To help Californians meet a variety of challenges in their lives and livelihoods, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources has placed more UC Cooperative Extension experts with a wide range of skills and experience across the state. 

As California faces increasingly extreme weather and wildfires, UCCE has added two new positions to focus on disaster resilience. Other new UCCE specialists, advisors, coordinators and educators around the state are bringing to their communities a range of experience and expertise in environmental horticulture, agricultural economics, Indigenous food, youth development, forestry, food preservation, livestock and natural resources to their communities.

Since 1914, UC Cooperative Extension researchers have been working directly with community members to develop science-based solutions on many pressing issues. 

Tymon brings environmental horticulture to UCCE in Inland Empire

Lydia Tymon has joined UC Cooperative Extension as an environmental horticulture advisor serving San Bernardino and Riverside counties. She will be developing and extending horticultural knowledge in areas including climate-adapted landscape trees and integrated pest management to nursery, landscape and urban forestry professionals and community organizations.

Tymon brings extensive experience in applied pathology and nursery production. She previously held research and leadership roles at Washington State University where her work focused on the management of fungal and bacterial pathogens and pests affecting vegetable and small fruit growers in the state. 

Most recently, she was the senior director of Bio R&D at Mast Reforestation, where she worked with nursery growers and foresters on projects focused on seedling survival, drought tolerance, and disease and pest management.

She holds a Ph.D. in plant pathology from Washington State University, as well as a master’s degree in forestry and bachelor’s degree in botany, both from the University of Washington.

Throughout her career, she has emphasized translating science into practical solutions and she is looking forward to applying that approach to her work in California. 

Tymon is based at the UCCE office in Riverside and can be reached at ltymon@ucanr.edu. 

Woodke joins UCCE Central Sierra as Indigenous disaster resilience advisor

Robert “Bob” Woodke completed his Ph.D. in geography from UC Davis this summer and is now serving as the Indigenous disaster resilience advisor for UC ANR in the Central Sierra. 

Woodke conducted his doctoral research in Northern Senegal, where he helped pastoral women build forages to combat animal death in the face of drought. He also completed a master’s degree in community development at UC Davis and spent two and a half years in the Peace Corps in the West African countries of Mali and Benin.

Woodke is interested in grassroots development, working with communities to meet their needs. According to Woodke, highlighting local ingenuity and rural/Indigenous voices is vital in countering ineffective development and is central to his extension strategy. He is excited to understand and improve disaster resilience while building community-serving projects.  

Originally from Humboldt County, Woodke is now based in Sonora and says he is “stoked to be in the beautiful Central Sierra and ready to engage with the community.”

Woodke can be contacted at rlwoodke@ucanr.edu. 

Schmidt joins UCCE as food systems advisor for Los Angeles, Ventura counties

Li Schmidt has joined UC Cooperative Extension as a food systems advisor serving Ventura and Los Angeles counties.  

Schmidt brings a diverse range of experiences to the position, including being a small-scale grower and founder of Cultural Roots Nursery, a plant nursery that produces culturally relevant foods for Asian diaspora communities.  

Prior to joining UC ANR, Schmidt worked as a research-based podcaster and storyteller, covering food and agriculture issues in California. As a farmer and community educator, she created culturally responsive garden and farm workshops and curriculum geared towards young and beginning growers.

Schmidt also served on the farmer governance board at the California Farmer Justice Collaborative, where she organized and advocated for underserved farmers and ranchers on a statewide level.   

As a graduate student, Schmidt worked with the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) and is excited to return to UC ANR to support growers and food justice efforts in the counties she serves.  

She holds a master’s degree in community development with a focus on sustainable food systems from UC Davis.

Li is based at the UCCE office in Ventura County and can be reached at lschmidt@ucanr.edu.

Chávez hired as Indigenous food sovereignty advisor in San Diego, Riverside counties

Marisela Chávez is a Chicana environmental social scientist with a passion for work centered on Native and Indigenous ancestral foodways, biocultural heritage stewardship and social justice. 

