TCI EXPOGrow™
TCI EXPOGrow is a dynamic space on the trade show floor featuring 30-minute sessions that goes beyond technical training to focus on wellness, creativity, and personal development.
It’s the place to go to:
Earn .5 CEUs for each 30-minute session!
TCI EXPOGrow Schedule
| Day | Time | Title | Session Description | Speaker Biography | CEUs | Room | Number | hf:tax:ept_schedule_day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM | Yoga for Arborists |
Amy Tetreault, Tree Care Industry Association Learn why yoga is important for arborists before moving through some simple poses that will help you stay focused, flexible, and healthy for your tree care career. | View | 0.5 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 16 | thursday |
| Thursday | 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM | Award-Winning Safety in Action: Building Better Safety Coordinators |
Chris Sprague or Tyler Lyon from Bartlett Tree Experts (TBD) What does an award-winning safety program look like in practice? Join representatives from Bartlett Tree Experts, recipient of a 2025 TCIA Safety Award, as they share how they developed and implemented online training for local office safety coordinators. Learn how their approach strengthened safety leadership, improved consistency across locations, and contributed to a culture of safety excellence. | View | 0.5 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 25 | thursday |
| Thursday | 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM | Conversation with the Industry |
David White, TCIA and Caitlyn Pollihan, ISA From Shade Tree Conference to ISA and from NAA to TCIA: Learn where we have been and where we are going with the two largest organizations representing arborists and tree care companies in the US and beyond. | View | 1 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 29 | thursday |
| Friday | 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM | El Punto de Suspensión Primario: Principios Básicos – Parte 1 |
The Primary Suspension Point: Basic Principles – Part 1 (Spanish)Marcos Vargas, CTSP, Bartlett Tree Experts Esta sesión, dividida en dos partes, está diseñada para ayudar a los participantes a comprender los principios que rigen la selección de puntos de suspensión primarios seguros y eficaces para operaciones de trepa y aparejo. La Parte 1 es una sesión teórica centrada en los conceptos fundamentales, mientras que la Parte 2 (viernes 13 de noviembre a las 14:30 h) lleva estos conceptos a la práctica mediante una demostración guiada en un árbol real situado en la zona de exposición. El objetivo es ayudar a prevenir lesiones graves y incidentes mortales (“serious injuries and fatalities”, o SIF, por sus siglas en inglés) causados por caídas derivadas del fallo de los puntos de amarre (TIP de tie-in points, en inglés). Los ponentes analizarán los principios clave que influyen en la interacción de las cargas con los puntos de amarre seleccionados, así como en la forma en que las fuerzas generadas por los trepadores y los sistemas de aparejo afectan a la estructura del árbol. Los asistentes adquirirán una mejor comprensión de los factores que deben tenerse en cuenta al seleccionar lo que los ponentes denominan «Puntos de Suspensión Primarios». Asimismo, se introducirán métodos prácticos para estimar las fuerzas y las cargas máximas generadas durante las operaciones habituales de trepa, sentando así las bases para las demostraciones en vivo de la Parte 2. This two-part session is designed to help participants understand the principles behind selecting safe and effective primary suspension points for climbing and rigging operations. Part 1 is a classroom-style session that focuses on the fundamental concepts and theory, while Part 2 (Friday, 11/13 at 2:30pm) brings those concepts to life through a guided demonstration on a live tree located on the trade show floor. The objective is to help prevent serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) caused by falls resulting from the failure of tie-in points (TIPs). Presenters will review the key principles that influence how loads interact with selected tie-in points and anchors, and how the forces generated by climbers and rigging systems affect tree structures. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the factors that should be considered when selecting what the presenters refer to as Primary Suspension Points.Participants will also be introduced to practical methods for estimating forces and peak loads generated during normal climbing operations, providing a foundation for the live demonstrations featured in Part 2. Speaker Bio: Vargas, Marco, CTSP – Bartlett Tree Experts Marco, originally from Lima, Peru, began his arboriculture career working at Bartlett Tree Experts in Indiana after having attended La Molina University Forestry School in Peru. He quickly developed a strong passion for climbing and caring for trees. Over the years, Marco has also developed a passion for training and has become a regional Arborist Trainer for Bartlett in the Midwest. He leads Spanish language training programs and contributes significantly to safety leadership initiatives across the company. Marco’s achievements include representing the Indiana ISA chapter in the International Tree Climbing Championship in 2015; earning multiple safety and leadership awards; giving presentations and leading workshops at arboriculture conferences in Peru, Mexico, and Colombia as well as Ohio, Indiana and New Jersey in the United States. Some of Marco’s credentials include, ISA Certified Arborist, TRAQ and a Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP). Marco lives in Indiana with his wife, three children, and his dog named Cuzco. | View | 0.5 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 49 | friday |
| Friday | 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Industrial Athletes: Building Mental Resilience |
