About California Oak Mortality Task Force

The California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF) is a non-profit group working to manage Sudden Oak Death in California. COMTF was formed in August 2000 by merging the efforts of two separate state organizations: The California Forest Pest Council (CFPC) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). The resulting Task Force is a consensus-driven coalition of research/educational institutions, public agencies, non-profit organizations, and private interests. Its primary purpose is to coordinate research, management, monitoring, education, and public policy efforts addressing elevated levels of oak mortality in California resulting from Sudden Oak Death (SOD). As we learn more about P. ramorum, our concern has broadened to include the other diseases it causes.

The Task Force goals are to:

  • Minimize the impact and spread of Phytophthora ramorum on natural, agricultural, and human communities. Test
  • Coordinate an integrated response by all interested parties to address Phytophthora ramorum.
  • Serve as liaison to local, state, national, and international groups.

Contact List

Task Force Chair and Special Advisors

Chris Lee, Chair Forest Health Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
118 South Fortuna Blvd,
Fortuna, CA 95540
707/726-1254
christopher.lee@fire.ca.gov
Susan Frankel,
Co-founder and Past Chair
Sudden Oak Death Research Program Manager, USDA-Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710 510/883-8825
sfrankel@fs.fed.us
Mark Stanley,
Co-founder and Past Chair
Retired Chief Deputy Director, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection markstanley@comcast.net

Education and Outreach Committee

Management Committee

Yana Valachovic Forest Advisor, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, University of California Cooperative Extension 5630 South Broadway, Eureka, CA 95540 707/445-7351
yvala@ucanr.edu
Kerri Frangioso
Staff Research Associate, University of California, Davis 371 Hutchison Hall, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 831/620-1098
kfrangioso@ucdavis.edu

Monitoring Committee

Richard Cobb Assistant Professor, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805/756-6333
rccobb@calpoly.edu
Kim Corella Forest Health Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 880 Manzanita Drive, Los Osos, CA 93402 805/550-8583
kim.corella@fire.ca.gov

Other Phytophthoras Committee

Diana Benner Principal, The Watershed Nursery 601A Canal Blvd, Richmond, CA 94804 510/234-2222
diana@thewatershednursery.com
Janell Hillman Plant Ecologist, Santa Clara Valley Water District 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA 95118 408/265-2600
jhillman@valleywater.org

Nursery Committee

Karen Suslow Program Manager, National Ornamental Research Site at Dominican University in CA 50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901 530-681-5538    karen.suslow@dominican.edu
Kathy Kosta Senior Environmental Scientist and Plant Pathologist, California Department of Food and Agriculture Pest Exclusion Branch, 1220 N Street, Room 327, Sacramento, CA 95814 916/403-6634
kkosta@cdfa.ca.gov

Regulations Committee

Helene Wright (Federal) Plant Health Director, USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 650 Capital Mall Suite 6-400, Sacramento, CA 95814 916/930-5500
helene.r.wright@aphis.usda.gov
Nick Condos (State) Branch Chief, California Dept. of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) 1220 N Street Room 327, Sacramento, CA 95814 916/654-0312
ncondos@cdfa.ca.gov
Tony Linegar (County) Agricultural Commissioner, Sonoma County 133 Aviation Blvd, Suite 110,
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707/565-2371
Sonomaag@sonoma-county.org

Research

Susan Frankel Sudden Oak Death Research Program Manager, USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA 94710 510/883-8825
sfrankel@fs.fed.us
Dave Rizzo Professor of Plant Pathology, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 530/754-9255
dmrizzo@ucdavis.edu

Treasurer

Steve Jones Retired Deputy Chief for Forestry Assistance, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection sjones.forester@gmail.com

Liason

Tom Smith Forest Health Specialist, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection PO Box 944246, 1416 Ninth St, Sacramento, CA 95814 916/599-6882
tom.smith@fire.ca.gov

Science Advisors

Matteo Garbelotto Adjunct Professor and Extension Specialist, UC Berkeley 151 Hilgard Hall, #3110, Berkeley, CA 94720 510/643-4282
matteog@berkeley.edu
Dave Rizzo Professor of Plant Pathology, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 530/754-9255
dmrizzo@ucdavis.edu