Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications alum (’16) supports rural small businesses and farmers with USDA
Where are you from?
I grew up in Portland, Tennessee. When I first started school in Knoxville and shared that my hometown was “Portland,” I was frequently asked how long the plane ride was to get to Tennessee. I quickly learned to introduce myself as being from the Portland just above Nashville.
When did you graduate from UTIA, and what was your degree?
I graduated in 2016 with a degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. I concentrated in Agricultural Communications, which helped me tremendously in one of my first jobs – Public Information Officer at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
What is your current job, and can you describe some of your current responsibilities?
I am now a Program Specialist at USDA Rural Development. I am based in Nashville working for Tennessee’s state office and focus on the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). In this role, we are able to support agricultural producers and rural small businesses in Tennessee with implementing energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems, such as solar panels, through grant funding.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
Being able to interact and support rural small businesses and farmers has always been the most rewarding part of my career. I previously worked with cost-share programs at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, and seeing the impact throughout the agriculture industry and community was easily the highlight of that job.
Now that I’m with USDA, I enjoy seeing all kinds of businesses and industry support through the focus of renewable energy projects and energy efficiency improvements. From dairy farms to grocery stores and from movie theaters to manufacturing facilities, my current viewpoint of USDA Rural Development assistance is extremely rewarding.
What brought you to UTIA, and how did you choose your field of study?
Growing up on a poultry and cattle farm, I knew that I wanted to further my education in the agriculture industry. However, I wasn’t sure what specific career path I had interest in at that time. The ALEC program seemed to be a great fit in offering a diverse range of agricultural classes and preparation of soft skills that would be beneficial for years to come. I feel now that the foundation that was set from my UTIA coursework has allowed me to build my career into what I’ve always wanted to do – support and partner with agricultural producers throughout Tennessee.
How did your time at UTIA impact your life and your career?
While in school, I quickly realized that I was surrounded by classmates who were motivated and brilliant. It is exciting to see many of them now work in fellow agencies and as industry partners throughout the region, throughout the country, and throughout the world. Being able to comfortably tap into other branches of the industry through those connections has made all the difference for me since I left Knoxville.
Even now, when I haven’t been a student for several years, I still see frequent benefit from the UTIA system as Extension agents throughout the state offer assistance to agricultural producers that can benefit from grant funding. I quickly realized that the key to successfully getting information to Tennessee producers and business owners is through partnership with UT Extension.
The last, and probably most beneficial, impact from my time in the UT system has been from the alumni network. I truly am appreciative of the mentors and connections that I’ve been able to tap into because of the Volunteer family. I hope to one day be able to return the favor to future students.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time at UTIA?
I was fortunate to be an Orientation Leader after my sophomore year. Because I was the only student on that orientation team working on an agriculture degree, they had me shuttling students over to the ag campus to meet with their faculty and select classes. Being able to meet a large portion of an incoming class of students that would be joining me on the ag campus for future years was enjoyable and fun – and hearing their excitement for their upcoming semesters made me remember how fortunate I was to be a part of the UTIA experience.
What is your proudest professional (or personal – or both!) accomplishment?
I was honored to be a part of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Business Development Division when they were awarded the 2021 Agricultural Marketing Excellence Award from the North American Agricultural Marketing Officials (NAAMO) organization. The annual award recognizes innovative and effective agricultural marketing projects that have significant impact to the agricultural economy in a state or province.
Our team was recognized for the social media strategy used to promote Tennessee products during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pick Tennessee Products’ social media posts reached more than 2 million people in 2020 through a Do Your Part with Pick TN campaign. It was the first time Tennessee received the Marketing Excellence Award.
What do you like to do outside of work and/or what is a fun fact about yourself?
Outside of work, I enjoy attending live sports events and concerts here in Nashville. I’ve been fortunate to have many of my friends from UT also move to Nashville after graduation, and I find myself continuing to spend time with those from my college years now almost a decade later.