Sarah Cusack, CTSP, SavATree This session builds on the “Industrial Athletes: 6 Keys to Longevity from Ultra Endurance Sports” framework introduced at the 2025 EXPO, going deeper into the mindset domain with a focus on proactive mental resilience training. Arborists are industrial athletes- but while most invest in physical tools and training, mental resilience often gets overlooked until adversity strikes. This session explores how ultra endurance athletes build a durable mind before injury, burnout, or a high-stakes moment demands it. Drawing from neuroscience research on the anterior cingulate cortex and real wearable data collected during training, attendees will see how their bodies and brains respond to stress- and how to expand their capacity to handle it to take a more proactive approach to managing safety. Just like physical fitness, mental resilience is a trainable skill. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for stress inoculation and pre-task mental conditioning they can implement immediately- building the psychological durability to thrive across a long career in tree care. Speaker Bio: Cusack, Sarah, CTSP – SavATree Sarah is the director of learning & development at SavATree and an ISA Certified Arborist, CTSP, and ATD Certified Professional in Talent Development. She specializes in building high-impact training programs for leaders in the tree care industry. Sarah is also an ultra-marathon runner who brings the science of endurance sports into her work, exploring how arborists can train smarter, recover better, and build the mental durability needed to thrive across long careers as industrial athletes. | View | 0.5 ISA & CTSP CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 55 | friday |
| Friday | 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Growing Communities: How Arborists Make an Impact Beyond the Jobsite |
Paul Putman, TREE Fund and Russell Evans, CTSP, Saluting Branches The arboriculture industry’s impact extends far beyond tree care operations. In this engaging discussion, representatives from TREE Fund and Saluting Branches will share how industry professionals are making meaningful contributions through fundraising, public outreach, volunteerism, and service. Attendees will learn about TREE Fund’s annual Tour des Trees bicycle ride, which raises critical funds for arboriculture research while increasing public awareness of the value and importance of healthy urban forests. The session will also highlight the Saluting Branches Day of Service, a nationwide volunteer effort that mobilizes arborists and industry partners to provide tree and landscape care at veteran cemeteries and memorial sites. Attendees will discover how these initiatives strengthen communities, elevate the profession’s visibility, create meaningful networking opportunities, and provide rewarding ways for individuals and organizations to give back. Participants will leave with practical ideas for getting involved and supporting industry-wide efforts that make a lasting impact. Speaker Bio: Evans, Russell, CTSP – Saluting Branches and Southern California Edison Russ Evans serves on the Saluting Branches board of directors and is an active member of the organization’s outreach committee, helping expand awareness and engagement for the annual Day of Service honoring our nation’s veterans. Evans is a utility arborist, specialist with Southern California Edison (SCE) and has spent the past seven years working in the utility arboriculture industry. His work focuses on vegetation management, safety, and maintaining reliable utility infrastructure while supporting environmental stewardship. Before entering the arboriculture field, Evans served over 13 years (1999-2012) in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantry Marine, where he developed the leadership, discipline, and commitment to service that continue to guide his professional and volunteer efforts today. Evans holds several respected industry credentials, including TCIA Tree Care Specialist, TCIA Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP), ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Certified Utility Specialist, and the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ). Putman, Paul – TREEFund Dr. Paul Putman joined (TREE) Fund in 2023 as President & CEO and has now ridden the Tour des Trees four times. He is proof that anyone that would like to participate in the ride is welcome and supported! He believes the connections made during the ride will last a lifetime. Join him along with other Tour riders and learn more about why the Tour des Trees is such a great experience. | View | 0.5 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 59 | friday |
| Saturday | 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM | Addressing Mental Health; Trauma and Resilience |
Aaron Kiefer, CTSP, QT, Ryan Lawn and Tree “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” -Rafiki This is a great line from the Lion King but it is easier said than done. Our past is something that affects the present for better or for worse. It affects us emotionally and those emotions come from somewhere. Our goal will be to get the ball rolling on unprocessed emotions in tree care by taking a look at how our nervous system works, what has been done in the past and how we can address our emotions moving forward. Speaker Bio: Kiefer, Aaron, CTSP, QT – Ryan Lawn and Tree Aaron has been an arborist with Ryan Lawn and Tree the past eleven years. He started with no knowledge of the field and has learned from on-the-job training, climbing competitions and various events from the ISA and TCIA. He works in the field with the crew in Springfield, MO and helps as a learning coach to develop the up-and-coming pruners. From his upbringing in Alaska to living in the woods with his wife, life has been quite an adventure. Aaron did commercial fishing growing up and went on to get his degree in intercultural communication. He is passionate talking to people about faith and loves learning new things. | View | 0.5 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 79 | saturday |
| Saturday | 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM | Industry Thought Leader – 6 Domains Panel | View | 0.5 ISA CEUs | Trade Show Floor #1901 | 83 | saturday |
We do not sell or make our attendee list available, either directly or through a third party, period.
If you receive any solicitation to buy an attendee list, it should automatically be considered fraudulent and unauthorized.
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