Empowering Educators to Co-create Community Partnerships | Integrating Evidence-Based Practices to Increase Program Impact

I am a Professor of Practice in the Crop and Soil Science Department in the College of Agricultural Science at Oregon State University. My work focuses on bringing evidence-based teaching and learning practices into the everyday work of extension professionals and others who teach in agricultural and natural resource systems. Through leading educational projects, I have seen the power of collaboration to spark new insights and deepen connections with farmers, ranchers, and community members.

Through my work, I want to ensure people are welcome as their whole selves in educational programming, both the educators and those they teach. I aim to build a culture of connection—one where we co-create effective approaches that support sustainable practices and nurture human well-being.

Areas of Focus

Climate Stress and Grief: I serve as a co-PI on Climate Stress and Grief: Building Resilience in Farmers and Ranchers Project, which offers interventions for producers and train-the-trainer courses for educators. Building on this foundation, a transdisciplinary team is expanding the project to include fishers, foresters, and conservationists, recognizing the shared challenges to livelihoods and identity across natural resource sectors. This new project, Climate Emotions in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, has developed a process model to deepen understanding of how emotional processing of climate-related distress contributes to resilience adaptation on farms and ranches. In May 2026, this work was recognized in the 2026 State of Inclusive Excellence at Oregon State University.
Professional Development: I provide capacity-building programs to help educators deepen their understanding of the science of learning and develop skills in instructional design and learner-centered teaching. I support and advocate for co-creating programming in which producers serve as educators, ensuring that lived experience and knowledge are included and inform program design.
International Research and Service: With two colleagues, I co-developed an OSU study-abroad program in partnership with the Royal University of Bhutan. In September 2025, I co-led the first OSU cohort to experience Bhutanese culture and learn how gross national happiness is informed by Buddhism, Bhutanese culture, and rural life.