I was honored to be selected as the 2025 Outstanding Extension Specialist by the Kentucky Association of County Agricultural Agents (KACAA). This award recognizes statewide Extension specialists who demonstrate excellence in programming, meaningful collaboration with county agents, and long-term impact on Kentucky agriculture. In addition, I was also commissioned as an Honorary County Agent.

My Extension efforts have focused on delivering applied research and economic tools that help producers make more informed decisions. Collaboration with county agents has been central to my work. These partnerships have made programs more relevant, responsive, and impactful at the local level.

Being selected as the Outstanding Extension Specialist is both humbling and motivating. It affirms the importance of Extension’s role in delivering practical, research-based solutions and reflects the strength of the collaborative model we have in Kentucky. I’m especially thankful to the agents who nominated me and to the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment for their continued support of my work.

This recognition further energizes my commitment to serve the evolving needs of Kentucky agriculture with innovation, responsiveness, and impact.