Chair

Allen Evenson

Weed Districts Representative

Allen is the chair for Grant County Weed District #3.

Voting member.

Vice Chair

Janet Spingath

Western Washington Public Interest Representative

Janet earned her degree in Forest Resource Management from the University of Idaho and did her graduate work in Wetlands Ecology. She has since worked as a timber cruiser in NW Oregon and taught forestry classes at a community college. She is retired from a Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting business she owned with her husband. They hand harvested aquatic invasive weeds for private and municipal clients in Washington and BC, Canada. She is active in her local environmental volunteer boards and serves as the Education Chair for the WSNWCB. She likes to point out noxious weeds to friends, whether they are interested or not.

Voting member.

Board Secretary

Carey Caruso

Eastern Washington Public Interest Representative

Carey Caruso serves as the Eastern Washington Public Interest Representative on the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. A dedicated advocate for sustainable agriculture, Carey and her husband operate a small farm in Pomeroy, Washington, where they maintain honeybee colonies for commercial pollination services, swarm removal, and honey-based product production.

Carey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Washington State University, which equips her with a strong foundation in public policy, governance, and stakeholder engagement. Her academic background enhances her ability to navigate the complexities of noxious weed management and advocate for balanced solutions that support both agricultural and environmental interests.

With a deep understanding of the vital relationship between noxious weed control, pollinator health, and agricultural success, Carey works to bridge the gap between stakeholders, including local weed boards, beekeepers, ranchers, and the broader community.

As a voting member of the Board, Carey actively contributes to decisions that impact the agricultural and environmental landscape of Eastern Washington, bringing her expertise, education, and dedication to the role.

Voting member.

Bill Zimmerman 

Representative of Southwest Washington Counties: Grays Harbor, Mason, Thurston, Pierce, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Clark

Voting member.

Dylan Mendenhall

Representative of Northwest Washington Counties: Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island, Snohomish, King, Kitsap, Clallam, and Jefferson

Dylan Mendenhall is the founder and principal ecologist of Haven Ecology and Research LLC. He draws on over 15 years of experience in the practice and study of ecological restoration, including as the co-manager of a small family forest. His professional background includes commercial biotech research and community-based ecosystem monitoring.

With an MSc in Forestry, Dylan’s graduate research focused on the cascading effects of an invasive herbivore on the plant and fungal communities of Haida Gwaii. Previously, he conducted research on the effects of Indigenous resource management on the structure and diversity of Pacific Northwest old-growth forests.

In addition to his professional work, Dylan serves on the Kitsap County Noxious Weed Control Board.

Voting member.

Marci Miller

Representative of South Eastern Washington Counties: Klickitat, Yakima, Adams, Whitman, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin.

Marci is on the Adams County Noxious Weed Control Board.

Voting member.

Vacant

Representative of North Eastern Washington Counties: Okanogan, Kittitas, Grant, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Lincoln, Douglas, and Chelan

Voting member.

Alison Halpern, Ph.D.

Washington Department of Agriculture 

Alison is the Acting Assistant Director for the Plant Protection Division at the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Voting member.

Marty Hall

Representative of Washington Association of Counties

Voting member.

Charles Edmonson

County Coordinators Association Representative

Charles is also the Coordinator for Lewis County Noxious Weed Control Board, where he has worked since 2021. He has a background with land managing agencies at the federal level, specifically the National Park Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management, and has worked throughout the Western United States as a biological science technician. During that time, he held various positions, primarily focused on invasive plant species, rangeland management, practices in native plant nurseries, and ecological restoration projects.

Non-voting member.

Wes Glisson

Scientific Advisor

Wes is an Aquatic Plant Specialist in the Environmental Assessment Program at the Washington State Department of Ecology

Non-voting member.

Todd Palzer

Scientific Advisor

Todd is the Aquatic Invasive Species Resource Planning Manager for Washington State Department of Natural Resources

Non-voting member.

Vacant

Scientific Advisor

Non-voting member.