Our Team

Nat Dellavalle

Founder
Board Advisor
Soil Scientist
Senior Agronomist

Nat is the Founder of Dellavalle Laboratory, Inc. He earned a Bachelor’s in Soil Science from Cal Poly. After graduation, Nat gained valuable on-farm experience prior to setting up several successful agricultural laboratories. He is a Certified Crop Adviser and Certified Professional Agronomist/Soil Scientist. Nat has served as President of the American Society of Agronomy -California Chapter, President of the Soil and Plant Analysis Council, and has served on many University, Agricultural and Environmental committees.

Ben Nydam

President
Sr. Agronomist

Ben is the President of Dellavalle Laboratory and has been with the company since 1990. He grew up on an almond farm near Turlock, CA and studied Agricultural Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Ben is an irrigation specialist and a Certified Crop Adviser. In addition, he is a past President of the American Society of Agronomy California Chapter and a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency. As an Agronomist, Ben serves clients throughout Tulare and Kern counties.

Danyal Kasapligil

Vice President
Secretary/Treasurer
Manager (Davis, CA)
Sr. Agronomist

Danyal received a BS in Plant Science from U.C. Davis, and an MS in Agriculture from Cal Poly. He has worked as a certified crop advisor for over 25 years and is also a certified professional agronomist, water system distribution operator (D-1) and a licensed pest control advisor. A past president of the California Irrigation Institute he currently serves on the advisory board for the western region certified crop advisors. Danyal manages our office in Davis and works with growers throughout northern California, providing assistance with plant nutrition, soil fertility, irrigation management, and soil site assessments for new developments.

Keith Backman

Sr. Agronomist

Keith has a Master’s degree in Horticulture/Pomology from U.C. Davis. He is also a Certified Crop Adviser, Certified Professional Horticulturist, and a California Water Distribution Operator. Keith has served as an expert witness for many Ag projects throughout the state and has vast lecturing experience for Universities and professional Associations and Conferences. He is also a contributing author for the Western Fertilizer Handbook and has been involved in the writing of Certified Crop Advisor Exams. Keith served as a Sr. Agronomist/Consultant for over 45 years and now offers his support and expertise to the rest of the Agronomy Team.

Scott Fridlund

Principal
Lab Director

Scott has a Masters of Agricultural Chemistry from U.C. Davis. He worked in the Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources Lab prior to joining the Dellavalle Laboratory team in 1993.

Annie Collins Burkholder

Partner
Soil Scientist
Sr. Agronomist

Annie attended the University of Dallas where she studied Biology and Environmental Science. She then earned a Master’s degree in Soil Science from U.C. Davis in 2009. She is a Certified Crop Adviser and a Certified Professional Soil Scientist. Annie has served on the board of the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Improvement Committee. As a Soil Scientist and Agronomist for Dellavalle Lab, Annie serves clients throughout Yolo, Solano, Colusa and the surrounding counties.

Andrew Koetsier

Agronomist

Andrew grew up working on his family’s farm. He has experience in both farm and dairy operations. Andrew studied Plant Science and Ag Business at Dordt University. He is a Certified Crop Adviser and works as an Agronomist for Dellavalle Lab. He serves the South Valley assisting growers in irrigation management, crop nutrition and more.

Carlos Olmedo

Agronomist
D1/T1

Carlos studied Agriculture at Woodland Community College and Business at CSU Sacramento. He has worked for Dellavalle Lab since 2012. He started as a Field Technician where he gained experience and studied to become a Certified Crop Adviser. Carlos is also a Distribution Operator (D1) and Treatment Operator (T1). He now serves both agricultural and environmental clients throughout Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and surrounding counties.

Chad Reenders

Manager (Hanford, CA)
Agronomist

Chad studied Agricultural Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Prior to joining the Dellavalle Team, he gained valuable experience working on a farm that produced food and forage crops, as well as tree nuts. Chad has been a guest lecturer at Cal Poly, Cuesta, and Fresno State in soil and plant science classes. Chad is a Certified Crop Adviser serving Southern Fresno, Northern Tulare, Kings, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties.

Lisa Rubin

Agronomist
Technical Consultant

Lisa specializes in Regulatory Compliance. She works on Waste Discharge Requirement reporting, Sediment and Erosion Control Plans, Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans, and many other permitting and compliance projects. Previously she worked at the State Water Board and has been with Dellavalle Lab since 2015. Lisa is a Certified Crop Advisor and Certified Technical Service Provider for CAP 102. In addition, she has a Bachelor’s in Plant Health Studies from Fresno State and an Associate’s in Natural Science and General Agriculture from Reedley College.

Scotty Sakamoto

Agronomist

Scotty is a Certified Crop Advisor and works as an Agronomist for Dellavalle Lab. Born and raised in Clovis, California, he obtained a BS in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo along with an AA in Plant Science through Reedley College. Scotty services clients throughout Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties working with a diverse range of row and tree crops. Scotty’s journey in the world of agriculture is a testament to the fusion of business insight and agricultural stewardship. Whether you are a farmer seeking expert advice or an enthusiast eager to learn more about agriculture, Scotty is your go-to agronomist ready to share his knowledge and experience to help maximize yields while minimizing environmental impact.

Christian Duran

Agronomist
Technical Consultant (Fresno)

Christian is a certified crop advisor working as an Agronomic Support Tech with the Fresno Agronomy team. Born and raised in the Central Valley, he is no stranger to agriculture and the daily impact it has on rural farming communities. Christian obtained his B.S. in Plant Science from Fresno State and looks forward to servicing growers with their irrigation management, crop nutrition, and soil fertility needs.

Cynthia Tiemersma

Dairy Technician

Cynthia was raised on her family’s dairy farm in Tulare County. She attended Dordt University where she graduated with a degree in Agriculture: Biotechnology. As a Dairy Technician for Dellavalle Lab, she assists dairy farmers with nutrient management, Dairy General Order regulations and requirements, and Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans. Cynthia primarily works in Kings and Tulare Counties but also assists dairymen throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

Maribel Garcia

Food Safety Specialist
Office Administrator (Hanford)

Maribel attended Cal Poly, Pomona where she earned her bachelors in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry. Maribel assists clients in the Tulare and Kings counties.

Martin James

Environmental Specialist
D3/T2

Martin studied water treatment at Fresno City College and Sacramento State Water Programs. He has worked with drinking water systems since 2008 before joining Dellavalle in 2018. He specializes in environmental services and private/public water systems. Martin is a Distribution Operator (D3) and Treatment Operator (T2) serving Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties.

Susan Villagran

Water Treatment Operator
T1

Susan attended San Joaquin Valley College where she earned an Associate of Science. She is a California Water Treatment Operator (T1) and a lead Sample Technician. Susan specializes in environmental monitoring including regulatory projects, drinking water systems and bacterial swabbing for packing sheds and other food processing industries. She serves clients throughout Kings, Tulare and Fresno counties.

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