Names in the News

Martinez joins UCCE in Kings County

Vanessa Martinez joined the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Kings County team as a nutrition educator on March 1. In this position, she hopes to bring success to the program and motivate individuals to make positive changes and create a healthier lifestyle by making good nutrition choices.

In her free time, Martinez loves to take hikes with beautiful sceneries, preferably with a view of the ocean. She also loves to spontaneously take trips and be able to cross off places off of her travel bucket list.

With a bachelor's in psychology, in the near future Martinez hopes to continue her education in graduate school to enhance learning and skills needed to dedicate the best of herself to her career with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC in Kings County. Martinez can be reached at vammartinez@ucanr.edu. 

Purdy joins UCCE in Shasta County

Margaret Purdy joined CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Shasta Cluster as an administrative assistant on March 22. She recently relocated from the Bay Area, where she had over 13 years of experience working in nonprofit and theatre arts administration.

Purdy brings a combined background in customer service, database management, digital and arts marketing and communications, and radio production and promotions. She has been a volunteer staff member at KFJC 89.7 FM in Los Altos Hills since 2006, where she won a College Radio Award for Outstanding Spot Production in 2011.

Purdy earned a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Humboldt State in 2004, and an Associate of Arts in radio production from Foothill College in 2012.

She will be based in the nutrition education program building in Redding and can be reached at mpurdy@ucanr.edu and (530) 224-4301.

Spalding joins KARE as ag supervisor II

Dan Spalding joined the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center staff as an agricultural supervisor II on March 22.

Previously, Spalding worked as a field scout in row crops and as a pest control adviser in fruits and nuts. More recently, he worked as a farm supervisor for Wonderful Citrus and Sun Pacific Farming. 

Spalding's family roots run deep in agriculture. He grew up working on his family's farm and studied agriculture from high school through college, earning an A.S. in Plant Science from College of the Sequoias in Visalia and a B.S. in fruit science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.     

Spalding is based at KARE and can be reached at dspalding@ucanr.edu.

Callahan named SAREP agritourism coordinator 

Rachael Callahan joined the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program SAREP team as the statewide agritourism coordinator on March 29. She has devoted her career to strengthening vibrant and sustainable food systems.

Over the past 10 years, Callahan has worked for nonprofit organizations promoting urban farming and food security in Washington, D.C., building a robust local food system on the island of Nantucket, Mass., and showcasing sustainable agroforestry techniques in southern Belize. In each of these settings, she has seen the power of agritourism to provide resiliency to farmers, inspire and educate the public, and connect the community. 

Callahan holds a bachelor's degree in international affairs from the University of Georgia, a master's degree in global environmental policy from American University, and certificates in agroecology, permaculture design, and urban agriculture.

She is eager to connect with, learn from, and share ideas with California farmers and ranchers. Callahan is based at the UC ANR building in Davis and can be reached at rmcallahan@ucanr.edu.

King joins UC ANR as senior artist

Avery King joined UC ANR as senior artist on April 5. He brings 16 years of graphic design experience. Most recently, he was the graphic designer for Mariani Packing Co. in Vacaville, where he managed their package design and marketing materials.

Throughout his career, King has engaged in design projects tailored to a wide array of audiences, ranging from home appliance companies and electronics to dried fruit consumers. He has also supported several nonprofit organizations with his design skills.

Avery earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science at UC Berkeley. He will be based in the UC ANR building in Davis and can be reached at awking@ucanr.edu.

Quinn-Davidson honored with ANREP Early Career Award

Lenya Quinn-Davidson, UCCE area fire advisor for Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity and Mendocino counties, received the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals' Early Career Award on May 26, during the virtual ANREP 2021 Conference.

In presenting the award, ANREP stated “Quinn-Davidson has shown outstanding leadership in advancing the practice of prescribed fire in her region, California, and across the nation. As the first fire advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension, she has kickstarted the practices of prescribed fire on private land in California by organizing workshops, the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council, training exchanges, and the first prescribed burn association in the West. She developed the first women's training exchange to increase female leadership in wildland fire and continues to coach organizers nationwide. She co-founded the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, which helps landowners build skills in burn plan development, permitting and implementation. She influenced state policy by helping craft successful legislation and joining CALFIRE's cadre of experts developing the California Certified Burn Boss program. Her success has been demonstrated by adoption and dissemination of practiced and extension methods she pioneered throughout California and the West.”

 

 

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