Fred Ehlert is a Colorado native, received a B.S. degree in Theatre from Southern Colorado State College in Pueblo and studied art at Metropolitan State College in Denver. In 1993 he received an A.S degree in Horticulture from Cabrillo College in Aptos, California, after which he worked as a licensed Pest Control Advisor in greenhouse pest management. Mr. Ehlert retired in 2014 from Ehlert Organics, Inc., after 20 years as an organic inspector and consultant.

About the Mask: On the Eve of her Plant Pathology final, Melanie was unable to get spores and life cycles out of her mind.