Ex-officios bring their expertise to UAC board.
The Georgia Urban Ag Council board of directors now includes three ex-officio members.
Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard is the newest ex-officio member of the UAC board. She is a horticulturist, educator, and Extension specialist passionate about sustainable urban landscapes and connecting people with plants. Originally from Louisiana, she now serves as assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, where she works to promote greener communities and inspire environmental stewardship through research, outreach, and education.
Beyond her professional life, Heather is deeply connected to the outdoors and to her family. She and her husband love exploring state and national parks with their two adventurous daughters and two energetic dogs. Whether hiking, kayaking, or simply soaking in the beauty of the natural world, time outdoors is their family’s favorite way to reconnect and recharge.
At home and at work, Heather’s love for plants and people shines through. She believes that even small actions, like composting kitchen scraps or planting native species and more trees, can lead to powerful, lasting change for our environment and communities.
Kirk-Ballard joins longtime ex-officio members Dr. Bodie Pennisi and Dr. Clint Waltz, who will continue as members.
Dr. Bodie Pennisi joined the Horticulture Department at UGA in 2000. Originally focused on the floriculture industry, in 2012 began working with the Georgia landscape industry.
Pennisi’s career started the best way – with an industry internship; she worked for a year as a head grower at then Hermann Engelmann Greenhouses Inc. in Apopka, Fl (now part of Costa Farms). She feels that the best way one learns is by practicing textbook knowledge in a real job environment. At UGA, educators strive to prepare horticulture students not only as scientists, practitioners, and entrepreneurs, but also as future industry leaders.
Having spent 25 years at UGA, Pennisi considers herself very fortunate to have worked alongside and in the footsteps of such great plantsmen as Allan Armitage and Michael Dirr, and has been incredibly privileged to hold an endowed chair in Coach Vince Dooley’s name. She tries to “channel” Coach’s great love and passion for ornamentals and horticulture in general.
Dr. Pennisi is passionate about plants and science, aiming to make every Georgian embrace a daily connection with living plants for their well-being and happiness. She focuses on educating for both professional success and personal enrichment.
Dr. Clint Waltz joined the UGA Turfgrass Team in 2001 as a Turfgrass Extension Specialist. He is located at UGA Griffin and has state-wide responsibilities in all turfgrass management areas, including turfgrass water management. As an agronomist Clint must have a full understanding of the turfgrass system, the soil, the plant, pests, and environmental influences. Because turfgrass is a quality-oriented business – nobody brags about a brown lawn, golf course, or sports field – blending science with functionality is critical to Clint’s daily routine.
Waltz received his degrees from Clemson University, receiving his doctorate in the area of soil amendments for golf course putting greens. His master’s degree focused on plant growth regulators used in turfgrass, his bachelor’s degree was in horticulture. While in grad school at Clemson Clint worked with two weed scientists, gaining him a strong background in pest management.
Through his service on several state trade association Boards, Clint represents CAES within the turfgrass industry and contributes a scientific approach to developing professional development programs, workshops, and trainings.
His work has been recognized by receiving the D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Extension, the GACAA Senior Specialist Award, the Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach, the Turfgrass Educator Award of Excellence from the Turfgrass Producers International, and the Fox McCarthy Award presented jointly from the Georgia Assoc. of Water Professionals and the Georgia Water Wise Council. Waltz has two children and is an avid Clemson Tigers fan!
The Georgia Urban Ag Council is Georgia’s premier green industry association for professionals involved in all sectors of the industry,