As a UCCE Indigenous food sovereignty advisor in San Diego and Riverside counties, Chávez is building an applied research and extension program in collaboration with Native American tribes, tribal communities and tribe-serving organizations across Southern California.

Chávez has worked in conservation projects and conducted research across the Americas, from Mexico to Brazil, to deepen her understanding of how food connects people; the relationships that are ingrained in all of the ways that food is produced, acquired, eaten and shared; and community-centered food sovereignty initiatives. 

Most recently, her research in southern Mexico focused on understanding how two Indigenous communities navigated climate change impacts on the production and availability of native crops and wild foods. 

Chávez earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an master’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in forest and conservation science from the University of Montana.

Chávez is based in San Diego and can be reached at mvez@ucanr.edu. 

Guillen becomes 4-H advisor for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties

Melissa Guillen has taken a new position with UC ANR as a 4-H youth development advisor serving San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. 

In February, Guillen joined UC Cooperative Extension as the academic coordinator for the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE program, part of the federally funded SNAP-Ed program that is ending. 

Prior to joining UCCE, she served as chief operating officer at Backyard Bowls, where she led strategic growth, operations and team development. Previously, she managed youth and nutrition programs at the San Luis Obispo Food Bank, focusing on food literacy, food security initiatives and public health advocacy. Her expertise spans program development, business strategy and cross-sector collaboration.

Beyond her professional work, Guillen is deeply involved in her community. She serves as chair of the board of directors for Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara and as president of the board for Standing Together to End Sexual Assault. She was also a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County, a foster parent and an exchange student host – roles that reflect her dedication to creating safe, supportive environments where young people can thrive.

She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from Meredith College and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from North Carolina State University. 

Guillen is based at the UCCE office in San Luis Obispo and can be reached at mpguillen@ucanr.edu. 

Rocha joins UC ANR as agricultural economics specialist 

Adauto Rocha Jr. has joined UC ANR as an assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Santa Cruz Economics Department.

Rocha is an agricultural economist specializing in production economics and policy evaluation for small and family farms. 

At UC ANR, Rocha’s program will focus on the impact evaluation of policies and social programs, cost studies, and the development of accessible digital tools to support profitability, resilience and equitable rural development across California’s small-farm sector. In his new role, he is most excited about strengthening small-farm community resilience and competitiveness and contributing to more sustainable food systems.

“I look forward to contributing to this mission and collaborating with colleagues, producers and stakeholders across California,” Rocha said.

Rocha’s research has focused on production economics and the evaluation of agricultural and environmental policies. He has published in journals such as The Review of Income and Wealth and The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, and contributed to major reports for the World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Brazilian ministries. 

Much of his work centers on family farming and conservation, with an emphasis on understanding how policies and practices shape economic outcomes and resilience in rural communities.

Before joining UC ANR, he was an assistant extension professor at the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he conducted research and outreach on livestock economics, conservation programs and risk-management tools.

He holds two doctoral degrees – one in applied economics from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and another in agricultural economics from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he received the J.B. Hassler Ph.D. Research Citation for outstanding research in agricultural economics.

Rocha is based at UC Santa Cruz and can be reached at arochajr@ucsc.edu. 

Quintana joins the forestry team in Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou counties 

Camila Quintana Del Carpio has joined UC Cooperative Extension as a forestry and natural resources advisor for Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou counties. She serves as a resource for forestland owners, professional foresters and anyone else interested in the management of California’s forest resources.

Quintana brings a wide range of skills from seven years of working for private industry and forestry consulting companies. She began her career marking timber, flagging watercourses and cruising for carbon projects, and grew into managing the reforestation program on 168,000 acres of timberland for FWS Forestry. She is a licensed pest control adviser and a California Registered Professional Forester (RPF #3192).

In May, she completed a master’s degree in forest resources, with an emphasis on forest business, at the University of Georgia. Her studies at the University of Georgia gave her the foundational business skills used by premier timber companies and insight into forestry practices from the leading lumber producing region of the United States. She holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry and environmental science from UC Berkeley. 

