Nykia Perez Kibler
Nykia Perez Kibler, co-founder of Philly Tree People (501c3), is an ISA Certified Arborist® with a Master in Environmental Studies degree with a focus on Environmental Biology from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). She also has a Master in Liberal Arts from Penn, a Certificate in Landscape Plants from Temple University, a Master of Library & Information Science from The University at Buffalo, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fine Art Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology. Her two capstones from Penn were: “Philly Tree People: A Case Study on the Formation of a Non-profit Community-based Tree Planting and Tree Care Organization" where she outlined the Pruning Club program and "Management of the Urban Forest: A Zip Code Level Approach" where she outlined the plan for a Green Skills Youth program both of which were heavily modeled after programs after UC (University City) Green in West Philadelphia. She was an intern at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve where she worked in their native plant nursery, participated in interpretation activities, led guided walks for families, assisted with grounds maintenance, marketing, and data collection. Nykia is generally interested in ecological restoration, urban ecology, urban wildlife, ornithology, wetlands, urban forestry, native plants, biological conservation, road ecology, environmental education, nonprofit leadership, urban orchards, food gardening, green walls, children’s play spaces/gardens, and citizen science. Professionally, she works as a library director and research librarian providing and developing research services for faculty and graduate students at Penn, supporting grants, and disseminating research results via websites and social media. She’s also a girl scout troop leader and engages youth in tree planting, pollinator gardening, camping, and citizen science.

Jacelyn Blank
Jacelyn Blank is an ISA Certified Arborist® with a bachelor’s in fine arts and a master’s in education with Pennsylvania teaching certifications in Elementary and Special Education. She is one of the three co-founders of the federally recognized not-for-profit Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Tree Tender organization, Philly Tree People. When Jacelyn isn’t volunteering her time with Philly Tree People she teaches preschool children part time at a not-for-profit play school in Fishtown called By My Side, where she focuses on child led play and interests, increasing students’ social emotional understandings through incidental teaching opportunities, as well as introducing students to a variety of environmental and art related educational experiences. She also co-founded the Friends of H.A. Brown, her local catchment public school where she completed her student teaching in 2011 and where her son currently attends.
Jacelyn launched her own small business; Blank Slate Trees and Gardens, in 2021 where she works with Philadelphia clients on landscape design, garden creation and maintenance, installation and care for trees and installation of plants for window boxes and planters with an integration of native plants. She is currently completing her Pollinator Steward Certificate through the worldwide organization, Pollinator Partnership. Her ultimate career goals are to combine her love of teaching, arboriculture, and horticulture by continuing Philly Tree People’s Green Corps, a youth employment, education and empowerment group hiring students living and attending school in the Kensington neighborhoods in order to encourage more urban youth to move into the Green Industry while caring for Kensington’s tree canopy and learning through hands-on experiences.

Since April 2016, Craig Roncace has been the Urban Park Manager for the University of Pennsylvania. The Urban Park Department consists of five shops, each with its own Supervisor, and 58 staff who represent two unions. The Urban Park operation covers campus landscaping/maintenance, athletic field management, Penn Park, all hard surface maintenance, and the campus-wide waste/recycling program.
Before Penn, Craig worked in multiple roles as the Grounds/Area Manager for Temple University, at both their Ambler and Main Campus locations.
Craig was first introduced to the landscaping world by way of the golf course. He gained hands-on knowledge at an early age and quickly developed a love for the outdoors. He earned a degree in turfgrass management from Rutgers University, and within a few years, became the Golf Course Superintendent for a local private golf course in New Jersey.
Craig spent three years as a landscape manager for a large New Jersey based landscaping corporation, where he managed multiple teams in both turfgrass and horticulture maintenance within the local New Jersey/Pennsylvania Region.
In addition to his turfgrass education, Craig earned his MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business, and his B.A. from Eastern University.
Craig is an active member of multiple committees at Penn. One is Penn’s Ecological Landscape and Stewardship Plan (ELSP) Committee. The ELSP committee helps ensure Penn continues its efforts, from planning/design to maintenance, of successfully following a more ecological landscape within the ever changing functionality of the campus. These efforts cover, but are not limited to, storm water management, mature tree preservation, native plants, research, and training.
In addition to his current position at Penn, Craig is the owner of SportsTurf Management Resources, LLC which is a sports turf, lawn, and landscaping consulting firm. Craig enjoys helping others manage their own properties, both residential and professional, with a portion of the proceeds going towards suicide awareness.