I am a Professor, Resource Development, with University of Tennessee Extension.

I co-chair the Clean Water/Animal Waste Management priority program team. This team gives statewide leadership to environmental stewardship educational programs. Adapting the Farmstead Assessment System ( Farm-A-Syst ) and Homestead Assessment System (Home-A-Syst) programs for Tennessee have been major team projects. The team also helps support county programs with grant funds from USDA, EPA , and other sources. I am the state program coordinator for the CSREES water quality initiative and represent Tennessee on the Southern Region Water Quality Planning Committee ( SRWQPC ). I am also secretary for the state rural development committee.

Before coming to Tennessee, I worked in agricultural development in South America. I earned a PhD in agricultural economics at the University of Tennessee, an MS in agronomy/international development administration at Montana State University and a B.S. in agriculture at the University of Connecticut.

Spare time activities include volunteer work with the Great Smoky Mountain Council, Boy Scouts of America, and the Tanasi Girl Scout Council .