About & Contact

Cable is the Chair of the HEBC board and has served the HortEducationBC board since the early beginnings of HEBC, having had various roles and responsibilities during that time. Cable is the owner of RCB Garden Service and Down to Earth Landscapes, which focus on residential landscape maintenance and installation.

In his 25 years in the agriculture and horticulture industry, Cable has earned qualifications as a graduate of Niagara Parks School of Horticulture; Certified Landscape Technician in Ornamental Maintenance, Turf Maintenance and Softscape Installation; Certified Landscape Professional; and CofQ in Landscape Horticulture.

Cable is an active member of the BC Landscape and Nursery Association (BCLNA); he is a past Landscape Certification Chair and has served the Landscape Advisory Group and many other committees and projects. Cable is currently the Chair of the BCLNA Landscape Awards of Excellence show and Chair of Western Canada's premier horticultural trade show, CanWest Hort Expo. He is also involved in various Canadian Landscape Nursery Association (CNLA) committees. Cable endeavours to promote and develop training solutions and standards through education and learning resources for the Horticulture Industry.

Laura joined HortEducationBC as the Apprentice Representative in 2015; following her apprenticeship, she has continued to serve the HEBC Board and is currently the Vice Chair.

Laura has extensive education and on-the-job experience in Soil Science and Landscape Horticulture. Laura’s academic accomplishments include a Master of Science (Soil Science) and a Bachelor of Science (Plant Science) from the Faculty of Agriculture (now Faculty of Land and Food Systems) University of British Columbia. She also has her Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist CofQ.

Laura spent nine years serving the nursery and greenhouse industry as a soil-less media specialist. She developed soil test methods and a robust quality control program for a soil-less media manufacturer. Her university education was grounded in the practical experience gained by working with nursery and greenhouse growers. Whether improving production efficiencies through modifications to soil-less media, monitoring and testing soil through crop durations or troubleshooting production issues, Laura applied her education with pragmatism and commitment to the industry.

Laura is currently the Superintendent for VanDusen Botanical Garden and Queen Elizabeth Park at the City of Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. In her twelve years at the Parks Board, she has been responsible for some of the highest profile and most visited flower beds in Vancouver, including English Bay and VanDusen Botanical Garden. Laura appreciates the level of quality that the red seal endorsement reflects and the impact that has on the standards in our industry. She appreciates the responsibility of being an industry sponsor and mentors apprentices on a daily basis at work. Laura looks for opportunities to be involved in program standards, mentoring, and the development and assessment of educational material.

Egan Davis has a lifelong passion for horticulture. Currently, he is the Parks Operations Manager for the City of Richmond. As a horticulture instructor, Egan has taught the Horticulture Education Program at UBC Botanical Garden, in the UBC Urban Forestry Program and through VanDusen Botanical Garden's Adult Education Program.

As a horticulture practitioner, Egan has had leadership roles at VanDusen Botanical Garden, Park & Tilford Gardens, and in the private landscape horticulture industry. He is active in the industry on various committees and boards and has participated in local and international projects. Egan's practical background and rich understanding of the plant world inform a unique and innovative perspective on the horticulture industry.

Pat has more than 4o years of experience in the Arboriculture and Green industries, including as an instructor and speaker. Pat is the Vice President of Safety & Employee Development for Davey Tree Expert Company. He joined Davey Tree in 1986 and held various field and management positions relating to leadership, policy development, quality assurance, human resources and more.

Pat held various field and management positions until his appointment in 2018 as Vice President of Safety & Employee Development, overseeing Davey’s Occupational Health & Safety Program throughout Canada and managing all issues related to Workers’ Compensation and Provincial OH&S regulations. Pat has earned his designation as a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP)

Pat is a Certified Utility Arborist, starting his career in Arboriculture in 1975; he joined Davey Tree in 1986. Pat is a past instructor for the Electrical Industry Training Institute Certified Utility Arborist Level 1 & 2 Technical Training. He also instructed utility tree worker safety at the Industrial Vegetation Management Association of Alberta and Olds College.

