Posts Tagged: In memoriam

In memoriam: George Goodall

George Goodall, emeritus UCCE farm advisor and county director, passed away June 22, 2020, at age 98. 

A fourth-generation Southern Californian, Goodall grew up on a diversified farm in Canoga Park. After serving four years in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, he earned a degree in subtropical horticulture from UCLA in 1947. Goodall was hired the same year as a UCCE subtropical fruit farm advisor for Ventura County, then in 1951 moved to serve Santa Barbara County as a farm advisor specializing in avocados, citrus, walnuts and wine grapes. He later earned a master's degree in agricultural economics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 1974, he became director of UCCE in Santa Barbara County until he retired in 1987.

“George was instrumental in the creation of the Williamson Act and in establishing the avocado industry amongst a lot of other things,” said Ben Faber, UCCE subtropical crops advisor for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

“As important as his knowledge and experience, it was his manner, attitude, personality, sense of humor, etc. that made him an ideal Extension agent,” Faber said. “He was equally comfortable in the world of academia as he was in the real world of farming and people. And he loved good food, a good bottle of wine and good company. I'll never forget his laugh and his stories. He and John Evans and Bud Lee were like the three musketeer county directors who were all excellent extension administrators and at the same time outstanding farm advisors.”

In 1972, Goodall received the Award of Honor of the California Avocado Society. Among other industry honors, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the California Chapter of the Soil Conservation Society of America, the Commendation Award from the Soil Conservation Society of America, and a gold watch from Calavo Growers of California.

During his career, he authored nearly 30 papers on avocado production and many more papers on subtropical fruits.

He was a member of the American Society for Horticulture Science, the American Agricultural Economics Association, the Soil Conservation Society of America, and was a past president of the California Chapter of the Soil Conservation Society of America. A member of the California Avocado Society since 1949, he also belonged to the Lemon Men's Club, The California Citrus Nurserymen's Society, and the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau.

According to his family, Goodall once bestowed a Medal of Honor to former Governor Ronald Reagan for soil conservation.

After retiring from UC, Goodall did agricultural consulting in the Mediterranean, Latin America and Africa. He also became active in the Santa Barbara Rotary Club and his local genealogical society, tracing his ancestry to the origins of man and giving presentations on genealogy.

Goodall is survived by his wife Jeanne, son Stephen (Jane), grandchildren Emily (Cheyne) and Jason and great grandchildren Lyndee and Jaxton O'Gorman.

 

Names in the News

Kron named area IPM advisor for North Coast

Cindy Kron has joined UC Cooperative Extension as areawide IPM advisor for Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties.

Before joining UCCE, Kron studied the three-cornered alfalfa hopper as a research entomologist for USDA in their Crop Disease, Pests and Genetics research unit. She tested cover crop species as feeding and reproductive hosts of the three-cornered alfalfa hopper in addition to testing commercially available biocontrol agents against the different life stages of the treehopper. She collaborated with a UC Davis colleague to create a degree day model that predicts the ideal timing to implement cultural control measures with the greatest impact on treehopper populations. 

Kron has conducted research on a variety of insects including two-year vineyard study on the population dynamics of Virginia creeper leafhopper, western grape leafhopper, and variegated leafhopper.  For her dissertation, she investigated the biology and behavior of the three-cornered alfalfa hopper and their relationship with vineyards. She also studied the effects of temperature on the developmental rate of the invasive European grapevine moth and reared brown marmorated stink bugs for USDA fumigation studies.

“My experiences have motivated me to help growers, stakeholders and the industry solve agricultural pest management problems through applied research by identifying IPM strategies and tactics that are economically feasible and implementable while having the lowest environmental impact,” Kron said.

Kron earned her bachelor's degree in viticulture and enology, with a minor in agricultural pest management, and her doctorate in entomology at UC Davis.

She is based in Santa Rosa and can be reached at ckron@ucanr.edu.

Glass takes on new HR role 

Patricia Glass began a new position as human resources business systems analyst starting in August. In her new role, Patricia coordinates the management of ANR's HR information systems, including UCPath, Talent Acquisition Management (TAM), ePerformance, and the UC Learning Center. She is also responsible for process improvement, user training, and the development of reports and analytics for the HR systems.

Glass brings more than 15 years of UC experience to the position, including time as a finance manager on the Davis campus and, most recently, team lead responsible for staff recruitment and compensation with ANR Human Resources.

