Rianda joins NPI to study youth physical activity policies
Davrina Rianda joined UC ANR in the Nutrition Policy Institute on July 1, as a postdoctoral scholar and assistant project scientist.
In her new role at NPI, Davrina will be supporting several projects related to youth physical activity policies and fitness in schools, as well as on developing and validating diet-related (including ultra-processed food) trajectory classifications under the supervision of NPI Director Hannah Thompson as her post-doctoral mentor.
Davrina earned her Ph.D. in nutritional biology from UC Davis, with an emphasis in global nutrition, biostatistics/epidemiology and child development. She also holds a medical degree in pediatrics and a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Indonesia.
Her research focuses on how nutrition and health trajectories from early childhood and adolescence inform programs and policies to support growth, development and long-term outcomes. She uses trajectory modeling to identify sensitive windows for intervention, and is interested in methods to promote wider adoption of advanced longitudinal data analysis.
Davrina is also interested in evaluating programs and policies for children and adolescents using longitudinal data. Her previous experience spans systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials and cohort studies across contexts, as well as leading community-based maternal empowerment programs.
Davrina is based at UCOP in Oakland and can be reached at drianda@ucanr.edu.
Wind named digital accessibility project manager
Seyon Wind (SAY-ahn Wihnd) has joined UC ANR as the digital accessibility project manager. In this role, he will partner with teams across the organization to design, develop and sustain digital accessibility solutions for UC ANR's web, mobile and software platforms.
A California native born in the town of Rainbow in San Diego County, Seyon spent the past 10 years at UC Berkeley supporting the advancement, instruction and disability communities to build sustainable, inclusive and secure digital environments.
Seyon brings a unique combination of technical project-management expertise and hands-on accessibility experience to the role. In addition to bringing deep expertise and leadership, Seyon will be instrumental as UC ANR moves toward a more inclusive environment, ensuring the ANR digital presence is accessible and welcoming for everyone.
Seyon is based at the ANR Building in Davis and can be reached at swind@ucanr.edu.
Singhasemanon joins Development Services
Kristin Singhasemanon (Sing haas manon) joined UC ANR Development Services as associate director of corporate and foundation relations.
Kristin will lead efforts to secure and steward funding from corporate and foundation partners, develop high-quality proposals and impact reports, and serve as a key liaison between ANR programs and external stakeholders. The position also supports strategic fundraising initiatives, relationship management, and internal coordination to advance ANR’s mission and impact.
Kristin is a corporate and foundations partnership strategist with over 15 years of experience building relationships across higher education, research and mission-driven organizations. She specializes in translating complex scientific and AI research into accessible, impact-driven stories, particularly within the National Science Foundation’s National AI Research Institute network and the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) at UC Davis.
Drawing on her background as a digital agency owner, she integrates AI-driven innovation, digital strategy and stakeholder engagement to grow visibility, strengthen federal and industry relationships, and deliver measurable results in audience reach and impact.
Kristin is based at the UC ANR building in Davis on 2nd Street and can be reached at ksinghasemanon@ucanr.edu.
McCabe joins UC ANR as project scientist at Sierra Foothill REC
Conor McCabe started at UC ANR as a project scientist on the Livestock Enteric Methane Emission Reduction-Research Program (LEMER-RP) on June 1. Based at Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center in Yuba County, he will be working with the cattle to help reduce methane emissions.
Fresh off earning his Ph.D. in animal biology at UC Davis, Conor said he is excited to continue the work from his graduate work focusing on reducing the environmental impact of livestock production. This project at Sierra Foothill REC will focus on using seaweed and algae-based feed additives for beef cattle to measure the impacts on methane emissions and production.
He will be working with Sheila Barry, UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for the San Francisco Bay Area, and Andrea Warner, UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Sutter, Yuba, Placer and Nevada counties.
Conor's past experience has focused on Extension and agriculture programs, including raising pigs for show at the county fair in Oregon, working with sheep and goat producers on pasture in northern New York, and serving as a UC Global Food Initiative Fellow with UC ANR Strategic Communications during his doctoral studies.
“This project can be one of the most impactful on how to reduce methane emissions on California rangelands,” said Conor. “Very few studies have investigated these emission reductions for beef cattle on pastures, and this will be one of the longest projects in the world to date.”
More information about the project can be found from a recent UC ANR Food Blog feature. Conor can be reached via email at cjmccabe@ucanr.edu and on LinkedIn.