Pat is the Past Chair of the BC Utility Arborist Trade Advisory Committee, Director of the Western Utility Arborist Association, and Past Vice-Chair and Past Chair of HortEducationBC. Pat promotes regulation awareness, training standards, and education for the Arboriculture and Horticulture Industries throughout the Canadian Provinces.

Bruce has been in the industry for over 35 years. He is the past Canadian Industry Chair for the North American Plant Protection Organization, past director of the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, past president of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. He is also the retired Chair of the School of Horticulture and retired instructor in the School of Business at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Bruce is President of McTavish Resource & Management Consultants Ltd., a lower mainland based Agriculture, Environment and Forestry consulting company.  He also sits on the board of advisors of Bylands Nurseries Ltd.

Bruce's academic accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Master of Science in Agricultural Mechanics, Master of Business Administration, Professional Agrologist, CofQ in Production Horticulture, CofQ Red Seal  Landscape Horticulturist, and Registered Professional Biologist in the provinces of BC and Alberta.

Janis Matson has been in the horticulture industry for over 30 years. Her Experience includes retail nursery, landscape design & installation, and arboriculture. She has owned and operated Shoreline Landscape Design in Burnaby for over 25 years. Janis is a Red Seal certified Landscape Horticulturist and an award-winning landscape designer and landscape contractor.

For the last 8 years, she has focused on a new career teaching what she loves. Janis is a Science and Horticulture faculty instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley with the horticultural diploma and apprenticeship programs. She is also an instructor with Burnaby School District’s Community & Continuing Education (CCE) Division in their apprenticeship and hardscape programs. Janis also developed the Burnaby CCE Hardscape Installer certificate program. Her academic accomplishments include a Provincial Instructor Diploma, Landscape Design and Horticulture Diploma, ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Level 1 Certified Tree assessor, ICPI Certified Concrete Paver Installer, Level 1 Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT), and a Floral Design Certificate.

Janis enjoys many outreach activities, including radio, articles, conference presentations, home shows, garden clubs, and she is an adult education instructor with VanDusen Botanical Garden. Janis loves to show and share her enthusiasm, photos, and knowledge of plants, landscape design and horticultural topic favourites.

Heike Stippler operates a landscape business in Whistler, B.C., offering all aspects of landscaping. Heike Designs Inc. provides design, installation and maintenance, along with consulting and project management services. Experience and passion paired with education and certification are the basis for all her professional work.

Heike is a Red Seal certified Landscape Horticulturist with a degree in Architecture from Germany. After immigrating to Canada, originally for ski instructing, she has been working successfully in Whistler since 1999, producing various projects of all sizes and several award-winning landscapes. Heike focuses on environmentally conscious projects that fit each individual location.

Passion for horticulture and the environment go hand in hand for her, and she uses green practices and creates awareness by educating clients and contractors to do the same.

Heike uses and promotes the Canadian Landscape Standard and was part of developing various resources for the Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist training program on the national and provincial levels.

Heike has built strong relationships with contractors and suppliers, and is actively involved in the community and various associations. As Board of Directors Chair at BCLNA, she is involved in various aspects of the horticulture industry. Heike is a director with HortEducationBC and past director with the ISC BC and brings experience and passion to all meetings as well as back to the job sites. She is a horticulture advisor with the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council, and Heike Designs is ‘invasive-free’ certified.

Heike is involved on-site where possible and works with the crew and clients for best results and personal touch in every garden.

Heike is involved on-site where possible and works with the crew and clients for best results and personal touch in every garden.

Martin is the CEO of Vancouver Island Tree Service and CEO of West Coast Wood Chippers, a skilled arborist who has been in the profession for over 25 years. Martin ran his own company for 15 years in the UK and studied at Warwickshire College of Agriculture 1991-1993, receiving a diploma in woodland and estate management. Martin moved with his wife and 4 children to Canada in 2010.

