For Employees

Recent Hires

Thanks to increased support from the State of California, we are rebuilding our academic footprint across the state and adding new positions to address California’s most pressing issues. We are excited to welcome these new team members.


Lydia Tymon

Environmental horticulture advisor
San Bernardino and Riverside counties
ltymon@ucanr.edu
Read Lydia Tymon’s bio

Robert "Bob" Woodke

Indigenous disaster resilience advisor
Central Sierra
rlwoodke@ucanr.edu
Read Robert "Bob" Woodke’s bio

Li Schmidt

Food systems advisor
Los Angeles, Ventura counties
lschmidt@ucanr.edu
Read Li Schmidt’s bio

Marisela Chávez

Indigenous food sovereignty advisor
San Diego, Riverside counties
mvez@ucanr.edu
Read Marisela Chávez’s bio

Melissa Guillen

4-H youth development advisor
San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties
mpguillen@ucanr.edu
Read Melissa Guillen’s bio

Adauto Rocha Jr.

UC Cooperative Extension specialist in agricultural economics
UC Santa Cruz
arochajr@ucsc.edu
Read Adauto Rocha Jr.’s bio

Camila Quintana Del Caprio

Forestry and natural resources advisor
Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou counties
caquintana@ucanr.edu
Read Camila Quintana Del Caprio’s bio

Justin Vigil

Livestock and natural resources advisor
Shasta and Trinity counties
jusvigil@ucanr.edu
Read Justin Vigil’s bio

Lilian Thaoxaochay

Disaster resiliency, planning and policy advisor
San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties
lilthaox@ucanr.edu
Read Lilian Thaoxaochay’s bio

Kelsie Matteucci

Community education supervisor
UC Master Food Preserver Program
kmatteucci@ucanr.edu
Read Kelsie Matteucci’s bio

Fadzayi Elizabeth Mashiri

Livestock and natural resources advisor
San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties
fmashiri@ucanr.edu
Read Fadzayi Elizabeth Mashiri’s bio

Mariana Diaz

Youth nutrition educator
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Contra Costa County
mxdiaz@ucanr.edu
Read Mariana Diaz’s bio

Matthew Fatino

Subtropical crop advisor
San Diego and Riverside counties
mfatino@ucanr.edu
Read Matthew Fatino’s bio

Mandeep Singh

Agronomy advisor
Sacramento, Yolo and Solano counties
mdpsingh@ucanr.edu
Read Mandeep Singh’s bio

Caroline Champlin

Science communication specialist (Southern California)
Strategic Communications
cchamplin@ucanr.edu
Read Caroline Champlin’s bio

Stepha Velednitsky

4-H youth advisor
Contra Costa and Alameda counties
velednitsky@ucanr.edu
Read Stepha Velednitsky’s bio

Sarah Farley

UC Master Gardener program manager
Santa Clara County
slfarley@ucanr.edu
Read Sarah Farley’s bio

Kane Russell

Forestry and natural resources advisor
Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties
kwrussell@ucanr.edu
Read Kane Russell’s bio

Yessica Viridiana Fernandez Galicia

Principal Investigator, California Agave Project
Water Management Lab, UC Davis
yesfernandez@ucdavis.edu
Read Yessica Viridiana Fernandez Galicia’s bio

Sutie Xu

UC Cooperative Extension specialist in soil health
UC Davis
sutxu@ucdavis.edu
Read Sutie Xu’s bio

Sonia Rios

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act technical assistance community educator for small farms, UC SAREP
Riverside and San Bernardino counties
sirios@ucanr.edu
Read Sonia Rios’s bio

Jarin Tasnim Anika

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act technical assistance community educator for small farms, UC SAREP
Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties
janika@ucanr.edu
Read Jarin Tasnim Anika’s bio

Erik Rodriguez

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act technical assistance community educator for small farms, UC SAREP
Fresno and Madera counties
erdrodriguez@ucanr.edu
Read Erik Rodriguez’s bio

Luis Carlos Paniagua

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act technical assistance community educator for small farms, UC SAREP
Tulare and Kings counties
lcpaniagua@ucanr.edu
Read Luis Carlos Paniagua’s bio

Claire Tuohey-Mote

Staff research and extension associate, Small Farms Network
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties
ctuoheymote@ucanr.edu