With a passion for reforestation, Quintana has participated in the Forest Vegetation Management Conference and the California Forest Pest Council, where she explored new opportunities for fundraising and chaired the committee for the annual woods tour. 

Quintana, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, brings a fresh perspective to Northern California forestry as an immigrant from Peru. With her fluency in Spanish, she has fostered connections with migrant reforestation workers, enhancing inclusiveness in California forestry.

“I am looking forward to working with forest landowners, registered professional foresters, agencies and others interested in forestry and natural resources,” she said.

Quintana is based at the UC Cooperative Extension office in Redding and can be reached at caquintana@ucanr.edu. 

Vigil joins UCCE as livestock and natural resources advisor for Shasta, Trinity counties

Justin Vigil joined UC Cooperative Extension as the livestock and natural resources advisor for Shasta and Trinity counties. 

Vigil, who grew up on Dixie Valley Ranch in Lassen County, southeast of McArthur, succeeds Larry Forero, who retired.

Vigil earned a bachelor’s degree in business economics from California State University, East Bay. Under the tutelage of Kasey DeAtley, Chico State University professor of animal science, Vigil conducted graduate research investigating bovine bone degradation in livestock mortality compost. 

After earning a master’s degree in regenerative agriculture, Vigil found work not behind a desk, but on the back of a horse. 

“For the last year, I worked for a horse trainer in Red Bluff and as a day worker on various ranches where I learned valuable lessons in horsemanship and forged connections with ranchers which will serve me in this new role,” Vigil said. 

“As I step into this position, I am excited to meet individuals of the livestock and natural resources community, listen to questions or concerns, and develop research projects that provide conclusions that will improve the stewardship of livestock and natural resources,” he added.

Vigil is based at the UC Cooperative Extension office in Redding and can be reached at jusvigil@ucanr.edu and (530) 224-4900. 

Thaoxaochay becomes UCCE disaster resiliency, planning and policy advisor 

Lilian Thaoxaochay is now the UC Cooperative Extension disaster resiliency, planning and policy advisor for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

She joined UC ANR in 2021, working with the UCCE Small Farms team in Fresno County. For four years, she provided technical assistance for small-scale growers affected by COVID-19 and various extreme weather conditions including drought and flood. She also assisted with research on specialty crop production projects including long beans, moringa and jujubes. 

Thaoxaochay, whose family has a 20-acre farm in Fresno County, also provided program support and Hmong translation for irrigation efficiency, integrated pest management and soil health education.

She holds a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Santa Cruz and bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Stanford University. She has a background in community organizing, policy, racial/ethnic health disparities and cultural competency in medical education, curriculum development, the history of agriculture in Southeast Asia, and refugee and immigrant farming in California. 

Thaoxaochay is based in San Luis Obispo and can be reached at lilthaox@ucanr.edu. 

Matteucci joins UC Master Food Preservers 

joined UC ANR as a community education supervisor for the UC Master Food Preserver Program. She supports the statewide program manager and county coordinators in training volunteers and implementing educational programs across California.

Matteucci holds a master’s degree in climate science and policy from Scripps Institute of Oceanography and a bachelor’s degree in sustainability from San Diego State University. 

She has dedicated her career to exploring sustainable food systems and sharing this knowledge with learners of all ages, emphasizing the benefits of local, seasonal eating. 

Her background includes work with small-scale agricultural operations and educational cooking programs, experiences that have sharpened her food preservation skills. She has led a variety of community classes and events focused on building kitchen confidence, increasing food literacy and preserving the seasonal harvest in diverse ways. 

Matteucci is committed to expanding and strengthening farm to fork and food preservation education across the state. 

Matteucci is based in Davis at the UC ANR building and can be reached at kmatteucci@ucanr.edu. 

Mashiri brings livestock and natural resources expertise to Central Coast 

Fadzayi Elizabeth Mashiri is now UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor for San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

For the past 12 years, Mashiri has served as county director and UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Mariposa and Merced counties, where she helped land managers and ranchers increase their economic viability and ecological sustainability. 

