We are pleased to announce that Connie Schneider has been selected to be director of the Statewide Youth, Families and Communities Program, effective April 1. As director, Schneider will provide statewide programmatic leadership as well as administrative and operational support to youth development and nutrition education programming.

Chosen from a group of highly qualified applicants, we feel Schneider possesses the unique set of skills and background needed to succeed in this role.  

The new program Schneider will oversee encompasses the 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H YDP) and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), as well as other ANR youth, nutrition, family and community programs.

Currently Schneider serves as nutrition family consumer sciences advisor for Fresno County and has been serving as chair of EFNEP Leadership Council since December. She earned a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Food Management from Oregon State University and has over 25 years of experience as a registered dietitian working in program administration, obesity/chronic diseases, and community/public health. Over the past five years as the Fresno County NFCS advisor, she has served in leadership positions including chair of the EFNEP Advisory Committee; co-chair of the FSNEP Evaluation Task Force; chair of the Health and Nutrition Systems Working Group and serves on the Healthy Families & Communities Initiative Panel.

Schneider will be reporting to Barbara Allen-Diaz, associate vice president of Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives. As director, Schneider will convene and chair the YFC Senior Leadership Team, which is composed of the associate director of 4-H program policy; chair of EFNEP Leadership Council; associate director of 4-H youth development-research; associate director of nutrition-research; associate director of family & communities-research; associate director for development and director of the 4-H Foundation; and YFC management services officer.

Schneider's colleagues praised the announcement.

“Connie's administrative and programmatic skills are real assets for ANR,” said Dave Campbell, incoming leader of the Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative. “I'm very excited about working with her in this new role.”

“I am very confident that Connie's experience coupled with her strong belief in the value of our Cooperative Extension programs will provide her with the tools to lead this program to new levels of success and achievement of our Strategic Vision,” said Sharon Junge, acting 4-H director and HFC Strategic Initiative leader, who will retire March 31.

The Statewide YFC Program works collaboratively with and complements the Healthy Families and Communities Strategic Initiative priorities and other critical issues affecting California youth, families and communities and develops strategies for effective organizational responses. The development of policy, program guidance, outreach, educational curriculum and professional development for ANR’s youth, families and communities programs is consolidated under the newly formed YFC statewide program.

The Statewide YFC Program organizational chart can be viewed athttp://www.ca4h.org/files/70906.pdf.

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This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.