Speakers
We are incredibly excited to bring you speakers from all over the globe!
RACHEL WILLIAMS
Owner Queen Bee Pest Control
TOPIC: IPM for Food Safety Rachel is commercial pesticide applicator, nuisance wildlife control technician, and a food safety professional with over 17 years in regulatory compliance of food processing. She’s been in the pest management industry for almost 3 years. Rachel's goal and passion is to educate technicians on the food safety aspect of pest management. She believes that any technician going into food processing facilities should be trained as mini auditors, knowing all aspects of food safety, including eight points of Sanitation, and regulatory requirements as applicable for integrated pest management.
ANNIE RAISH
CEO High Desert Wildlife Control
TOPIC: Wildlife Annie is a Wildlife Control Professional, CA Licensed (N) Wildlife Trapper, Lead Venomous Instructor: Adaptation Environmental Ethical, poison-free wildlife control solution professional. She is the only active female Certified Wildlife Control Professional in North America, and the only CWCP in California. Annie provides professional wildlife consultation and removal services throughout California. She is also a Lead Venomous (Handling) Certification Instructor.
SUZY RAYNER
President, Valkyrie Pest Solutions Inc
TOPIC: Pest Control Through a Trauma-Informed Lens; How Compassion and Connection can benefit your business. Suzy Rayner, president and founder of Valkyrie Pest Solutions Inc located in Manitoba Canada. Suzy has worked in the pest management industry since 2014. She initially started her company in 2022 as a way to be able to serve her customers her way. After a successful first year she was in a position to expand; it was at this point she realized that she could use her company to attract and retain more women and gender diverse folks into pest management. Currently Valkyrie Pest Solutions has only female field employees and a male office manager: quite the role reversal to the average pest control company! Suzy has worked her way up from humble beginnings. She has faced homelessness and she is a domestic violence survivor. She credits this background as to why she excels in creating successful programs for low income multi-unit dwellings. She understands what life is like for someone struggling and is able to bridge that divide between property owners and those renting from them.
JACQUELINE LEIVAS
Rodent Specialist, Terminix
TOPIC: Rodents & Exclusion Jacqueline Leivas is the rodent specialist for Terminix in Scottsdale, AZ and is known in several neighborhoods across the valley as the rat lady, critter gal or bat woman. She has worked in the pest control industry for over 8 years, providing specialized rodent control and nuisance wildlife removal. Jackie is an Arizona native and grew up on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation. Being surrounded by desert wildlife sparked a life-long passion for learning about these unique critters. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in wildlife management from Northern Arizona University. Her next goal is to become an Associate Certified Entomologist. From rattlesnake relocations to full home rodent exclusions, this girl does it all with a unique understanding and application of animal behavior and biology.
CULLEY CHRISTENSEN
Visonary/Creator of Pest Posse
TOPIC: Fundamentals of PC Sales Meet Culley Christensen, the visionary and creator of The Pest Posse. With over two decades of experience in pest control, Culley holds an active California Operator license in Branch 2 (general pest control) issued by the California Structural Pest Control Board. He began his pest control career in 1995 at Hydrex Pest Control before moving to Clark Pest Control and later joining SOS Pest Control and Coastal Termite and Pest Control. In 2017, Culley founded The Pest Posse to support small to medium-sized pest control businesses with training, mentoring, and consulting services. He hosts weekly Pest Posse TV episodes tailored for pest management professionals. He is a trainer for the Pest Posse Academy, which provides continuous training and valuable insights to industry professionals. Based in Pismo Beach, California, Culley utilizes the service division of The Pest Posse to service residential and commercial customers in the Five Cities Areas, create training courses and testing, and review new pest control-related products for Pest Posse TV. Culley has done a lot in the pest control industry and has never shunned a challenge. His strengths are brainstorming, big-picture thinking, leadership, problem-solving, customer service, public speaking, and training groups or individuals.
FOSTER BRUESCA
Head Wrangler of Pest Posse
TOPIC: Fundamentals of PC Sales Meet Foster Brusca, known as the Head Wrangler of The Pest Posse because he keeps Culley in check and manages the day-to-day operations. With over thirty years of experience, Foster has honed his skills and expertise in the industry. He holds an active California Operator's license in Branch 2 (general pest control) issued by the California Structural Pest Control Board. Starting his pest control career in pest control in 1993, Foster has worked with companies like Terminix, Hydrex Pest Control and Clark Pest Control, where he gained valuable experience in servicing residential and commercial clients, sales, and management. In 2018, Foster joined Culley Christensen to elevate The Pest Posse and bring the vision of supporting small to medium-sized pest control businesses with effective solutions and guidance to life. He serves as a host on Pest Posse TV, provides mentoring, and is a trainer for Pest Posse Academy, which provides continuous training and valuable insights to industry professionals. Foster is also actively involved in industry publications and media, serving on the Editorial Advisory Board and contributing as a Pest Management Professional magazine columnist. He has authored a successful sales guidebook, “The Fundamentals of Pest Control,” and continues to share his expertise through Pest Posse TV.