Glass continues to be based at the ANR building in Davis as part of the ANR HR team and reachable at (530) 750-1324 and pglass@ucanr.edu.

Montano assisting Tran

Barbara Montano will be temporarily covering executive assistant Cheryl Hyland's duties assisting Tu Tran, AVP business operations starting Sept. 25 and will be available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or as needed.

Montano is a Bay Area native who graduated from UC Berkeley last year with a bachelor's degree in English and legal studies. As a student, she worked on campus and interned for Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, a philanthropy supporting organization, and the law offices of Aiman-Smith & Marcy. After graduating, she worked as temporary development associate at GCIR, managing its grant work.

Montano is located at UCOP in Cubicle #10134F and can be reached at (510) 987-0183 and Barbara.Montano@ucop.edu.

Bailey appointed to USDA Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

John Bailey, director of Hopland Research and Extension Center, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. His two-year term expires on Sept. 17, 2021.

The purpose of the committee is to advise the USDA Secretary on strategies, policies and programs that enhance opportunities for new farmers and ranchers.

“As a member of the Committee, you will advise me on matters impacting beginning farmers and ranchers, including access to land and capital, recruitment and retention of farmers and ranchers, and more. Your role is vital as I strive to obtain the public and industry perspectives on National and State strategies, policies, and programs impacting beginning farmers and ranchers,” Perdue wrote in Bailey's appointment letter.

Before joining UC, Bailey was the Mendo-Lake Food Hub project manager for North Coast Opportunities, where he coordinated local growers to dramatically increase sales of their crops.

For 12 years, he worked at McEvoy of Marin, first as a gardener in their orchards, then director of operations overseeing product development, sales and marketing. He also owned Middle Mountain Farm, which grew and marketed row crops.

Bailey earned an MBA in sustainable enterprise at New College of California and a B.A. in biology and Certificate in Ecological Horticulture at UC Santa Cruz.

Gaudin and Light to serve on Western Cover Crop Council

Sarah Light, UC Cooperative Extension agronomy advisor for Sutter County, and Amelie Gaudin, UC Davis assistant professor of agroecology in the Department of Plant Sciences, will serve as California representatives on the new Western Cover Crops Council, a group from the 18 western states that aims to gear up information development and exchange activities throughout the broad region. 

Both Gaudin and Light are currently conducting broad and comprehensive cover crop research work.  Gaudin specializes in permanent cropping systems with a strong emphasis on almonds and Light works in annual cropping systems. 

The mission of the WCCC is to facilitate and enhance communication and collaboration among farmers/growers, agents, researchers and other agricultural professionals to transfer information and technology that promotes the successful adoption and integration of cover cropping into Western U.S. agricultural systems. The WCCC Planning Team currently consists of about 16 members representing several western states. They are in the process of creating goal statements and means for better linking educational activities about cover crops throughout the region. 

Krause accepts job with Driscoll's Berries

After nearly 14 years with UC ANR's Information Technology unit, Dave Krause has accepted a new role with Driscoll's Berries to help improve the technology in their research environment. This opportunity will take Krause to some of Driscoll's global locations yet allow him to stay connected to many of us at ANR and at UC. 

Krause started his UC career as a programmer with ANR Communication Services in 2006. Initially hired to build a new version of Site Builder and Collaborative Tools, Krause has since architected and implemented dozens of applications to support the work of UC ANR staff and academics. In recent years, Krause became the IT manager and interim chief information officer for the Division.

“Please join me in thanking Dave for his many contributions to the arduous work of the Division in supporting the communities and the people of this state,” wrote Tu Tran, associate vice president for business operations.

Krause's last day with UC ANR is Oct. 11. Leadership will work immediately on selecting a successor to lead the IT unit.

 

 

 

At UCCE’s suggestion, Humboldt waives air-quality fees for public benefit burning

“I thought you all might enjoy this bit of good news from Humboldt County. Yesterday reminded me of the important role we at UCCE can play in these types of local issues,” wrote Lenya Quinn-Davidson, UCCE area fire advisor in Humboldt County.

Concerned about habitat loss and fuel buildup on private lands in Humboldt County, Quinn-Davidson and Jeff Stackhouse, UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor, recently formed a Prescribed Burn Association.

Thanks to Senate Bill 1260, which was signed into law last year, air districts are receiving grants from the California Air Resources Board to support local prescribed fire programs. 

