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Carole A. Paterson, UC Cooperative Extension county director, retired June 30 after 36 years of service in Solano County, where she was born and raised.

She also served as a UC Cooperative Extension 4-H youth and community development advisor. Over the course of her career, Paterson brought funding and program resources into Solano County for projects promoting healthy lifestyles for children and families. Her research has focused on issues affecting young peoples' learning, development and capacities in areas such as workforce preparation, science education and civic governance. She created and taught workshops for young people on leadership and community development in county, state and national settings.

In 1975, Paterson joined the UC 4-H Youth Development Program as the staff assistant in Solano County, bringing with her six years of experience working with volunteers for Camp Fire Girls, Inc.

"I was hired to do outreach work in urban communities, like Vallejo and Benicia, where there wasn't a traditional 4-H program," Paterson recalled.

In 1980, she was promoted to UC Cooperative Extension 4-H advisor.

In 2005, Paterson, who holds a bachelor's degree in home economics from San Jose State University and a master's in education from the UC Davis Department of Human and Community Development, was promoted to UC Cooperative Extension county director and Solano County department head.

Sandy Tosti, who retired as literacy program manager for the Solano County Library, says Paterson has a gift for bringing people together.

"Because she lives and works in the county, she knows who would be resources," said Tosti, who has known Paterson professionally for nearly 30 years.

"Carole has an ability to work with different groups and agencies in the community," Tosti said. "She is very gregarious and the kind of person who tends to bring people together. She provided the impetus for pulling nonprofit organizations in Solano County into a room at the same time."

Over the years, Paterson has also encouraged Solano County residents to participate in a wide range of public engagement efforts. Last year, Paterson and her UC Cooperative Extension colleagues hosted a series of community conversations at county libraries around the Delta to provide policymakers with public input about water policy. 

Another part of her legacy is the "Agricultural Futures Study for Solano County." Paterson worked with the UC Agricultural Issues Center, assisting Al Sokolow and Kurt Richter in conducting interviews and focus groups as part of a comprehensive economic feasibility study of the agricultural industry in Solano County.

"Agriculture is diverse in Solano County," she explained, "and it has regions where the microclimates are well suited for specific crops. We identified those regions, putting into motion plans to preserve agriculture and make room for development as well."

The 2007 study’s recommendations for land-use planning led to creation of an agricultural chapter in the General Plan Update and the designation of agricultural districts within the county.

"This body of work was so well crafted and reported that a replication has taken place in Yolo County," she said.

Listening to participants in the agriculture futures interviews also enlightened Paterson to the needs of local farmers, helping her connect them with appropriate UC resources, such as assistance with marketing their produce.

In the 1980s, she partnered with Kaiser Research Foundation of Oakland for a three-year project in Vallejo. The project tested the effectiveness of community efforts to deter children from smoking and chewing tobacco. Recommendations resulting from the project – such as removing cigarette ads from billboards near schools and restricting smoking by teachers at school – were championed by the American Cancer Society and other organizations across California.

"We were able to put forward evidence that if accepted practices were changed, you'd see a change in behavior," Paterson said.

In addition to her job as UC Cooperative Extension advisor, Paterson served for five years as director of the UC Davis Extension Public Policy Institute, teaching deliberative dialogue skills. The experience she gained led Paterson to take sabbatical leave to Africa in the fall of 1998. As part of the year-long opportunity, she facilitated a course in Zimbabwe on how to structure meetings so that community groups could work more effectively together when responding to disasters.

Paterson is also well known for her facilitation skills, which she has practiced with local, state, national and international organizations, including Suisun Valley Fund, Habitat for Humanity, Solano Community College Foundation, Solano Land Trust, National Association of Integrated Pest Management, Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum and Solano County department heads. She has also taught others these skills as a certified facilitation trainer.

Paterson was recognized by her UC Cooperative Extension peers, who honored her with the Excellence in Teaching Award given by Academic Assembly Council in 1993. She also received the Distinguished Service Award for California by the National 4-H Agents Association in 1983.

On June 14, the Solano County Board of Supervisors honored Paterson with a proclamation for her years of dedicated service. 

In retirement, Paterson plans to continue working in the public arena. UC has granted her emeritus status so she also intends to expand the 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology program in Solano County.