Green Industry Pros celebrates trailblazers with 2025 Women in the Green Industry award winners

Green Industry Pros is proud to announce the 2025 Women in the Green Industry award winners. These outstanding individuals were selected based on their exceptional leadership, commitment to professional development and dedication to advancing both the green industry and opportunities for women within it.

Green Industry Pros, the nationally recognized website serving landscape professionals, is proud to reveal the 2025 Women in the Green Industry award winners, comprised of the top women professionals in the green industry.

The winners were selected by Green Industry Pros' team based on a range of criteria, including strong leadership and achievements that serve as a model for future generations of women in the green industry. Each honoree has shown a deep commitment to sustainability, safety and the ongoing growth and advancement of the industry as a whole. 

"Reviewing the incredible number of submissions this year was tough," said Jonathan Kozlowski, editor-in-chief of Green Industry Pros. "Every nomination in this year's Women in the Green Industry Awards program exemplified the qualities of true leaders and innovators within the green industry. It's truly an honor to be able to recognize how women continue to shape and lead the industry. We are proud to support and celebrate that progress."

Green Industry Pros, produced by IRONMARKETS, congratulates the following professionals as the 2025 Women in the Green Industry Award winners.

Winners are by category as follows: 

Up-and-comer

• Melody Barrios, operations & finance manager, Avanza Landscaping
• Cynthia Perez McDonald, lead field technician, California H2orticulture Services
• Brady Holko, lab technician, Davey Tree Expert Company
• Lindsey Brunson, director of operations, DreamLawn
• Emily Fretz, maintenance manager, Drost Landscape
• Courtney Krstich, co-founder & head of growth, EarthaPro
• Melanie Eckhardt, president & co-founder, Jamison Lawn Care LLC
• Hailey Bruckner, landscape architect, construction manager & owner, Landscape Connection
• Amber Ellis, up and comer, Lord's Landscaping
• Ashley Morgans, COO, Morgans Irrigation LLC
• Hailye Vaughn, scheduler/production manager, Nutri-Green Professional Services
• Rachel Fousch, brand manager, Fence, Rail & Deck, Oldcastle APG
• Rylie Hannis, estimator/sales professional, Outdoor Splendor
• Krystall Lee, business development & growth manager, Pizzo and Associates Ldt.
• Tessa Walls, student, Purple Walrus Lawn Company
• Emily Ahlstedt, director, Horticulture & Maintenance, Recover Green Roofs

Unsung hero

• Kim Spencer, account management & seasonal color manager, Benchmark Landscape Construction
• Lauren Ritch, general manager, Raleigh & Charlotte, North Carolina locations, Canopy Lawn Care
• Lee Knepp, owner, Conserva Irrigation
• Emily Mumford, assistant district manager, South St. Paul Office, Davey Tree Expert Company
• Savanah Grondy, horticulture crew leader/ snow team leader, Great Outdoors
• Lori Samples, advertising manager, Midwest Equipment and Supply, Inc.
• Cisco Gates, production manager, Oldcastle APG
• Cassi Hallam, chief marketing officer, System Pavers
• Kimberly Morrison, senior crew leader, Trees, Inc

Seasoned pro

• Nicole Longnecker, owner, Buds & Blades Landscape Company
• Ana Burns, senior area manager, Davey Tree Expert Company
• Kayla Lujan, vice president of sales & marketing, Down To Earth Landscape & Irrigation
• Devon Delong, landscape designer, construction manager & owner, Landscape Connection
• Lisa Fiore, CEO, LandscapeHub
• Jeri Kneiry, vice president of finance, Lawn & Garden Southeast
• Melissa Holley, vice president, Lawn Solutions
• Kelly Slater, CEO, Pleasant Landscapes, Incorporated
• Linda Adams, owner & president, Quality Lawn & Landscape
• Dacia Trombetta, business operations manager, RedTree Landscape Systems
• Rebekah Johnson, landscape architect, Saline Landscape Company
• Jessica Milligan, CEO, Strathmore

To learn more about the award winners, visit: https://gpros.co/women-who-win-2025

About Green Industry Pros Magazine

Green Industry Pros provides the latest insights on products, trends, technologies and business strategies that impact landscape contractors and maintenance facility professionals. The digital news outlet covers everything from lawn maintenance, installation and lawn care to irrigation and power equipment.

About IRONMARKETS

IRONMARKETS, formerly known as AC Business Media, is a leading business-to-business media and buyer engagement platform with a portfolio of renowned brands in heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, paving, rental, sustainability, landscape, manufacturing, logistics and supply chain markets. IRONMARKETS delivers relevant, cutting-edge content to its audiences through its industry-leading digital properties, trade shows, conferences, videos, magazines, webinars and newsletters. It also provides advertisers the analytics, data and ability to reach their target audience. Learn more at https://www.iron.markets/