David R. Tarpy
University Scholar Professor and Extension Apiculturist
Department of Applied Ecology
North Carolina State University
David Tarpy is a Professor of Applied Ecology and the NC Extension Specialist in honey bees. Among other extension initiatives, his program runs the Queen & Disease Clinic and the Beekeeper Education & Engagement System (or BEES). His research interests focus on the biology and behavior of honey bee queens in order to better improve the overall health of queens and their colonies. His lab focuses on the reproductive potential of commercially produced queens, testing their genetic diversity and mating success in an effort to improve queen quality. He has served on the boards of the NC State Beekeepers, the Eastern Apiculture Society, the Bee Informed Partnership, and the editorial boards of the top two scientific journals on apiculture. He is a highly sought-after speaker for clubs around the country and is in high demand to talk about the research coming out of his lab.
Dr. Jon Zawislak
Dr. Jon Zawislak is an assistant professor of apiculture and urban entomology for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. He has worked and played with honey bees since 1998, and is equally at home in the bee yard, the laboratory or the classroom. Each year he presents lectures, workshops and short courses for new and experienced beekeepers throughout Arkansas and beyond. His teaching emphasizes the biology and behavior of honey bees as the cornerstones of keep them productive and healthy. He also spreads the word about the importance of pollinators to the non‐ beekeeping public. Jon has a background in botany and entomology, and is a certified Master Beekeeper through the Eastern Apiculture Society. He and his family operate Walnut Valley Honey Farm in Little Rock, Arkansas, producing good products from the hive and supplying pollinators for area community gardens.
David Burns, Honey Lane Honey Bee Farms, Catlin, Illinois
David is a 2010 Certified Master Beekeeper through the Eastern Apicultural Society and is a frequent contributor at major beekeeping conferences and conventions, can be heard on blogs, and mentors hundreds of beekeepers through his mentoring club. His digital online classes have been viewed by thousands across the US and other countries. David is also the original creator of two most popular products: the Winter Bee Kind winter feeding system and the Burns Bees 3 Season Feeding System.
David has a YouTube channel and co-authored the book, "Backyard Beekeeping".
Randy Oliver, Scientific Beekeeping
Randy is a friend of Nevada State Beekeepers Conference and we welcome him back! Randy is a worldwide traveler sharing his research with many countries. He is known in the beekeeping industry as 'Randy'!
Per Randy on www.scientificbeekeeping.com: "I’ve visited beekeepers in many countries, and realize that there are as many ways to keep bees as there are beekeepers. The bees don’t care whether you are a commercial or hobby beekeeper, nor whether your personal preference is Langstroth, Warre, top-bar, small cell, foundationless, “natural” or conventional beekeeping–the same biology applies to all. My goal is to provide any and all beekeepers with a resource of readable and straightforward information on how to practice good bee husbandry, and to exercise environmental and community responsibility."
Garett Slater, USDA, New Orleans
Garett Slater is a Postdoctoral Fellow for the USDA. He obtained his PhD from Purdue University in 2022, with a thesis focused on applying modern genetic tools to honey bee breeding. Previously, he completed a MS in Nutrition and Queen Quality at North Dakota State University. Garett’s current research focuses on developing genomic tools for beekeeping, including selecting for natural defenses towards Varroa, pathogens, and other diseases. He has worked as a scientist and technician with the Bee Informed Partnership at the University of Minnesota for two years, directly supporting 30 commercial beekeepers in North Dakota. Garett has 12 years of beekeeping experience, including 8 years working for a large commercial beekeeper in North Dakota.
Dr. Anne Leonard, University of Nevada, Reno
Anne Leonard has been an associate professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno since 2012. Originally from Berkeley, California she began her study of animal behavior while an undergraduate at Brown University. After receiving her PhD from the University of California, Davis, she received a PERT postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona and the Darwin Fellowship to study bee and spider behavior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In addition to authoring numerous articles in scientific journals, Leonard’s research on interactions between bees and flowers has received coverage in The New York Times, NPR’s “Morning Edition”, Science News and BBC.com. Supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the USDA, her lab group asks basic questions about communication and coevolution between plants and pollinators, and seeks out opportunities to share their research with the public.
Steve Jimenez founded Hives for Heroes in 2018.
Hives for Heroes is a national military veteran non-profit organization focusing on honey bee conservation and a healthy transition from service. Through the national network of beekeepers and veterans they provide connection, purpose, and healthy relationships fostering a lifelong hobby in beekeeping.
Hives for Heroes started in late 2018 in Houston, Texas with a small team of dedicated volunteers who have become family. They have quickly grown into a nationwide organization, in all 50 states, seeking to serve the next veteran in their local community. https://www.hivesforheroes.com/
In 2019, Steve also founded rūtd - An enterprise software and mobile application solution connecting veterans and resources, in a single click, to end veteran suicide.