I graduated from Texas State University in the summer
of 2023 with a B.S. in Agriculture, Horticulture concen-
tration. During my last semester I started working at
Bartlett Tree Experts, where I currently work as an Arborist
Groundsperson and Plant Health Care Technician.
My professors at Texas State were a huge factor in my
interest in horticulture and plant health. Dr. Tina Cade
is an incredible professor and works hard to ensure that
her students have as much hands-on experience as pos-
sible. Her course on Woody Plant Materials for Outdoor
Landscapes really sparked my passion for trees. Dr. Cade
brought in an arborist from Bartlett Tree Experts to guest
lecture, which is how I met my current manager. The excel-
lent soil science course I took with Dr. Ken Mix answered
so many questions about soils and plant-soil interactions
that I was curious about. I find soils endlessly interesting!
Through Bartlett Tree Experts, I have been lucky to have
superb trainers for climbing and plant health care. My
job has also afforded me the chance to work with local
public gardens such as the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center in Austin. Meeting and learning from excep-
tional people in the field is my favorite part of my job. I
would love to be more involved in research, consulting,
and education. To that end, I am working towards
being a Consulting Arborist at Bartlett Tree Experts.
I joined UCFS to meet others with similar interests and
careers and to learn from their experiences. I love getting
to meet arborists and urban foresters from different regions
and learning about tree species and practices around the
world. I'm interested in urban forestry research as well as
arboriculture research. UCFS offers me a hub of resources
and contacts that I'm looking forward to tapping into.
In my free time I love to hike at Mayfield Park and
Nature Preserve in Austin, tend to the gardens
there, and take classes that offer certifications
for things like landscape and floral design.
Caitlyn Baldini
The Future of UCFS: Yo
UCFS offers me a hub of
resources and contacts
that I'm looking for ward
to tapping into.
18 CityTREES
