Snow melts to water and flows from Yosemite.

We are UC ANR! Our role as change agents is to effect change. Every employee in the organization participates in making change happen. Do you want to feel proud about the work you do? Read our 2020-2021 Annual Report. It's incredible. The report touches on just a fraction of our collective impacts.  

For those who follow this space, you realize Dr. Wendy Powers has assumed her new post as the first Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of Washington State University's College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. We are grateful for her contributions to UC ANR.  I've stepped into the Interim Associate Vice President, Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives role and look forward to working with the many teams and individuals in our organization. 

Also new to our organization is Dr. Daniel Obrist serving as Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and Development.  Daniel started August 15^th and is working with the hiring team to staff search committees, complete position vacancy announcements, conduct interviews, negotiate successful searches and on-board new academics.  We are grateful to all who participate in this process.  Hiring new academics is much work and VERY exciting!  Thank you everyone involved in the process.

Speaking of new employees we welcomed new advisors in June: Hardeep Singh, Central Sierra, local food systems (June 1); Chris Shogren, Los Angeles County, environmental horticulture (June 5); Cameron Zuber, Merced and Madera counties, orchard crops (June 6); Eric Middleton, San Diego, integrated pest management (June 6); Barb Satink Wolfson, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, fire (June 30). I can only imagine the great ideas and impacts these individuals bring to our organization. 

I look forward to our future as your Interim Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives. I've been a Specialist (UC Davis) for nearly 30 years and have served in various roles within ANR. My research and extension programs enabled me to work on the North Coast, Central Valley and Southern California with Farm Advisors and clientele.  I've served on Program Council for 5.5 years, and as the Sustainable Food System Strategic Initiative Leader.  Through my role as a Vice Chair of my academic department, I understand recharge rate concerns and needs and the merit and promotion process.  On a personal note, I am excited to serve in this role as UC ANR has provided me with a career opportunity not available anywhere else in the world. This is my way of giving back to the organization and people I believe in.  

Thank you for all you do for California!  Together we effect change for California, and beyond.