The NUEL steering committee is composed of 17 people including three representatives from each of ECOP’s five regions, one from ECOP and one from NIFA. The steering committee provides overall direction and assumes an active role in decision-making. The idea is to maintain a balanced representation from each region and to retain institutional knowledge. Steering committee members serve a two year term. The steering committee meets on a monthly basis via conference calls.
Current Members:
North Central Region
Nicole Debose, The Ohio State University, Regional Caucus Leader
County Extension Director, Cuyahoga County Extension
12200 Fairhill Road, Cleveland, OH 44120
216.429.8200 ext. 225 debose.8@osu.edu
As County Director in Cleveland, Ohio, Nicole shares her experience in strategic planning, program development, project management, fundraising, and cultural competency while promoting the strengthening of families and communities, the enhancement of urban agriculture systems and the expansion of local business opportunities. She provides support to 26 staff, including Educators, Program Staff and Interns. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning, Design and Development, a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management, and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration with a concentration in Informatics.
Carrie Edgar, University of Wisconsin, Communications Action Team Chair
Dane County Extension Director, University of Wisconsin Madison, Division of Extension
5201 Fen Oak Drive, Madison, WI 53718
608-224-3706 edgar@countyofdane.com
As the Dane County Extension Director in Madison, Wisconsin, Carrie provides administrative leadership and is responsible for resource management, program planning, community assessment and evaluation, and staff supervision. Prior to this role, she was a County Director in Illinois for 12 years. In addition to her administrative role, Carrie has done a great deal of food systems work both in Illinois and Wisconsin. She has a Masters degree in Child, Family and Community Services and a Bachelors degree in Communications.
Marie A. Ruemenapp, Michigan State University, NUEL Chair
Marie A. Ruemenapp is an academic specialist and the co-director of the Urban Collaborators in the School of Planning, Design and Construction at Michigan State University. She is one of the founding members of NUEL and is recognized nationally as an expert in Extension’s urban work. Ruemenapp has over 30 years of community-based Extension experience with Michigan State University in program planning and evaluation; employee recruitment, hiring, training and supervision; fiscal and grant management; partnership building; and organizational leadership. She has led numerous local, regional, statewide and national Extension initiatives. Ruemenapp has provided effective leadership and supervision to multiple, large teams of diverse staff across broad geographic areas. She has a broad set of experiences working and networking with a broad variety of people and organizations effectively, including community and political leaders, as well as campus-based administrators, faculty and staff. Ruemenapp holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications, a Master’s degree in Family and Child Ecology Community Services with a minor in community development, and a Doctorate in Planning, Design and Construction with an emphasis in Urban and Regional Planning, all from Michigan State University.
Northeast Region
Manami Brown, University of Maryland, Regional Caucus Leader
Manami Brown began her University of Maryland, Baltimore City Extension career as a 4-H Youth Development educator in 1998. Ms. Brown was appointed as the City Extension Director in 2007 where she manages a diverse group of faculty, staff and volunteers. Under her leadership the Extension’s multifaceted community focused programming meets the interests and needs of residents in the Baltimore Region and the state of Maryland. The program’s goal is to increase all of its participant’s social, human, and financial management skills in order to support future personal, educational and career success. As a tenured 4-H educator, Ms. Brown has received multiple awards. She also serves as a contributing author of the “Be the E: Entrepreneurship” curriculum from the National 4-H curriculum library. She has been a leader in integrating the practices of youth development with those of community development through research-based programs in the City of Baltimore and Dakar, Senegal, West Africa in the areas of entrepreneurship, workforce readiness, environmental science, and service-learning. Ms. Brown holds a BSW from Morgan State University and a M.Ed. from Johns Hopkins University.
Christopher C. Obropta, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Executive Committee Secretary
Chris Obropta is the Extension Specialist in Water Resources with Rutgers Cooperative Extension. He is also the Director of the New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute at Rutgers University. He has a doctorate in Civil Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, an M.S. in Civil Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology. Dr. Obropta leads a highly specialized staff from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program to identify and address community water resources issues using sustainable and practical science-based solutions throughout New Jersey. Over the last several years, he and his staff have been working with communities to implement green infrastructure practices throughout the urban centers of New Jersey. These practices have been designed to be climate resilient and to help communities reduce their flooding risk.
