Pesticide Advisory Board


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Pesticide Advisory Board (PAB)

Upcoming Meeting!

Join us for the next Pesticide Advisory Board meeting! 

October 16, 2025, 8:00 - 10:00 am
Agenda
Meeting Link

This meeting is open to the public and includes a public comment period.
An in-person meeting viewing space will be available for members of the public without internet access:
Natural Resource Building
Conference Room 259
1111 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98504
The Pesticide Advisory Board (PAB) was initially established by the Washington state Legislature in 1994 and then was struck from the statute along with other state-funded boards and committees in 2010. The PAB was re-established in the 2023 legislative session (ESHB 1019 codified in RCW 17.21.455 and RCW 17.21.460) to advise the Agricultural Environmental Services (AES) Division of WSDA on the Division's plans, actions, and ongoing or emerging significant issues related to pesticides in Washington state. For more information, read the Pesticide Advisory Board Fact Sheet.

The Pesticide Advisory Board may address the following issues:

  • Crop and pest control challenges, including invasive species
  • Proposed rulemaking
  • Pesticide-related legislation: new fees, programs, or projects
  • Coordination with other state and federal agencies
  • Emerging issues related to pesticides
  • Water quality and other environmental issues related to pesticides

Pesticide Advisory Board Chair


Congratulations to Wendy Sue Wheeler!

Wendy Sue Wheeler was elected chair of the pesticide advisory board at the meeting held December 14, 2023. Wendy Sue Wheeler is the Director of the Washington State University’s Pesticide Resources and Education Program. She has been a pesticide safety educator since 2012. She has a keen interest in improving pesticide safety education and pesticide resources in Washington, her region and across the country. An important responsibility of her pesticide safety education training focuses on pesticide stewardship to protect humans, the environment, and ecosystems.


Wendy Sue worked for 13 years for the Washington State Department of Agriculture in the Pesticide Management Division as a Pesticide Registration Specialist in Aquatics. This and prior invasive species work with the Pacific County Noxious Weed Control Board have positioned her to understand stewardship from the user and regulator perspectives.

Voting Members


Pesticide applicator licensed to operate agricultural aerial apparatus
 
Ronald A. Cline 
Licensed pest control consultant, licensed pesticide dealer, or pesticide dealer manager Jeffrey Leonardini 
Member representing the agricultural chemical industry Patrick Williams 
 
Agricultural producer Kelly McDonald 
 
The Department's Pesticide Management Division Assistant Director or the Assistant Director's designee Kelly McLain
Toxicologist or Pesticide Investigations Manager from the Department of Health
 
Griselda Arias 
The Department of Labor and Industries' Division of Occupational Safety and Health Assistant Director or the Assistant Director's designee Craig Blackwood
 
A member representing the environmental community
 
April Clayton
 
 
Representative from a federally recognized Indian Tribe or an interested Tribe that does not regulate pesticides
 
Joe Ben Herrera 
Farmworker advocate
 
Israel Delamora

 
Migrant farmworker
 
Junior Islas Sanchez 
 
At-large member as determined by the Director
 
Vacant
 
A member representing the Household and Commercial Products Association Steve Bennett 

Non-voting Members


The Director or the Director’s designee of the Department of Labor and Industries Bradley Farrar 
The Director or the Director’s designee of the Department of Fish and Wildlife David Heimer 
The Director or the Director’s designee of the Department of Ecology Greg Caron 
The Director or the Director’s designee of the Liquor and Cannabis Board Matthew Murphy
The Commissioner of Public Lands or the Commissioner’s designee Calvin Ohlson-Kiehn
The Commissioner of the Employment Security Department or the Commissioner’s designee Bertha Clayton 
The Environmental Health Specialist from the Department of Health Elinor Fanning 
                                        
Entomologist in public service Louis Nottingham 
 
Toxicologist in public service
 
Allan Felsot
 
Member from the National Pesticide Information Center Kaci Buhl

 
Pesticide Coordinator from Washington State University Wendy Sue Wheeler 
 
Agricultural Health Network Advisor from the Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center Edward Kasner 
The Department's Pollinator Health Coordinator Katharine Buckley 
Commercial beekeeper Bud Lynn Wilhelm
Member representing the United States Environmental Protection Agency region 10
 
Marie Hallinen
 
Member representing the Department of Transportation with expertise in vegetation management Ray Willard
 
Member representing the Noxious Weed Control Board Mary K. Tallman Fee

 
Member representing an organization made up of agricultural producers, timber producers, wood preservers, and others whose mission includes supporting the science behind the responsible use of pesticides in both agriculture and forestry Ryan Pessah


Meeting Minutes and Recordings