Her work included projects on weed management, impacts of rangeland conversion, ecosystem services payment for working rangelands, fire risk-reduction using grazing and prescribed fire and integrated livestock grazing in orchard systems. 

Before joining UC ANR, Mashiri was a senior research specialist at the University of Arizona where she studied adaptive grazing and collaborative management strategies to promote rangeland resilience and productivity. She launched her career as a lecturer and senior agricultural extension officer in Zimbabwe, which sparked her passion for community-based extension work.

Mashiri holds a Ph.D. in rangeland management from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in management of natural resources and sustainable agriculture from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from University of Zimbabwe. 

“In the coming months, I am excited to meet with ranchers, land managers and partners across the region,” Mashiri said. “I look forward to learning about local needs and priorities and using that insight to develop relevant, practical, research-based programs that directly support land managers and ranchers in the region.”

Mashiri is based at the San Benito County office in Hollister and can be contacted at fmashiri@ucanr.edu and (831) 637 5346, Ext. 103. You can follow her work on the Livestock & Range blog at https://ucanr.edu/blog/livestock-range. 

Diaz joins EFNEP team in Contra Costa County 

Mariana Diaz joined the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Contra Costa County as a youth nutrition educator. 

After graduating from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and management and a minor in education, she spent several years in a variety of educator roles, such as a sixth grade outdoor school naturalist, an environmental science educator at Yosemite National Park and an after-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teacher for K-6 girls. 

Diaz is based in Concord and can be reached at mxdiaz@ucanr.edu. 

Fatino joins UCCE as subtropical crop advisor

Matthew Fatino joined UC Cooperative Extension as the subtropical crop advisor for San Diego and Riverside counties. 

Fatino, who grew up in Southern California, earned a bachelor’s degree in crop and fruit science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he worked in the citrus and avocado groves on campus. After graduating from Cal Poly, he earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. at UC Davis in horticulture and agronomy with an emphasis in weed science. 

During the past six years at UC Davis, Fatino focused on branched broomrape management in California processing tomatoes, as well as evaluating weed management strategies in a variety of tree and vine crops in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. 

Fatino looks forward to sharpening his horticultural, entomology and pathology skills to meet the needs and challenges faced by growers in San Diego and Riverside counties. 

Fatino is based at the UCCE San Diego office and can be contacted at mfatino@ucanr.edu or (949) 466-6288. 

Singh joins UCCE as agronomy advisor for Capitol Corridor

Mandeep Singh joined UC Cooperative Extension as the agronomy advisor for Sacramento, Solano and Yolo counties.

Singh completed a Ph.D. in agronomy and horticulture with a specialization in weed science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he focused on herbicide interactions, water use and the management of volunteer corn. 

He continued there as a postdoctoral researcher, working on integrated strategies for managing herbicide-resistant weeds and developing an open-access image database to support site-specific weed management technologies.

"From an early age, I was involved in managing row crops like alfalfa, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum and oats, as well as caring for livestock, on my family’s farm," Singh said.

“As someone new to the area, I am excited to make the most of every opportunity to learn, collaborate and work with all of you,” he added. “Over the next couple of months, I’ll be spending time learning about the area and connecting with growers, pest control advisers, farm managers and the broader community to better understand the needs of agronomic cropping systems in our region.”

He encourages colleagues and stakeholders to reach out with ideas, insights, requests, suggestions or questions as he begins setting priorities for his new role. 

“I look forward to collaborating on a research and extension program that reflects local needs and addresses challenges in agronomic crops such as corn, safflower, alfalfa, dry beans, hybrid seed production, wheat and other small grains – while delivering practical, relevant, and impactful solutions,” Singh said.

Singh is based at the UCCE Capitol Corridor office in Woodland and can be contacted at mdpsingh@ucanr.edu or (530) 666-8704. His social media handle is @uc_agron on X and Instagram.