The Dream Team Behind Cultivate

How three women build the education that powers the green industry’s biggest event

Episode Description

Every July, thousands of growers, retailers, and plant lovers flood Columbus, Ohio for Cultivate — and behind roughly 160 education sessions packed into four days is a team of three. In this episode, Ping sits down with the AmericanHort education team: Meagan Nace, Rachel Rawls, and Alejandra Feliciano, Ph.D. They pull back the curtain on what it takes to plan the industry’s largest event, from the 400 to 500 session proposals they sift through each year to the speakers they lock in more than twelve months ahead.

But Cultivate is only the headline. The conversation moves into the education that runs all year long — Mastery Series deep dives, grower certifications, a brand-new badging program, the Grow Forward series for personal and professional growth, and live Spanish interpretation that opens every webinar to a broader audience. Alejandra explains why mirroring English programming in Spanish matters, and why having Hispanic researchers serve a Hispanic audience changes who gets reached.

For researchers and extension professionals wondering how to get involved, the team has a one-word answer: reach out. They share exactly what makes a session proposal stand out, why the practical “golden nugget” beats theory every time, and what keeps them coming back to the work. And yes — before the conversation ends, everyone names their favorite plant of the day.

Listen Time: 55:40

In This Episode

Guests

• Meagan Nace — Senior Education Program Manager, AmericanHort. Oversees the education team and all AmericanHort programming, from certifications to Cultivate to fall conferences. Background in agricultural education and new product development at Scotts Miracle-Gro.
• Rachel Rawls — Education Program Manager, AmericanHort. Focuses on events-based education and builds the Cultivate program — topics, speakers, and session formats. UGA horticulture and ag/environmental education graduate; former UGA and Purdue Extension agent. Passionate about grower-based education.
• Alejandra Feliciano, Ph.D. — Spanish Curriculum Development Manager, AmericanHort. Leads Spanish-language programming and helps lead the HortCred digital badge program. Grew up in Puerto Rico; master’s from Iowa State, Ph.D. from Washington State; former landscape designer and community college instructor.

Main Topics

• Meeting the dream team and three paths into horticulture (00:52)
• Why horticulture is bigger than plant production (06:16)
• How Cultivate planning works — and why it never stops (08:09)
• Inside the proposal bank: ~160 sessions, 400–500 proposals (11:07)
• A detour on team strengths and the Six Working Genius (14:26)
• What makes the cut: applicable over trendy (17:28)
• The five core industry segments (21:56)
• Mirroring English programming in Spanish (24:41)
• Education that never stops: Mastery Series, certifications, badging (26:33)
• On-demand sessions and the Grow Forward series (30:14)
• A partner to research and extension — how to get involved (36:32)
• Sessions that stick, and everyone’s favorite plant (43:18)
• Where to find AmericanHort (52:13)

Key Highlights

• AmericanHort runs roughly 160 education sessions across four days at Cultivate, selected from 400 to 500 proposals received each year — with some speakers locked in more than a year in advance.
• The team’s filter for what makes the cut: not whether a topic is trending, but whether attendees can take it home and use it next week.
• Education runs year-round, not just at Cultivate — Mastery Series deep dives, grower certifications (Technician level and Section Grower), a new micro-credentialing/badging program, and the Grow Forward series for personal and professional development.
• Spanish programming aims to mirror what’s offered in English, including live Spanish interpretation on webinars and badges available in Spanish.
• AmericanHort positions itself as a partner to extension and researchers, helping practical research reach frontline workers directly — and amplifying Hispanic researchers serving a Hispanic audience.

Key Quotes

“I’m not sure that planning for Cultivate ever stops. We’re already looking at 2027.” — Meagan Nace (08:48)

“If it’s trending but it doesn’t change any decision-making or outcomes, it’s probably not gonna make the cut for education.” — Rachel Rawls (20:56)

“We have a complete ecosystem of educational products that meets our industry and individuals where they’re at in their career and in their stage of life.” — Meagan Nace (29:44)

“The number one word that resonates in my mind is we’re a partner to Extension and researchers, because we fulfill that outreach goal.” — Alejandra Feliciano (40:58)

“They really are the secret sauce behind education at Cultivate, and everything at Cultivate.” — Meagan Nace, on the volunteer community connectors (35:42)

Educational Highlights

• Cultivate is one of the largest green-industry events in the United States, held annually in Columbus, Ohio. AmericanHort’s education team programs around 160 sessions across four days — roughly 11 running at the same time in any given slot.
• Five core industry segments anchor the programming: greenhouse, nursery, garden retail, and interior landscape, with careers spanning everyone from owner-CEOs to the people physically growing in the greenhouses.
• Mastery Series are deep-dive programs — think master class — that give people the basic principles and useful information without committing to a full college course.
• Certifications and micro-credentials: AmericanHort offers grower certification at the Technician and Section Grower levels. Because certification takes time, the new badging program offers a quicker, trackable “happy medium” for teams that need technical knowledge fast.
• Grow Forward, launched in 2024 by the Generation Next Community Connectors, focuses on personal and professional “softer skills”; six sessions run virtually throughout the year.
• HRI (Horticultural Research Institute) is the research arm of AmericanHort, led by Jen Gray, Roni, and Michael. At Cultivate, the Thrive Stage spotlights HRI-funded researchers sharing their work and its industry impact.
• The practical “golden nugget”: when proposing a Cultivate session, researchers should frame their work around the problem it solves and what a grower could do differently in their operation next week.
• Plant spotlight (favorites of the day): oakleaf hydrangea (Rachel), witch hazel — Hamamelis — blooming and insect-pollinated in the Pacific Northwest (Alejandra), and peony, plus Edgeworthia paper bush prized for its scent (Meagan).

Resources & Links

• Website: bandbpod.com
• AmericanHort: americanhort.org
• Cultivate: cultivateevent.org
• AmericanHort online learning center (search for Spanish-language content)
• Follow AmericanHort on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X

About Blooms and Beyond

Blooms and Beyond explores plant history, culture, and management through the lens of science. Whether you’re a commercial grower seeking practical solutions, a student exploring careers in horticulture, or simply someone who loves plants and their stories, there’s something here for you. Hosted by Dr. Ping Yu of the University of Georgia, each episode features interviews with experts who share enchanting stories, cutting-edge research, and practical wisdom from the world of horticulture.

Your benefit: After each episode, commercial growers will have at least one useful tip for their operation, and plant enthusiasts will have an interesting fact to share. That’s how we spread plant power to more people and make our environment a little better.

Credits

Host: Dr. Ping Yu Producer: Rich Braman Guests: Meagan Nace, Senior Education Program Manager, AmericanHort; Rachel Rawls, Education Program Manager, AmericanHort; Alejandra Feliciano, Ph.D., Spanish Curriculum Development Manager, AmericanHort

Episode Release Date: June 14, 2026 Episode Length: 55:40

“Till next time, stay healthy and go plants!” 🌱