PPO > PPO Community

PPO Community

Welcome!

Welcome to the webpage about our community in the Ornamental Plant Pathology Program!

The PPO community is dynamic and full of diverse interests. We have many projects to advance knowledge and meet the needs of our stakeholders. Visit the PPO website to learn more about our research.

You are welcome to contact us individually or use the webform at the bottom of the page to send a broader inquiry.

four people stand and one kneels in a field, posing for a picture

Personnel

Principal Investigator

a smiling man in a red WSU logo cap and a blue plaid shirt holds a log cookie up to the camera. he is standing between two Christmas trees of different species.
Gary Chastagner with Christmas Trees

Dr. Gary Chastagner

Professor and Extension Specialist
Department of Plant Pathology
253-445-4528
Email
Faculty Profile

Lead Research Associate

a woman in sunglasses, a hat, and a yellow coat is holding up a leaf in both hands
Marianne Elliott inspecting a pacific madrone leaf for blight. Photo Credit: Evergreen.edu

Dr. Marianne Elliott

Research Associate
253-445-4596
Email
Research Projects: Pacific madrone, Sudden Oak Death management and education, Phytophthora biology and biocontrol, steam sanitation, stream monitoring, citizen science, and more.

Research Assistant Professor

just to the right of centered, a man in a ball cap and olive-green shirt with sunglasses around his neck is standing by a pond. A forest can be seen on the opposite side of the pond.
Joey Hulbert smiles in front of a pond

Dr. Joseph ( Joey ) M. Hulbert

Research Assistant Professor
253-445-4601
Email
WSU Forest Health Lab
Personal Website
Research Interests: forest health, climate change, indigenous-plant pathology, Phytophthora diversity, citizen science, and public engagement.

Field and Lab Technicians

Full Time

he does not work here anymore but he was pretty great

Nathan Williams

Research Technician
Email

Part Time

Andy

Image coming soon

Cecilia Hanley

Technical Assistant
Email

a balding man with white hair and beard and blue eyes behind his glasses

David McLoughlin

Service Worker
253-445-4510
Email

Image coming soon

Don Sherry

Professional Worker
Email

Program Alumni

Below is a list of previous members of the PPO Community

Former Students under primary mentorship from Dr. Chastagner

  • Anna Leon
  • Andrea Garfinkel
  • Katie McKeever
  • Lucy Rollins
  • Norman Dart
  • William Hammer
  • Ellen Goheen

Research Staff

  • Katie Coats

Technicians (since 2020)

  • Allison Bachner
  • Baley Porter
  • Kaitlyn Shrader
  • Kristin Wenzen
  • Brit Maguire
  • Taylor McNees
  • Daphyn Cammack

Postdoctoral Research Associates

  • Dr. Thomas D. Whitney

Visiting Scholars

  • Information coming soon

Join our Community!

Interested in joining our program?

Visit our Jobs, Internships, and Volunteer Opportunities webpage for information about the available positions.

a girl pushing a flatbed wagon with trays of baby trees while a boy smiles next to her
a boy holding a tray of 1-year saplings

Support the PPO Program!

a man in a red hat talks as a small group of people listen
Gary leading an educational activity

Increase our impact

You can help support our program by making a tax-deductible gift to our WSU Foundation Account. Find out more!

Contact Us

Interested in connecting with us? Send us a message to start the conversation.

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WSU Puyallup Research & Extension Center
2606 West Pioneer, Puyallup, WA, 98371-4998 USA
Last updated 9/24/2025