Turnagain Arm Mycological Society
2025
Mycologists and
Workshop Presenters
Steve Trudell
Visiting Mycologist
Dr. Steve Trudell is an affiliate curator in the Burke Museum Herbarium at the University of Washington. He has been photographing and identifying mushrooms and studying their ecology for nearly 50 years. Steve serves on the editorial boards of, and has written for, several mycological publications, and frequently serves as foray mycologist or invited lecturer for mycological societies and other nature groups, including 12 Girdwood Fungus Fairs. He is the author of Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest and co-author of Mushrooms of the National Forests in Alaska and the forthcoming Mushrooms of Alaska field guide. In 2014, he received the North American Mycological Association’s Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology. With degrees in geology and forest ecosystems analysis, Steve has taught mycology and other environmental science courses at the University of Washington, The Evergreen State College, and other institutions. His research interests include mycorrhizal ecology and the roles of fungi in forest nutrient cycling.
Kate Mohatt
TAMS Mycologist
Kate Mohatt is the vegetation ecologist for the Chugach National Forest. She started and has organized the Girdwood Fungus Fair from 2008. She has been collecting fungi in Alaska since 2006 and co-authored the Mushrooms of the National Forests in Alaska brochure with Steve Trudell. She is the founder and president of the Turnagain Arm Mycological Society.
Noah Siegel
Visiting Mycologist
Noah’s field mycology skills are extensive – he has spent over three decades seeking, photographing, identifying, and furthering his knowledge about all aspects of macrofungi. He has hunted for mushrooms throughout the United States and Canada, as well as on multiple expeditions to New Zealand and Australia and Cameroon. He is one of the premier mushroom photographers in the nation, having won numerous awards from the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) photography contest. His technique and attention to detail are unrivaled, arising from a philosophy of maximizing utility for identification purposes while maintaining a high degree of aesthetic appeal. His photographs have appeared on the covers and have been featured in articles of multiple issues of FUNGI Magazine, the primary mushroom enthusiast magazines in the United States, numerous mushroom books, as well as many club publications.He authored, along with Christian Schwarz, Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, a comprehensive guide for the northern California coast, and a Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California's National Forests.. Noah travels and lectures extensively across America, following the mushrooms from coast to coast, and everywhere in between.
Far North Fungi
Workshop Presenters
Gabe and Allison started their gourmet mushroom business Far North Fungi, in 2016, but have been obsessed with mushrooms for over a decade. Genetics, foraging, mycomaterials, farming and beyond, they have a breadth of knowledge. Join them in either their cultivation or tincture workshops to grow your own mushrooms, make your own tincture and learn how fungi can be incorporated into a sustainable future.
Teresa Paquet
Workshop Presenter
Teresa is a fungus dye hobbyist who was first introduced to dyeing with mushrooms in and has since attended many dye workshops since. "I enjoy the process and the results, which are typically a surprise. You never know what you are going to get!. She is a member of the Turnagain Arm Mycological Society and has assisted with and presented dye workshops held at the Fungus Fair over the last several years.
Girdwood Brewing Company
Workshop Presenters
Rory and Brett Marenco the brew engineers at the Girdwood Brewing Company will be sharing their knowledge of fermenting during a new in 2024 Fermentation workshop.
Gabriel
Foray Leader
Gabriel is co-president and a founding member of the Turnagain Arm Mycological Society. He was inspired to learn as much as he could about mushrooms after watching the “Know Your Mushrooms” movie when he was 3. He has been leading forays at both the Girdwood and Cordova fungus festivals for 7 years, and is much more interested in finding cool mushrooms than eating them! Recently he has completed 2 upper level courses on Fungi of the Sierra Nevada with Dr Brian Perry of San Francisco State University.
