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Leading Change
Posted on Aug 24, 2020
Extension professionals pictured are: (top row) Dr. Mark Latimore, Latasha Ford, Joy Moten-Thomas, Terrence Wolfork, (bottom row) ChaNaè Bradley, Woodie Hughes, Jr and Will Scott.
Fort Valley State University Cooperative Extension professionals serve as leaders in organizations throughout the land grant university system. These roles are instrumental in providing professional development, developing policy and lobbying for funding at local, regional and national levels. Learn about the responsibilities of Cooperative Extension personnel beyond their campus roles and see how they are making a difference.
ChaNaè Bradley serves as director of member services for the Association of Communication Excellence (ACE) in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences. This international organization consists of communicators, educators and information technologists who focus on communicating research-based information. In this role, she is responsible for activities that sustain and retain the membership, member communications, organizing orientation, mentoring and other services for new members. Bradley was elected to the positon in 2018 and inducted into the board at the annual meeting in June 2019. She will serve a three-year term. Her goal is to increase representation among the 1890 Land Grant Universities and the 1994 Tribal Colleges, as well as create unique opportunities for professional development of new members.
Latasha Ford represents FVSU as vice chair of the 2020 Association of Extension Administrators (AEA) Conference Marketing and Communications Executive Committee. She is also, co-chair of the 2020 National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) Conference Planning Committee and member of the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) Marketing Subcommittee. In these roles, Ford’s goal is to support FVSU professionals and land grant university partners across the system by enhancing their work experience and skills. This includes offering trainings and having a seat at the table to assist in planning system-wide conferences for networking opportunities and professional development.
Woodie Hughes Jr. serves as the first African-American to be appointed to the National 4-H Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP-4-H Leadership Committee). Moreover, he is also the 1890 Region State 4-H Program Leader Representative for all 19, 1890 Land Grant Universities. The purpose of the National ECOP 4‐H Leadership Committee is to engage in regular and substantive dialogue about issues of national importance related to the LGU Cooperative Extension System’s implementation of the 4‐H program. Furthermore he serves on the National 4-H Professional Development Committee (2017-2020) as the 1890 Region State 4-H Program Leader representative. This committee focuses on identifying and disseminating high quality, research-based, educational resources and learning opportunities. The goal is to build the competency, capacity and connections to 4-H staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and emerging adults/professionals throughout all five regions of the Cooperative Extension system. Lastly, Hughes serves on the National 4-H Pathways Committee as the 1890 team leader (2018-present) and he serves on the 2021 National 4-H Leadership Planning Committee as one of two 1890 Region State 4-H Program Leader representatives. The purpose of the National 4-H Pathways Committee is to increase focus and capacity building in leadership development, organizational culture change and creates supportive environments for innovative thinkers.
Joy Moten-Thomas is completing her second three-year term as an 1890 Extension representative and chair elect for the Southern Rural Development Center’s (SRDC) Technical and Operational Advisory Committee (TOAC). The TOAC advises the board and the SRDC director in the development of priority goals and strategies for the center. The committee seeks suggestions and support from the directors and administrators of the various state Extension and research units in the region, land grant faculty and rural development stakeholders. She also serves as an 1890 CRD representative for the Southern Region Program Leadership Network (SRPLN). Additionally, she has completed her 16th year serving as chair of Fort Valley’s Community and Housing Task Force.
William Scott serves as the 1890 Regional Representative for the National Extension Technology Community. The purpose of NETC is to bring together technologists and educators from land grant institutions in America to share strategies and provide solutions for challenges. Scott has been a member of NETC since 2010 and was elected to serve on the board in June of 2019. His goal is to establish more relationships with the 1994 institutions and find solutions for common issues in Extension.
Terrence Wolfork is currently serving as president of the National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP). NAEPSDP is composed of middle managers, staff development specialist, evaluation specialists, information technology specialists, instructional designers, administrators, human resources managers and program leaders who advance the Extension system through professional development. Wolfork is the first 1890 Extension professional to serve in this capacity of the organization. NAEPSDP is one of the seven national member organizations of the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) which provide leadership for the Extension Leadership Conference and the Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference. Wolfork will chair the PILD conference for 2021 as president of NAEPSDP and will also chair the JCEP Board Special Projects committee.
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