Associate Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics recognized for dedication to education and community with UT Knoxville Athletics Professor of Excellence award

Where are you from and how did your career lead you to UTIA?

I grew up on a fifth generational family farm in North Street, Michigan, that was settled by my great-great grandfather in 1876. We raise beef cattle, sugarbeets, corn, soybeans and wheat on our family farm. After an undergraduate internship with the American Sugarbeet Growers Association in Washington, D.C., I knew I wanted to find a career that contributed to the agricultural industry. This eventually led me to complete my PhD in Business Administration (Agribusiness) from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (ASU) in 2014. I had just delivered my completed dissertation to the ASU Graduate College when I received a job offer from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I still remember where I was when I received this call—talk about a great day! I obviously accepted the offer and am still here more than ten years later!

What is your role, and can you describe what you do on a typical day?

I am an associate professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UT Knoxville. I have a 75% AgResearch appointment and 25% teaching appointment in the Herbert College of Agriculture. I teach AREC 395: James L. Herbert Executive Seminar Series and AREC 352: Futures and Options Markets. I also direct the Farm Credit Mid-America Enrichment Program and the Peter Howard Wine and Ag Tourism Program. I research sugar and livestock economics, consumer and producer behavior, international trade and agricultural policy. I never have a “typical day,” which is why I like my work. I may spend an entire day focusing on research which involves writing, analyzing spreadsheets and econometric models, and critical thinking. Or I may spend a day focused on creating content for my courses, connecting with alumni, and teaching.

What is your research focus, and why is it important?

My research program includes studying livestock and sugar markets, consumer and producer behavior, international trade, and agricultural policy. My goal is to have the tools and ability to research any topic that is relevant to the agricultural and food industries. My research is important because it provides information and analysis to various stakeholders within the food and agricultural industries, including policy makers. For example, a recent grant I completed examined the competitiveness of U.S. beef in Mexico, China, Japan, the UK, and Germany. 

What is one important aspect of your field that you think everyone should know?

Professors do a lot more than only teach. As an undergraduate student, I had no idea professors also published journal articles and wrote grants, for example.

What is the most fulfilling part of your work?

The output that results when a successful and creative project is completed. This could be a research project that results in a strong peer-reviewed publication led by a graduate student, or the creation of an experiential learning program that changes a student’s life. Both examples begin as just an idea. The work that goes into making the idea into reality might take years, but the results are worth it.

Congratulations on recently being honored with the Athletics Professor of Excellence award by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville! What does receiving this award mean to you?

First, I’d like to thank the UT Knoxville Faculty Senate for having the idea for this award and thank the Provost and Athletics Department for conferring the award. Second, this award is a great honor and recognition! This award “recognizes professional excellence and outstanding university citizenship at the department, college, or university levels.”

I played high school varsity softball, basketball, and volleyball. Sports were a huge part of my life, and I even met my husband playing in a Knoxville co-ed volleyball league. Basketball was my favorite sport, and I was the point guard. I still have a basketball mentality, even as a professor. It’s very fitting that I work at UT Knoxville, where Pat Summitt made history as the most legendary coach in women’s basketball. The traits that have made me successful at completing my PhD and getting tenure at UT are the traits that I learned and developed by playing sports, such as competitiveness, determination, teamwork, communication, and discipline. Within UTIA I have always prided myself on being a team player and going out of my way to do the little things to make those around me better, whether it be working with a student or working on a large grant proposal.

How do you work to maintain impactful connections with faculty and students on campus?

I could write a book in response to this question, but to keep it short I’ll focus on three areas. First, I’m big on communication. If you email or call me, regardless of who you are, you’re going to receive a response as quickly and comprehensively as possible. Second, I will always follow through on any commitment I make. It doesn’t matter if you’re a staff member, student, or dean, you’re going to receive my highest level of respect and effort. Finally, social media makes it easy to stay in touch with students once they graduate. Watching former students succeed is one of the best parts of my job.

What has been your proudest accomplishment while working in the UT Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics?

Through teaching the course, I became great friends with Jim and Judi Herbert, the namesakes of the Herbert College of Agriculture. The late Jim Herbert loved to participate in our James L. Herbert Executive Seminar Series class and interact with our students. Getting to know the Herbert family has been the most rewarding part of my career at UT. The Herberts are an incredible family who have positively impacted countless lives, including my own. I am honored to work for the Herbert College of Agriculture and teach the James L. Herbert Executive Seminar Series class. It is important for our students to understand not just who their college is named after, but what the Herbert name represents. Our class conveys this information to our students and will continue to honor the Herbert legacy for years to come!

What is a project you are currently working on that you are excited about?

I recently received a grant to work with the Tennessee wine industry. While doing the initial work for the grant, I was also able to help launch a new student endowment, called the Peter Howard Wine and Ag Tourism Program. Thus, this grant was able to span across the three UTIA missions of Extension, research, and teaching because we have Extension and research faculty on the grant, and the team also helped launch the Peter Howard Wine and Ag Tourism Program for students.

What do you like to do outside of work and/or what are some fun facts about yourself that your colleagues and students wouldn’t know?

Here are some fun facts about myself during my youth:

• I showed steers and sugarbeets in the St. Clair County, Michigan, 4-H Fair.
• I held the Port Huron Northern High School softball home run record for 19 years.
• I was a member of the varsity basketball and softball teams at Port Huron Northern High School that won the Macomb Athletic Conference Red Division Championships in Michigan.
• When I was 19, I won a World Series of Poker satellite tournament. I was still in college so I couldn’t play in the next round because I had to finish my classes.