No two days are ever the same in Extension so we get to see a lot of the state. Through a grant program, I brought 25 high schoolers to campus for two weeks, ten years in a row. After living at OSU and interacting with professors for two weeks, many felt like OSU was home, and came here after high school.

I am privileged to work with Extension educators across the state to help cattlemen and veterinarians of all ages and experience levels. One of my favorite programs has been the Women’s Cow-Calf Bootcamp that was launched in 2022. These producers were not afraid to jump right in and experience the workshop firsthand. They were taking notes and you could see them thinking about applying the information provided as soon as they got back to the ranch.

I enjoy teaching people life skills that will help them now and in the future. Do what you love and love what you do. I have worked for extension for 28 years and wouldn’t change my career if I could do it over again.

I get to explore problems/issues and help figure out a way to fix or improve the situation. I work with groups that are advocates for agriculture and partner with producers for demonstration and research trials. I also get to work with smart and resourceful people across the state. The best thing is that I get to solve real problems that make a difference in that person’s life.