After thoughtful and careful consideration, I’m pleased to announce that Darren Haver, Ph.D., has agreed to step in as UC ANR’s Interim Associate Vice President of Research and Cooperative Extension following AVP Hales’ departure.
Our primary goal during this transition is to support our people, programs and partners by ensuring continuity and smooth workflows in support of our research and Cooperative Extension mission. Darren was identified for this role based on his deep institutional knowledge, steady leadership, and long-standing service to UC ANR across multiple levels of the organization. He brings 25 years of UC ANR knowledge and experience to this role and is a skilled and trusted colleague.
After working at UC Riverside, Darren joined UC ANR in 2001 as a water quality program representative and became a UC Cooperative Extension Advisor in 2003, focusing on water resources, water quality and watershed management. In 2009, he assumed the role of South Coast Research and Extension Center Director and concurrently served as UCCE Orange County Director for nine years. Beginning in 2018, he took on a series of leadership roles within the Research and Extension Center System, transitioning to his current role as REC System Executive Director in 2023.
Throughout his tenure, Darren has closely interacted with all of our statewide programs and institutes, as well as UC ANR’s central administrative offices. He has served on Program Council, various program teams, and many division-wide committees.
Darren earned his Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and his Ph.D. in plant physiology from the University of California, Riverside.
We will be working to identify interim backfill for his REC system leadership duties. In the meantime, initiatives underway will continue as usual under Darren’s guidance.
Please join me in welcoming Darren to this new role. We are grateful for his willingness to serve and are confident in his ability to guide UC ANR thoughtfully and effectively through this transition.
Sincerely,
Glenda Humiston
Vice President