upon an individual, long-standing Active Member (ten or more years) who has provided substantial, long-term contribution to the advancement of the Purpose and substance of the WCISA.
Kevin T. Smith, PhD.
Award of Arboricultural Research:
This award shall be bestowed upon not more than two individuals (same or separate projects) to recognize outstanding contribution to
research that has contributed substantially to the sum knowledge of arboriculture that has had significant and relevant impact to the Western Chapter ISA.
Research projects considered in evaluating nominees for this award shall have been published within the preceding five years to be nominated.
Alex Hu, PhD
Mark Hoddle, PhD
Award of Achievement:
This award shall be bestowed upon not more than two Active Members in recognition of sustained, outstanding and substantial effort or contribution to the advancement of the Purpose and substance of the WCISA.
Erik Mauel
John Pavlik, Jr.
Award of Commendation:
This award shall be bestowed upon not more than two individuals, organizations, firms or other entities in recognition of an outstanding effort in promoting the Purpose of the WCISA.
Raquel Falco
David Teuschler
R. W. Harris Award for Excellence in Education:
This award is bestowed on an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the education of Western Chapter members.
Richard Adkins
Young Professional Award:
This award is given to one and not more than two individuals who have been an ISA credential holder for less than ten years. This award recognizes outstanding efforts that advance the principles of the WCISA.
Justin Menzel
President's Award:
This award shall be presented at the sole discretion and determination of the current President. The award shall be bestowed upon that individual that has demonstrated the most substantial contribution of commitment, support, and assistance to the President in his/her effort to fulfill his/her goals and obligations during his/her term of office.
Juan Barba & Rebecca Senior
ISA Gold Leaf Award:
Traditionally the Gold Leaf Award has been used to acknowledge outstanding Arbor Day efforts as well as a way to acknowledge outstanding landscape beautification efforts not associated with Arbor Day.
Outstanding Arbor Day Activities:
City of Goodyear, AZ
City of North Las Vegas, NV
City of Mesa, AZ
Tree Lodi, CA
Landscape Beautification:
The Irvine Company
City of North Las Vegas