CISSE SPRAGINS
Rockwell Labs
TOPIC: Fly Management and Sanitation Rockwell Labs was founded in 1998 by Dr. Cisse Spragins, the current Owner and CEO. The first product, the D-Sect IPM Station, was launched in early 2000. Since that time, the company’s range has expanded to over 50 products. Prior to founding Rockwell, Dr. Spragins spent ten years at Bell Labs, Inc. as Technical Director and later as Director of International Business Development. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Spragins is currently the president of UPF&DA (United Producers, Formulators and Distributors Association) and is a former president and treasurer of Pi Chi Omega, the professional pest management fraternity. She is also a fellow of the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program. She has been profiled in PCT (Pest Control Technology) and in PMP (Pest Management Professional) magazine. She was inducted into PMP’s Hall of Fame in 2018.
DEBORAH MALDONADO
DOA Pest Control
TOPIC: Health With over three decades of experience, Deborah, a certified technician, has been the driving force behind a successful pest control company since 1991. As a co- owner with husband Dave, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and dedication to providing effective and reliable pest control solutions. Her commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction has established D.O.A Pest Control LLC as a trusted name in the industry. In addition to her leadership in pest control, Deborah brings a unique perspective as a registered nurse with over 38 years of experience and a master’s in healthcare administration. This dual expertise allows her to provide valuable insights into the health risks associated with chemicals, particularly for women and the workforce. With a keen eye for detail and a proactive approach, Deborah continues to innovate and lead her team to new heights, ensuring a safe and pest-free environment for her clients.
MARTY KEANE
Regional Manager for Nisus Corp.
TOPIC: Cockroaches Marty started at Terminix in Dallas in 1989. She has worked as an Independent rep on the west coast for companies including Maxforce for 10 years. She owned a pest control company and DIY company in Plano, Texas for 5 years before coming to work for Nisus for the last 4 years. In 2005 she became a Board Certified Entomologist. In 2002 she obtained her instructors certification from the state of Texas for Pest Control, Wood Destroying Organisms, Lawn & Ornamental & Weed Control, Wood Preservation and Commodity Fumigation while also being a Licensed Certified Applicator in each of these categories. She is registered as an instructor through the Department of Health to administer courses to Registered Sanitarians for Continuing Education. She is a Texas Department of Agriculture instructor for Continuing Education for licensees in agriculture for land applications. She most recently obtained ARM, Agricultural Research Management Certification in 2021.
ANNA BERRY
Technical Director, of Pelsis North America
TOPIC: Stored Product Pests Anna is a Board Certified Entomologist with over 20 years of experience in the pest management industry with a passion for food safety, commercial pest management, and training. She earned her BS in Biology from the University of Oregon in 2001 and her MS in Grain Science with a focus in Entomology from Kansas State University in 2006. Afterwards, she joined ISCA Technologies as an entomologist, where she worked on pheromone dispersal. In 2011, she joined McCloud Services and focused on technician training, standard operating procedures, and quality assurance initiatives. This continued when Terminix acquired McCloud in 2019. In 2021, Anna was hired as Technical Director for B&G Equipment and in 2022 promoted to US Technical Director for Pelsis. In this role she supports the B&G, Curtis Dyna-Fog, Brandenburg, and Bird B Gone brands with internal and external training and technical needs.
DR JANET KINTZ-EARLY
Entomologiest, JAK Pesticide Consultants
TOPIC: Fungi and 4-Letter Word Dr. Kintz-Early received her B.S. in Biology from Ursinus College. She studied behavior of azalea lace bugs in nursery settings while earning her M.S. in Entomology from Clemson University. Janet received her Ph. D. in Entomology from Clemson University, after evaluating fire ant colony movement and behavior with respect to disruption and mowing frequency on golf courses. Prior to graduate school, Janet interned at both Longwood Gardens (13 months) and Villanova University (3 months). Both internships provided her with invaluable real-world experience with integrated pest management in the horticultural industry. After completing her graduate work, Janet worked at Nisus Corporation for 12 years. At Nisus, Janet was initially an R&D Scientist where she was responsible for research and development, technical support, and education. She then became Nisus’ first internal Regulatory Affairs Manager and was responsible for Nisus’ EPA and state registrations, marketing language compliance, and all data necessary to support the federal and state registrations. Janet opened JAK Consulting Services in May 2015. JAK is a 100% woman-owned company that specializes in regulatory affairs, urban pest control education, expert witness cases, and pesticide efficacy research. She is a member and former scholarship recipient of Pi Chi Omega and the Entomological Society of America. Janet has volunteered hundreds of hours at the local ISI skating rink where she performed whirling dervish feats such as coordinating volunteer positions for three- and 6-day events and fed coaches and judges until they burst. For fun, Janet watches her daughter ice skate, tends to her fledgling flower gardens, reads fiction, and plays with her three furry children.
SANDRA SLEEZER
Technical Service Specialist Manager, MGK
TOPIC: Safety Tips & Tricks Sandra Sleezer has been at MGK since 2014 and is the technical service specialist manager. She provides support both internally at MGK and externally to customers by providing training and expertise relating to entomology and pest control. Before working at MGK, Sandra was a technician in the horticulture department at the University of Arkansas working in the fruit breeding program. Sandra has a B.S. from Oklahoma State University and an M.S. from the University of Arkansas, both in entomology.
