Plant Growth Facilities Student Assistants

These bright young UGA students assist the PGF Professionals with daily management of all growing areas. Each assistant reports directly to a particular Professional and ultimately to the Superintendent. If you have any questions or requests about PGF-related topics, please direct these first and foremost to your respective PGF Professional or the Superintendent.

Charles Dawe

Charles is a 4th year biochemistry major at UGA. He primarily supports PGF areas managed by Lance Fountain. He loves working with plants and all kinds of life at the greenhouses. He also loves to work outside!

Leandria Garrett

Leandria is a third-year Horticulture student at UGA. She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Ellen Jones. Her favorite part of working with PGF is learning the ins and outs of maintaining greenhouses, caring for plants, and learning about the research centered around those plants. She has been able to learn a ton about greenhouse management and can't wait to see what other opportunities this position will provide.

Emily Leibl

Emily is a second-year Horticulture major and Studio Art minor at UGA. She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Pam Lewis. She loves working with plants and wants to see where life and her degree take her. Her favorite plants (at the moment) are pitcher plants and the sensitive plant. She also enjoys making floral arrangements.

Elizabeth Nicholson

Elizabeth is a third-year Marketing major and Sociology minor at UGA. She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Matt Seader. She is a UGA Flag Line member, Terry College of Business Sales Competition competitor, and Women in Business member. She aspires to work with B2B sales post-graduation. Her favorite thing about being with PGF is working with everyone to make the greenhouses as beautiful as they can be! She also likes the shop vac.

Past PGF Assistants

Alexis Bryan

Alexis Bryan is a fourth-year Fisheries and Wildlife student at UGA. She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Pamela Lewis. Her favorite part about working at the greenhouses is fertilizing the tropical greenhouse at South Milledge.

Ellemieke Van Kints

Ellemieke (pronounced 'ella-meek') is a fourth-year Computer Science student at UGA. But don't be fooled by her computer-y science-y background! She loves all things plants, and she considers caring for her (many) houseplants her favorite hobby. To Ellemieke, the best part about working with PGF is being able to spend time outdoors, away from her computer. Maintaining the greenhouses allows her to hang out with plants all day, and she couldn't be happier! She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Lance Fountain. Apart from her work with PGF, Ellemieke also conducts computer vision and machine learning research at the UGA Small Satellite Research Laboratory and currently serves as President of the Girls Who Code chapter at UGA.

Rebecca Hausknecht

Rebecca is a first-year Landscape Architecture major at UGA. While she appreciates smooth, clean lines and design, this job gives her a chance to work with her hands and channel her younger self, who was always exploring nature and playing in the dirt. She enjoys working with like-minded individuals and learning about the earth and its needs in such an up-close and personal kind of way. She is grateful for the chance to expand her knowledge as well as her skill set.

Jordan Boyd

Jordan worked for CAES greenhouses for 5 years while he pursued his BS and Master's in Public Administration. Jordan now works as a Budget Analyst for the State of Georgia in Atlanta.

Justin Cline

Justin is a fifth-year Horticulture major at UGA. He primarily supports areas managed by Pam Lewis. His favorite part about PGF is working with a large variety of exotic plants in the tropical greenhouse. Working at the greenhouses has been one of his most rewarding experiences at UGA.

Cassie Myers

Cassie is a second-year Biology major at UGA. Her favorite thing about working at the greenhouses is getting to spend time outside each day and doing hands-on, rewarding work. The world of greenhouses is all new to her, and she's enjoying every minute of it so far!

Ellen Jones

Ellen is a third-year Horticulture major at UGA. She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Pam Lewis. Her favorite things about working with PGF getting to learn the ins and outs of greenhouses, applying what she’s learned in her studies, working under Pam and getting to hang out with Bailey when she tags along. This is the best job she's ever had!

Susmitha Kalli

Susmi is a first-year Agricultural and Applied Economics major at UGA. She primarily supports PGF areas managed by Dean Kemp. She always believes agriculture is the most noble employment of man. Working at greenhouses gives her that honor. One of her guiding sayings is "Live life cleaner by making Earth greener."