Stackhouse and Quinn-Davidson attended the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District Board meeting Sept. 18 in Weaverville to suggest their district subsidize the air quality permit fees for prescribed burners.

“All of our suggestions were incorporated into the plan,” Quinn-Davidson said.

“Our district has decided to use some of these grant funds to subsidize air quality permit fees for prescribed burners in the district. This is welcome news to those of us with the PBA who have been working for the last year to alleviate air quality permit fees, which can be $250 to $1250 for bigger projects. For our PBA burns, air quality permit fees are one of our biggest project costs, and now those fees will be waived.”

The air board's original plan was to subsidize projects with a focus on wildfire risk reduction. At the meeting, she and Stackhouse encouraged them to broaden the scope and include all projects that have a public benefit, including burns focused on habitat restoration, range improvement, forest improvement, cultural resources, etc., in addition to fuels reduction. 

“We suggested that they tie the subsidy program to Public Resources Code 4475, which was amended through SB1260 to include an expanded definition of ‘public benefit burning.' They accepted our suggestion and amended the rule to reflect this broader suite of project types, which covers most of the great burning we're all doing in the North Coast: oak woodland restoration, medusahead/starthistle/blackberry control, coyote brush/coastal rangeland/prairie burning, understory fuels reduction, etc. With this cost relieved, we can start thinking about planning more projects and bigger projects! Yesterday, a 300-acre burn would have cost $1,250 (permit) + $65 (smoke management plan). As of today, those costs will be $0.”

The district's proposal also recommended excluding federal agencies and timber companies from the subsidy program, but Quinn-Davidson and Stackhouse asserted that any entity doing work that benefits the public should have equal access to the subsidy. In response, the Board voted to expand the program to include federal agencies and timber companies.

“Based on what air district staff said at the meeting, it sounded like this would save landowners about $14,000 to $18,000 per year in fees district-wide. I think it'll be even more than that in the coming years, with all the interest we have in prescribed fire,” Quinn-Davidson said.

“We're still working with the district to think about longer term solutions to their fee structure, but in the meantime, this is a fabulous step in the right direction!” Quinn-Davidson said.

 

Three counties win Newhall Family Foundation match

Last year, Mary Ciricillo, California 4-H Foundation director, secured a $73,000 gift from the Newhall Family Foundation for 4-H Diversity initiatives, including $36,500 for Santa Barbara, Merced and Fresno counties. In order to receive the $36,500 match, UCCE had to raise funds as well as deliver the program. 

“All three counties did it!” said Lorna Krkich, Development Services director.

4-H advisor Russ Hill in Merced County, 4-H community educator Alena Pacheco in Fresno County, and Liliana Vega, 4-H community educator in Santa Barbara County, led the successful fundraising efforts in their respective counties.

“I shared the FY19 fundraising report with the executive director of the Newhall Foundation illustrating how much each county 4-H program garnered in private support since July 1, 2018,”Ciricillo said. “I am happy to share that he was very pleased and impressed by Russ, Alena and Liliana's efforts.”

Learning and Development: LinkedIn, water diversion reporting, staff mentorship

Check out the continuing learning opportunities provided through ANR Learning & Development. ANR Webinars are recorded and archived here.

Communicating Your Story: LinkedIn
October 9, 2019
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Rose Hayden-Smith explains that many of us think of LinkedIn as a professional networking tool. But with a powerful publishing platform and an ability to post links, it's also an ideal place to share your ANR story and grow a network of people who are interested in your work. In this fast-paced webinar, we'll cover the basics of building a great LinkedIn profile, publishing posts. Read more here.

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Social Cafe' Drop-in
October 10, 2019 (also Nov. 14 and Dec. 11)
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Join Rose Hayden-Smith for drop-in conversations and questions about the effective use of social media and communications in Extension work. The Cafe' opens with a 5-10 minute "tutorial" of a new tool or feature on commonly used social media platforms, or a brief showcase of the effective and innovative use of digital communications within ANR. The remainder of time will be devoted to sharing best practices and Q&A.

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Spotlight Webinar: Helping Water Rights Owners Comply with CA Water Diversion Reporting Requirements
Oct. 15, 2019
2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Join Khaled Bali and Larry Forero to learn about their training courses for water rights holders to address water storage and diversion as it relates to California Senate Bill 88.

