Meet Our Instructors
Philip Bauerle
Philip Bauerle is a Landscape Technician with Eichenlaub, Inc. Before that he was the Interim Master Gardener Coordinator with the Allegheny County Penn State Extension, where he organized volunteer projects and provided horticulture education.
Joshua Beblo
Joshua Beblo holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Education from Duquesne University. He is an adjunct professor at Chatham University and teaches courses on design and professional practice in the landscape architecture program.
Kosta Buonos
Kosta Buonos is a graduate of The Penn State University with a master's degree in agricultural education and a bachelor's degree in landscape contracting with a minor in horticulture. He has almost 30 years' experience in the landscape industry and is currently the owner of Green Creations Landscape Services LLC where he and his team focus on sustainable design and land care.
Braley Burke
Braley Burke is the integrated pest management specialist at Phipps, working to sustainably manage pests and promote beneficial insects. She has a Bachelor of Science in environmental protection and a Master of Science in entomology, both from West Virginia University.
Kaitlyn Caramela
Kaitlyn Caramela is the owner and head designer of Steel City Florals. SHe has been in the green industry for about 10 years now doing a variety of work in landscaping, floral design, teaching, curriculum planning and volunteer work. She earned her Horticultural Technology Certificate from Bidwell Training Center and everything else is self-taught. Enjoys teaching about color theory and modern floral design construction
Sarah Cohen
Sarah Cohen started PetalVision Glass in 2016, which transforms flora and fauna into glass designs that can be gifted and worn proudly. Transplanted to Pittsburgh in 2015 after working for other artsits, Sarah started her own studio practice full-time. Focusing on nature and the effects of consumerism, Sarah also makes glass mosaics.
Weldon Doran
Weldon Doran lived and worked in East Asia and Africa while pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology/archeology. He also holds a degree in studio art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and taught Ancient Chinese Art and Religion at Harvard University. He’s been involved with Phipps’ Botanical Art Certificate Program since 2006.
Melissa Fabian
Melissa Fabian has been an art educator for 35 years, holds a Bachelor of Science in art education from Edinboro University and a Master of Education from Duquesne University. She is the owner of Wild Rose Landscape Design.
Meg Graham
Meg Graham is the owner of May Apple Ecological Gardening and Design. She has a background in fine art and farming, having graduated from CMU and worked for Healthcrest Urban Farm and Cutting Root Apothecary. She does garden design, installation, and fosters the creation and preservation of natural and built spaces in diverse environments both in the city and outlying areas.
Jessica Graves
Jessica Graves, the founder of Una Biologicals, is an herbalist and healer at heart. Having studied plants and their uses for more than 20 years, she loves sharing traditional herbal knowledge and empowering people to take charge of their own health and wellness through her work.
Kevin Haughey
Kevin Haughey, the bonsai manager at Phipps, has more than 25 years of experience with this ancient art form. He is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and a member of the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society.
Kayla Heffernan
Kayla Heffernan has been making candles since 2016, she is the founder and owner of PGHCandle. She opened up the first brick and mortar store in Pittsburgh's Northside in November 2022.
Christine Hutson
Christine Hutson has been working as a calligrapher and nature illustrator for over 30 years and has been teaching at Phipps since 2011. One of her specialties is medieval and renaissance art techniques, and she travels to museums to study manuscript books and the work of old masters such as Joris Hoefnagel and Pierre Joseph Redoute.
Brenda G. Jordan
Brenda G. Jordan has a B.A. in Studio Art and a PhD in Japanese Art History. She specializes in watercolor, both Botanical Art and landscapes. She currently directs the University of Pittsburgh project for the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia, located within the Asian Studies Center at Pitt.
Leslie Kaplan
Leslie Kaplan is a Phipps Master Gardener and owner of Rush Creek Design, specializing in residential gardens. She enjoys collecting and using unusual and rare plants in her gardens.
Korkey Noah Kibbey
Korkey Noah Kibbey has over 20 years of experience in a diversity of design styles, working both in wholesale and retail, which has led to success as a freelance designer. Currently, he is a principle creative visionary for many local event florists and retailers.
Acadia Klain
Acadia Klain is a practicing architect specializing in sustainability and Passive House design. She attended Carnegie Mellon University, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a Landscape Studies Certificate from Chatham College.
Linda Kramer
Linda Kramer completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at The Pennsylvania State University. After 20 years as an estate gardener, she now works as a landscape gardener. She has taught many workshops and classes for the Master Gardener program.
Amy Lewandowski
Amy Lewandowski is a North East Ohio watercolor artist. She graduated with honors from Carnegie-Mellon University with a BFA in Illustration. She has been teaching watercolor and drawing at workshops and privately since 2013. She is also a signature member of the Ohio Watercolor Society and has exhibited her paintings in the U.S. and the U.K.
Amy Lindenberger
Amy Lindenberger has been teaching colored pencil techniques in Phipps’ Botanical Art program since 2005. She holds a BFA in Drawing from the University of Akron and has been working with the colored pencil medium for more than 40 years. Amy is a charter, Signature and 10-year Merit Award winner with the Colored Pencil Society of America, and is the author of six colored pencil books, including her most recent: COLORS: A Workbook, based on the Mastering Color classes she teaches at Phipps.
Michele Frey McCann
Michele Frey McCann, a landscape architect with 25 plus years of professional experience, is a Chatham University adjunct faculty member, and has served as a Longwood Gardens outdoor display specialist and a Phipps exhibit manager and designer.
Robin Menard
Robin Menard shares her love of nature and art by capturing botanicals in graphite, ink, watercolor and colored pencil. She is also a graphic designer and marketer, and an American Society of Botanical Artists and Allegheny Highlands Botanical Art Society member.
Sarah Needham
Sarah Needham, the owner of LeafHopper Designs, an eco-chic boutique featuring upcycled bouquets and more, has worked as a freelancer for numerous floral shops in Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh.
Juliette Olshock
Juliette Olshock studied sustainable agriculture and permaculture design at Slippery Rock University. She has worked with several experts, teaching courses on edible forests and permaculture design, as well as a sustainability lab at Chatham University.
Lisa Rasmussen
Lisa Rasmussen is a versatile artist/designer who loves creating art! She's been teaching art and design at the college level for the last 16 years and holds a BFA and MFA in graphic design as well as an MS in education.
John Totten
John Totten is co-owner of the landscape gardening firm Garden! LLC and a woodland plant nursery, Locust Spring Nursery. He and business partner, Linda Kramer, have consulted on native plant projects for Chatham University, The Pittsburgh Zoo and Fallingwater. John and Linda founded the Audubon Society’s native plant nursery and have taught classes on native plants and their uses in the designed landscape for Penn State, Chatham University and Phipps.
Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas
Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas is a life-long nature enthusiast with a passion for conservation education; and she has worked in museums, zoos, and public gardens for over twenty years. She is currently the Science Education Outreach Manager at Phipps.
Photo © Paul g. Wiegman
