Registration Extended – REQUIRED!
Registration Deadline: Wed. April 22
April 24 @ 5:00 pm – April 26 @ 11:00 am
Includes educational sessions, connections between students and industry professionals, and a fun skills competition between students.
Housing for the 2 nights is included. Bring your own bedding, (sleeping bag and pillow)
Please eat dinner before you come on Friday. Meals will be provided Saturday, along with breakfast on Sunday.
Bring your own gear and PPE. House gear will also be provided.
Hope you can make it!
Conference Agenda
Friday, April 24th
- 5:00pm-7:00pm Registration
- 7:00pm- 7:30pm Welcome program
- 7:30pm-8:30pm Speaker: Sydney Hudzinski – Gear Wants vs. Needs
- 8:30pm-10:00pm Networking
- 10:00pm-6:00am Quiet hours
Saturday, April 25th
- 7:00am-8:00am Networking
- 8:00am-8:45am Breakfast and Speaker: Sam Finco – Lanyard Tips and Tricks
- 8:45am -9:00am Safety Brief to students – Shelly Wollerman
- 8:45am- 9:00am Skills challenge Volunteer meeting/Safety Brief
- 9:00am-10:00am Skills challenge walk-through
- 10:00am-12:00pm Skills challenge
- 12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch and Speaker: Tim Walsh – Careers and Resumes
- 1:00pm-5:30pm Skills challenge continues/ Free time when done
- 5:30pm-6:30pm Dinner Speaker: Dr. Richard Hauer – Choose Your Own Tree Adventure
- 6:30pm-10:00pm Light up the Future Event
- 11:00pm-7:00am Quiet hours
Sunday April 26th
- 8:00am-9:00am Breakfast & Speaker: Shelly Wollerman – Focus on Safety
- 9:00am-10:00am Awards and closing statements
- 10:00am-11:00am Check out of lodge by 11am
About the Speakers
- Sam Finco – Sam Finco is a practicing arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist, and 9th place finisher in the 2025 International Tree Climbing Championship.
- Richard Hauer – Richard Hauer is the Director of Urban Forestry at Eocene Environmental Group and an Emeritus Professor of Urban Forestry at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. He was honored as the 2023 Alex L. Shigo Award for Excellence in Education and the 2018 & 2024 L.C. Chadwick Award for Arboricultural Research. He has published over 200 publications and presented over 500 talks throughout the world.
- Sydney Hudzinski – Sydney Hudzinski started in the industry in 2019. She spent her first year working on obtaining her credentials. She recognized a gap in onboarding and mentoring in the industry. She has always been passionate about paving a better way for the next generation, so she started training and mentoring. She now works for the City of Plymouth. She stays active in the industry by going to multiple climbing competitions a year, volunteering with the MSA, and instructing at The Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop.
- Tim Walsh – Tim Walsh is the VP of Safety & Training at Townsend Company, LLC. Tim has a Doctorate in ergonomics and safety and has a Master’s degree in ergonomics. He has Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Urban Forestry from UWSP. Tim is a Certified Treecare Safety Professional, an ISA Certified Arborist and Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist. He was a voting member of the 2022 revision of the ANSI Z133 and has been involved with the Accredited Standards Committee Z133 for several revisions. He serves on the Utility Arborist Association (UAA) Board of Directors and is the Champion for UAA Safety Committee and has served as the chair of the UAA Professional Development Committee. Tim has also been a climbing arborist for more than 35 years, has owned his own business, worked as a contract climber and worked with companies around the world.
- Shelly Wollerman – Shelly Wollerman has 10 years experience in production tree care, 3 years experience as a trainer, and is the Owner/Operator of Soteria Training Solutions. She is a Licensed Wilderness EMT.
Volunteers Needed
- We are looking for a few more volunteers!
- Interested? Please email WAA Student Organization Liaison, Audrey Earle.
Sponsors Needed
- Skills Events, Connections Corner, Snack Break, and T-Shirt sponsors still needed!
- Check out the 2026 WAA Sponsor Program itemized sponsor list for details.
- Interested or have questions? Please email our Sponsorship Chair, Nathan Schuettpelz.
Camp Whitcomb/Mason, Hartland
$25
Students and apprentices
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