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Call for Mentee Applicants: ANR Staff Mentorship Program
ANR Learning & Development is delighted to announce a call for mentee applicants to ANR's second annual staff mentorship program!

This program will pair staff mentees who seek professional development with mentors from across UC ANR. The program will provide a supportive structure in which mentees can cultivate contacts, better understand ANR, gather information, explore challenges and enhance effectiveness as they design their personal growth and career paths.

The 9-month Mentorship Program (January-October 2020) will consist of

• Regular monthly meetings (conference video/calls) with your mentor,
• CliftonGallop Strengthfinder survey for both mentors and mentees
• Three in-person group sessions (Mentee orientation, CliftonGallop Strengthfinder ® workshop, Completion & Debrief Day).

ANR Learning & Development will cover the cost of travel for the in-person sessions. The program will be limited to 15 staff. If you are interested, fill out the survey by Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, to be considered.

In selecting mentees for the pilot program, and ANR Staff Assembly Subcommittee will consider each applicant's survey responses, length of time with ANR, unit/location, and role. Our goal is to include a broad range of participants from across the division. For more information on mentoring relationships read more here.

Nominations due Oct. 4: UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development (UC WI) (Video)
Nominate your direct reports, ANR colleagues, or yourself for the 2020 UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development. Get more information and learn how to apply.

LGBTQIA Inclusion in the Workplace
Oct. 3, 2019 and April 1, 2020 @ UC Davis

UC Davis training: Among the course objectives include broadening our understanding of the experiences of LGBTQIA people on our campus by exploring the culture, language and terminology related to sexual orientation and gender identity.  Using case studies, participants will gain awareness and knowledge of the issues that impact members of the LGBTQIA community in the workplace, and will engage in developing strategies the work towards creating a welcoming work environment. Register here.

WebANR - Wellness in the Workplace
Join Satinder Gill, Psyc.D. UC Davis for the following topics and more:

Overview of ASAP (Academic and Staff Assistance Program)
Identify signs and symptoms of stress
How gratitude and self-compassion can help us cope with stress

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Communicating Your Story: For Blogs and More
October 23, 2019
11:30am-12:30pm

Join Rose Hayden-Smith for this fast-paced webinar, in which we'll cover the basics of communicating your story through blogging, with a particular focus on creating content for ANR sites. Read more here.

https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Practical Methods to Measuring Outcomes
November 7, ANR Building, Davis
December 10, Kearney REC, Parlier

 Workshop desired outcomes: Participants will gain. . . 

• understanding of and experience in defining outcomes and identifying measurable indicators for your programs
• understanding of evaluation data collection approaches and methods used by UCCE
• progress on your outcomes evaluation plans/efforts

Led by Katherine Webb-Martinez, Associate Director of UC ANR Program Planning and Evaluation Office; Vikram Koundinya, UCCE evaluation specialist; and UCCE advisor co-presenters TBA. Please register here and request travel funds provided by ANR Learning & Development budget.

Writing Strong Impact Statements
Nov. 8, ANR Building, Davis
Dec. 11, Kearney REC, Parlier

 Workshop desired outcomes: Participants will gain understanding and practice. . . 

• organizing your program activities into themes for the merit and promotion process
• using basic logic model techniques to connect program outcomes to UC ANR condition changes and public value
• identifying condition change indicators to strengthen impact writing
• writing impact statements for your programs -- for your merit and promotion efforts, for UC Delivers, and other communications

Led by Katherine Webb-Martinez, associate director of UC ANR Program Planning and Evaluation Office, and Mark Lagrimini, vice provost of research and extension. Please register here and request travel funds provided by ANR Learning & Development budget.

New Employee Administrative Orientation
Nov. 13, 2019
ANR Building, Davis

Who should attend: All UC ANR Employees (academics, staff and affiliated staff on campuses, counties and RECs) who have not participated in an administrative orientation in the past. Priority will be given to those hired by ANR within the past year. Register here.

People Managers - Join the 2020 UC People Networking Cohort!
Enroll now to participate in 11, 1-hour ANR-facilitated discussions for supervisor development and upskilling! Share challenges and successes with peers. Join discussions based on the UC People Management Series Certificate on how to be an effective people manager. Register by December 20, 2019. For more information email jlazulai@ucanr.edu.

5 Ways to Keep Your Star Employees (LinkedIn Learning)
Q: Yes or No, Managing Star Employees is easy. For the answer, read more here.

Read more