- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
In this new role, Kathryn will manage and support strategic projects, operations, and processes across UC ANR's programmatic portfolio, with a focus on the Statewide Programs and Institutes, Strategic Initiatives, and County Cooperative Extension. Kathryn will provide project management and programmatic support to Vice Provost Daniel Obrist, County Cooperative Extension Director Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty and myself.
As a project manager in the Vice President's Immediate Office over the past few years, Kathryn provided project management and key contributions to planning and executing the 2023 ANR Statewide Conference and UC ANR's strategic planning and strategic visioning processes, among other projects. Kathryn will continue to be involved in the next phases of UC ANR's strategic planning and strategic visioning in her new position and will be based at the UCOP office in Oakland.
Please join me in welcoming Kathryn to her new role.
Brent Hales
Associate Vice President for Research and Cooperative Extension
- Author: Jodi Azulai
Each year, UC ANR Learning and Development sends several women to systemwide UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development.
UCWI is a unique, experiential professional-development program committed to enabling the full participation, success and advancement of woman-identified professionals at the University. The program is open to all who support this mission and who are interested in the development of woman-identified professionals.
Several of the 2021-2022 participants shared their unique experience.
– Marilynn Ljungberg, Community Education Specialist
The UC Women's Initiative gave me the tools and confidence to take control of my career, specifically through developing my professional Board of Advisors and thinking through my values and the impact I make while creating my professional narrative.
– Kathryn Stein, Executive Assistant
I really enjoyed this program, it provided a framework to be a better leader and mentor.
- Alda Pires, Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension/Associate Specialist
UCWI was just the kickstart I needed to be more invested in my career development. This program helped me eliminate my fear of networking and allowed me to put together a board of advisors to council me on my career.
- Sibani Michael Bose, Chief Business Officer, Nutrition Policy Institute
Because of this exceptional program, I will be able to share better feedback, and ask more succinct questions to get the information I need.
– Terri White, Executive Assistant
The UCWI program connected me with women throughout the UC system. Together we created a safe environment to share, built a support system, and created friendships that will last for years. As a result of my participation in the program, I have increased my self confidence in my role in the organization and in leading my team. I feel empowered explore what opportunities for career advancement exist around me and to take steps to surround myself with people and opportunities that will allow me to transition into those positions.
- Rita Palmer, California 4-H Statewide Staffing Plan Coordinator
The overall program UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development is designed to:
- Cultivate a professional network that spans the UC system
- Provide access to top UC leaders — women and men — to learn about their diverse leadership approaches and journeys
- Strengthen skills and confidence through hands-on practice with a range of tools in the areas of:
- Professional development and impact
- Strategic relationship building
- Developing and delivering a compelling narrative regarding one's professional accomplishments and vision
- Negotiating at work
- Peer coaching
Interested? Stay tuned for ANR nomination announcements in early February 2023!
/span>- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Konrad Mathesius (pronounced “Muh-tay-zee-us”) is the new UCCE agronomy advisor for Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties.
Mathesius, who joined ANR on June 27, will be working with growers and pest control advisers in the Capitol Corridor area to address issues related to soils, pests, diseases and production efficiency. In addition to collaborating on a few projects with UCCE advisor Rachael Long in alfalfa, dry beans and sunflowers, he will work on a wide range of agronomic crops including corn, wheat, barley and safflower.
Mathesius will work with growers and PCAs to mitigate crop losses by addressing pest and disease pressures and to help them comply with nitrogen, pesticide and water regulations. He also plans to develop crop guidelines based on difficulties associated with specific soils in the Capitol Corridor.
The native of Logan, Utah, earned his undergraduate degree at Utah State and his master's degrees in soil science and international agricultural development at UC Davis.
“After graduation, I spent a few years working in the private sector, where I gained a sense of respect for bottom lines and the hustle to make ends meet,” Mathesius said. “I intend to bring the question of cost and efficiency into most, if not all of my work.”
Based in Woodland, Mathesius can be reached at kpmathesius@ucanr.edu and (530) 666-8704.
Kathryn Stein has joined ANR as executive assistant to Wendy Powers, Associate Vice President
Prior to joining ANR, Stein worked in the College of Engineering Dean's office at UC Berkeley for three and a half years. She earned a B.S. in environmental horticulture and urban forestry from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis. While in Davis, she worked for the Whole Earth Festival, an annual sustainability festival on the UC Davis campus.
Stein is based on the 10th floor of UCOP and can be reached at Kathryn.Stein@ucop.edu and (510) 587-6240.
Martinez and Au receive NIH Career Development Awards
Two researchers at the Nutrition Policy Institute have been awarded K01 Career Development Awards by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Lauren Au will research disparities in the relationship between the school nutrition environment and childhood obesity and Suzanna Martinez will study sleep duration and risk for obesity in Mexican-American children.
Martinez will receive $895,620 and Au will receive $840,871. Martinez has also been accepted into the K Scholars Program at UC San Francisco, which will provide her with peer support and mentorship to conduct the study.
Barbara Allen-Diaz, who retired as ANR vice president in 2015, is among five Land Grant university leaders recognized for Excellence in National Leadership by the Experiment Station Section of the Association of Public and Land‑grant Universities (APLU).
The other individuals honored with Allen-Diaz were:
- Walter A. Hill, Dean, College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee University
- Steve Slack, formerly associate vice president for agricultural administration and director of OARDC, The Ohio State University (recently retired)
- Daniel Rossi, formerly executive director, Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (recently retired)
- William (Bill) Brown, dean of research and director of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Tennessee
The resolution reads in part: “These leaders have personified the highest level of excellence by enhancing the cause and performance of the Regional Associations and Experiment Station Section in achieving their mission and the Land-grant ideal.”
The awards were announced at the annual Experiment Station Section meeting on Sept. 21 in Jackson Hole, Wyo.