Brady Holko is a laboratory technician at Davey Tree Expert Co. in Kent, Ohio, but she’s also a scientist, educator and mentor, and the overall winner of the Up-And-Comer category in this year's Women In The Green Industry award.
A champion for women in science. A leader in groundbreaking research. An industry educator and mentor.
These are just a few terms used by colleagues to describe Holko.
According to colleague Matt Shaffer, arborist at Davey Tree, “Brady is one of the most promising young professionals in the green industry, with her scientific expertise, leadership in education and dedication to mentorship.”
Throughout her time in the green industry, she’s developed firm roots, branched out to become a leader in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and has spread her seeds of knowledge so others around her can flourish.
How it Started
Davey Tree Expert Co.
A student at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, she majored in biology and served as a greenhouse technician at The Heritage Conservatory.
“I liked the plant side of biology the best and met a professor who introduced me to plant healthcare,” Holko says. “I was able to get a good basis of general plant health care in the greenhouse setting.”
From there, she landed a job at Davey Tree Expert Co. in 2020 — right before the pandemic hit.
How it’s Going
While Holko has conducted groundbreaking research in the lab at Davey, her reach within the industry extends even further.
“In the diagnostic lab, we see a lot of big issues facing trees and different plants in our landscape, and it's nice to be actively involved in treating and caring for them,” Holko says.
In her half-decade career, her accolades include:
- Primary author and manager of Under the Canopy newsletter, which provides diagnostic lab insights and research updates to arborists and plant health professionals.
- Presenter for Tree Talk Tuesday, leading an industry webinar on beech leaf disease for arborists nationwide.
- Developer of training content for Davey’s learning management system, making complex plant pathology concepts accessible to field professionals.
- Leader of research on beech leaf disease, helping develop management strategies for this devastating tree disease.
- Conductor of pesticide efficacy trials to test new treatments for plant diseases.
- Tracker and reporter of emerging threats like oak wilt, root rot and bacterial leaf scorch, ensuring arborists are prepared to mitigate tree health risks.
- Host of student events at The Davey Institute, introducing college students to the field of plant diagnostics and arboriculture.
- Member of the Ohio chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture.
- An in-demand speaker on tree disease management, pathology research and diagnostic advancements. In 2024, she shared her expertise through numerous events, including the Ohio Tree Care Conference, Cleveland Metroparks Research Symposium, Virginia Forest Health Care Professionals Conference and many more.
Her favorite project, she says, is researching beech leaf disease and testing a product that fights the disease.
“The product has been really good in keeping our trees healthy — I’m proud to be part of Davey’s efforts with that,” Holko says. “I love that I’m able to work with the environment and keep the climate and our trees healthy.”
When she’s not at work, she enjoys spending time outside and hiking.
“It comes with being in this industry — my husband and I like to explore different local parks in our area, and we’re really lucky to have such awesome parks where we live,” Holko says, adding that she’s also an Esports and video game enthusiast and also enjoys creating digital art. “I’m a nerd in the lab and outside.”
While Holko admits that she’s been fortunate enough to not have experienced discrimination in her position, she notes that her field is dominated by men.
To navigate any potential challenges that come with that, she leans into support groups such as Davey’s Women+ affinity group.
“Any chance I get to be around women in this industry, like with our Women’s+ Group, has been fantastic,” Holko says. “I’m lucky to be at Davey right now because we have such a great women’s ally organization.”
For other women looking to make their way in the green industry, Holko recommends getting involved.
“Some of the best experiences I’ve had have been through working with different people,” Holko says. “So, if you just get out there, make a name for yourself and get involved with different groups, it will certainly get you far.”
What’s Ahead
Looking ahead, Holko aims to continue her work with plant diagnostics to raise the green industry as a whole.
Her long-term goals include:
- Expanding industrywide education through more webinars, conference presentations and published research on plant health topics.
- Growing Under the Canopy into a leading industry newsletter with broader reach and expanded research insights.
- Advancing new management strategies for beech leaf disease, helping to mitigate its impact on forests and urban landscapes.
- Mentoring the next generation of plant scientists, continuing to host hands-on training events for students and young professionals in the green industry.
- Developing more training content for arborists, ensuring that tree care professionals have access to cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment methods.
She notes that to reach these goals, the green industry could use more help.
“We have a big planet to take care of, and volunteers make a huge difference,” Holko says. “The more hands, the better. It’s important to keep the public educated.”