Carol Parker, Cornell University, National Urban Extension Conference Action Team ChairProgram Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension – NYC
40 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016
212-340-2922 cmp10@cornell.edu
As a Program Leader for Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC, Carol provides leadership to the Nutrition and Health Program Area in NYC. The position involves long term strategic planning, program management, fund development, program development, evaluation, coordination of several nutrition and health programs for limited resource families (EFNEP and Farmers Market Nutrition Education program) and coordination of special projects in collaboration with community-based organizations. Carol works closely with the program and administrative leadership and Cornell University faculty to develop and implement many large scale community based nutrition programs, develop nutrition education training programs, conduct training for both paraprofessional and professional nutrition and health educators, both within and outside the organization. She conducts presentations of community nutrition education best practices and research findings at professional conferences locally and nationally. Additionally, she acts as liaison to the NYS EFNEP as well as other programs that address the needs of low- income residents in NYS. She is the current chair for the National Urban Extension Conference Action Team 2018-20.
Southern Region
Jeff Miller, University of Georgia, Caucus Chair
Brenda Rogers, University of Florida, Professional Development Action Team Chair
Southwest District Extension Director, University of Florida IFAS Extension – Plant City Campus
1200 North Park Road Plant City, Florida 33563-1540
813.757.2129 bgrogers@ufl.edu
Katherine R. Williams, North Carolina State University, Executive Committee Vice Chair919.250.1109 katherine_williams@wakegov.com
Western Region
Rusty Collins, Colorado State University, Executive Committee – Caucus LiaisonRusty Collins is the Denver County Extension Director, managing an office of 15 staff members who cater their programming to the uniquely urban needs of Denver residents. He has created an office environment that is urban, diverse, inclusive, talented, engaged, and is based on appreciation and recognition. Along with administration, Rusty’s area of expertise is community development, where he enjoys public deliberation, managing Wicked Problems and facilitating meetings for stakeholders and local organizations. He is a co-founding Director for the Western Center for Metropolitan Extension and Research and an active participant with the National Urban Extension Leaders network and NUEL’s Western Region Caucus. He served as the Western Region Vice President and National Marketing Committee Chair for Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP), and is co-responsible for launching ESP’s national Latino Affinity Group. He is also a co-creator of the “Hot Shots Applied Research Model,” presented nationally the last two years, and has been chosen as a member of a team developing core professional development curriculum through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Initiative in partnership with Washington State University.
Anthony Gromko, Washington State University, Partnership Action Team ChairAnthony is a community economic development professional and educator with over 13 years experience in urban settings in both Washington State and abroad. He brings expertise in cross-cultural engagement, economic resiliency, social business innovation, and multi-sector partnerships. Anthony aspires to leverage his experience and passion for leadership development, social change, and environmental sustainability to further strengthen our region. Anthony often provides leadership on Metro Center projects relating to sustainable systems, organizational leadership, micro-finance, and entrepreneurship and Small Business Development.
DeShana York, University of Alaska, Partnership Action Team ChairUrban Extension Director, University of Alaska Extension
1890 Region
Dr. Kimberly Holmes, Alabama A&M University, Steering Committee Member At LargeAssistant Director-urban Affairs New and Nontraditional Programs, Alabama A&M University
Dr. Kimberly Sinclair Holmes serves as Assistant Extension Director in the Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs State Office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System – Alabama A&M University affiliate. In this role, she is responsible for directing educational outreach programming in eight major program areas and across nine Urban Centers in the State of Alabama. Programming ranges from Family and Consumer Sciences to Agriculture, Horticulture, Urban 4-H and Youth Development, Community and Economic Development and Natural Resources.
Dr. Holmes has held numerous academic and administrative roles at institutions of higher education for more than 17 years. She has served in such roles as Associate Professor of Public Administration, Associate Director of Land Grant, Acting Associate Research Director, Acting Associate Extension Administrator and Associate Dean, College of Agriculture, Food Science and Sustainable Systems.
