Jordan has a master's degree from Cornell University and bachelor's degree from UC Davis.
"We consider her a star," said Maxwell Norton, who retires June 30 after 30 years as a Merced County UC ANR advisor and county director.
Jordon told Wines and Vines that she expects water use, conservation and irrigation issues to be topics of interest to growers in her territory, which she estimates contains about 90,000 acres of vineyards.
However, her focus, she said, will "ultimately be determined by what best serves the growers."