Martin is a Certified Utility Arborist with WUAA/HEBC Falling and Bucking Endorsement and holds his CofQ for Arborist Technician and Climbing Arborist. Martin has been a Climber since 1996 and is a Climbing Arborist Assessor for the Industry Training Authority. He is also a Royal Forestry Society certified arborist and ISA certified arborist.

Martin serves as an Industry Subject Matter Expert for the ITA, helping to one day establish a Red Seal trade in Arboriculture. He competed in British Columbia and Pacific North West ISA tree climbing competitions. Martin brings many skills in training and workmanship to promote safety and quality oriented professional tree service. Martin currently serves as an arborist representative Director for HortEducationBC and as Vice Chair of the Western Utility Arborist Association.

Jeff is the student representative board member for HortEducationBC. He is a third-year Landscape horticulture apprentice working for the Vancouver Parks Board.

Jeff’s horticulture background began with production horticulture. He obtained his Greenhouse & Nursery Production diploma from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He has worked in a variety of fields, including pest management, tree service, residential and commercial maintenance, and municipal parks. In his 10 year horticulture career, Jeff has fostered a passion for the environment and sustainability. In addition to work in horticulture, Jeff is also a proud and active member of the LGBTQ+ community helping to promote advocacy and education for trans and gender diverse individuals.

Working with the Industry Relations team for the BC Industry Training Authority, Cory is responsible for working with industry sectors to enhance access to the trades, and to ensure that the trades programs the BC ITA delivers meet the needs of industry. As a certified female journeyperson, she is especially interested in improving access and removing barriers for women who have entered the Construction and Horticulture trades.

Cory worked as a Heavy Duty Equipment Parts Technician for over 20 years. During this time, she was also able to take additional training, sit on several trades advisory committees, and the provincial apprenticeship board.

Cory serves the HortEducationBC Board of Directors as an Ex-Officio Member. In addition to regular participation and input into HortEducationBC business, Cory provides the Board with invaluable insight into ITA activities and resources. As liaison between the ITA and HEBC Cory works with various ITA departments on behalf of HEBC, ensuring that HEBC's interests are protected and maintained.

As a founding member of HortEducation.ca, Bill has been been involved with HEBC for over 16 years.

Bill is also active with several other industry associations including:

• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association - 2nd Vice President and Communications Committee
• Green Cities Foundation - Director
• Communities in Bloom - Treasurer
• Canadian Garden Council - Founding Director and CNLA Representative
• Canadian Foundation for Food and Agriculture Education - Director
• International Association of Horticulture Producers - Green City Committee

Bill has had many roles and responsibilities over the years and has always had an avid involvement in industry professional development and certification. He was instrumental in establishing landscape and retail certification programs nation-wide as well as playing a key role in developing Landscape Horticulture as a Red Seal Trade designation.

Bill’s other day job is co-owner of Grow and Gather Garden Centre in Maple Ridge BC.

Lindsay provides learning resource development and support services to HEBC. Formerly, she provided support and advocacy for apprentices, employers and training institutions. She administered the Falling and Bucking Endorsement and participated in ITA program development projects for Youth In Trades and The Harmonization of the Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist program.

Lindsay comes to HEBC with a strong education background, including graduating with distinction for KPU's Greenhouse & Nursery Diploma which she applied to her small farm and greenhouse on Bowen Island selling vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers.

Lindsay enjoyed her Horticulture education experience so much she wanted a career in horticulture education. She returned to the University of the Fraser Valley where she Graduated with Distinction and received awards for Outstanding Achievement for a Bachelor of Arts Degree and an Adult Education Workplace Training Certificate.

Lindsay majored in Political Science with a minor in Communications. She received a Research Excellence award for her research on "Urban vs. rural opinion toward B.C. Agricultural Land Reserve Legislation". Lindsay also has a Certificate in Computer Information Systems from UFV. Her specialties include research & analysis, policy, social media & business communications, public relations and marketing.