She has also served on a number of Boards and Committees over the course of her career; including the Southern Rural Development Center Board of Directors, Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program Advisory Board, Commonwealth of Kentucky Governor’s Executive Task Force on Biomass and Bio-fuels, Association of Public and Land Grant Universities- Budget and Legislative Subcommittee of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP), and USDA/1890 Task Force Executive Team.
Dr. Holmes has also benefitted from training in numerous leadership development programs, such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)’s Millennium Leadership Institute (MLI), Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government: Women and Power Leadership Program, and the University System of Georgia’s Executive Leadership Institute (ELI). She holds membership in Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honor society for Public Affairs and Administration and is a member of the illustrious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
A native of Tuskegee, Alabama, Dr. Holmes has two engineering degrees, from Tuskegee University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, respectively. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Dr. Celvia Stovall, Alabama A&M and Auburn UniversityDr. Celvia Stovall is the Associate Director for Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Alabama A&M University. She has over 40 years of teaching, research and Extension experience in Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama, Minnesota, Tennessee and North Carolina. She received her Doctorate from the University of Minnesota, Master’s from Louisiana State University and Bachelor’s from Central Michigan University. She has taught on both the high school and college level. Dr. Stovall is a member of numerous professional associations and has received the Distinguished Service Award and a Meritorious Service Award from her National Professional Associations. She served as a member of the original “Think Tank” that developed ideas and standards for the required educational program for bankruptcy filers in the United States. She is the author of Financial Facts for Females and has provided trainings throughout the United States and in Canada.
Anthony Tuggle, Tennessee State University
Anthony Tuggle began work for the Rutherford County Extension Service in 1995 working as a 4-H/Agricultural agent with 50/50% responsibility. Anthony came to Tennessee Extension after graduating from Alcorn State University with a BS in Agriculture Economics and a MS in Animal Science. He has worked for TSU Extension for 22 years. He has served as County Extension Director for 10 years becoming the first TSU pay rolled employee hired to oversee both UT and TSU programs as county director. As County Director, he is responsible for the day to day operations of the office. Anthony grew up in Coffeeville, MS (Yalobusha County) where he was involved in FFA and Sports.
ECOP Representative
Jason Henderson, Purdue University, ECOP Representative
Associate Dean and Director, Purdue Extension
A nationally recognized expert in agricultural and rural issues, Jason R. Henderson is the Senior Associate Dean in the Purdue University College of Agriculture and Director of Purdue Extension. In this role, he leads statewide public engagement and research-based education in 4-H Youth Development, Agricultural and Natural Resources, Community Development, and Health and Human Sciences. As Purdue’s Assistant Vice President for Engagement, he provides leadership in university-wide initiatives that connect Purdue expertise and resources to statewide needs and helps form effective partnerships to grow Indiana’s economy and improve quality of life for its residents.
Jason previously served as Vice President and Omaha Branch Executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. While serving as the Bank’s regional economist and Nebraska representative, he also led Federal Reserve efforts to track agricultural and rural economies, including the Tenth District Survey of Agricultural Credit Conditions and the Federal Reserve System’s Agricultural Finance Databook. He also managed the Main Street Economist, a bimonthly publication covering economic issues affecting rural areas, and has published more than 60 agricultural economics research articles in academic and Federal Reserve publications on such topics as land values, entrepreneurship, electronic commerce in agriculture, demographics, and many more. He holds masters and doctorate degrees in agricultural economics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Central College in Pella, Iowa.
NIFA Representative
Toija Riggins, Ph.D., USDA/National Institute of Food and Agriculture LiaisonDr. Toija Riggins serves as the National Program Leader in Rural Sociology & Behavioral Economics in the Division of Family & Consumer Sciences at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In this role, she works with administrators, faculty and Extension educators across the Land-Grant University system, as well as with federal agencies and other partners. She collaborates to identify existing and emerging evidence-based programming needs, opportunities, and resources. Her areas of focus include rural prosperity and quality of life, rural-urban interdependence, and informed decision-making. Toija has a B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. in Social Psychology and Psychometrics from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.