Helaine Berris

Water and soil advisor
Sonoma, Marin, Napa and Mendocino counties
hmberris@ucanr.edu
Read Helaine Berris’s bio

Grace Belt

Youth, families and communities advisor
Humboldt and Del Norte counties
kbelt@ucanr.edu
Read Grace Belt’s bio

Ally Sung-Jereczek

Beneficial burning and tribal land stewardship advisor
Mendocino and Lake counties
asungjereczek@ucanr.edu
Read Ally Sung-Jereczek’s bio

Tanya Daly

Community education specialist for the 4-H Youth Development Program
Alameda County
tdaly@ucanr.edu
Read Tanya Daly’s bio

Andrea Warner

Livestock and natural resources area advisor
Placer, Nevada, Yuba and Sutter counties
alnwarner@ucanr.edu
Read Andrea Warner’s bio

Mohammadali Azadfar

Woody biomass and forest products advisor
Siskiyou, Shasta and Trinity counties
mazadfar@ucanr.edu
Read Mohammadali Azadfar’s bio

Dylan Beal

UC Integrated Pest Management entomology farm advisor
Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties
djbeal@ucanr.edu
Read Dylan Beal’s bio

Monica Palta

UC Cooperative Extension specialist in urban water quality, health and justice
UC Irvine
mpalta@uci.edu
Read Monica Palta’s bio

Hedmon Okella

4-H animal science youth advisor
San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties
hokella@ucanr.edu
Read Hedmon Okella’s bio

Yonatan Weinberg

Academic coordinator for food innovation and small business
Farms, Food, Future Initiative, also called F3, San Joaquin Valley
yweinberg@ucanr.edu
Read Yonatan Weinberg’s bio

Natalie Levy

Soil health and organic materials management advisor
Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties
nlevy@ucanr.edu
Read Natalie Levy’s bio

Jasmin Smith

Community nutrition and health advisor
San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties
jasm@ucanr.edu
Read Jasmin Smith’s bio

Derrick Robinson

Urban agriculture, food systems and environmental issues advisor
San Diego County
drobinson@ucanr.edu
Read Derrick Robinson’s bio

Arun Babu

Entomology advisor
Imperial County
arbabu@ucanr.edu
Read Arun Babu’s bio

Sara Rosenberg

Regenerative agriculture farm advisor
Mariposa, Merced and Stanislaus counties
srosenberg@ucanr.edu
Read Sara Rosenberg’s bio

Laljeet Sangha

Community water systems advisor
Kern, Tulare and Kings counties
lsangha@ucanr.edu
Read Laljeet Sangha’s bio

Ngodoo Atume

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) small farms technical assistance coordinator
UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
natume@ucanr.edu
Read Ngodoo Atume’s bio

Phillip Fujiyoshi

UCCE Small Farms extension and research associate
Capitol Corridor
pfujiyoshi@ucanr.edu
Read Phillip Fujiyoshi’s bio

Azin Pourkhalili

Youth, family and community advisor
Kern, Inyo and Mono counties
apourkhalili@ucanr.edu
Read Azin Pourkhalili’s bio

Claire Beveridge

Small farms water conservation academic coordinator
UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
Fresno, Tulare and Madera counties
cbeveridge@ucanr.edu
Read Claire Beveridge’s bio

Ahmed El-Moghazy

UC Cooperative Extension food safety specialist
UC Riverside
aelmogha@ucr.edu
Read Ahmed El-Moghazy’s bio

Haramrit Gill

Environmental horticulture advisor
Tulare, Kings, Fresno and Madera counties
hamgill@ucanr.edu
Read Haramrit Gill’s bio

Christian Jordan

Forestry and natural resources advisor
Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou counties
cjordan@ucanr.edu
Read Christian Jordan’s bio

Ana Pastrana

Plant pathology advisor
Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties
ampastranaleon@ucanr.edu
Read Ana Pastrana’s bio

Laura Garza

Water quality, quantity and climate change advisor
Lake and Mendocino counties
legarza@ucanr.edu
Read Laura Garza’s bio

Domena Agyeman

Agriculture and natural resources economics advisor
Butte, Glenn and Tehama counties
dagyeman@ucanr.edu
Read Domena Agyeman’s bio

Sarah Marsh

Rice farming systems advisor
Colusa and Yolo counties
smarsh@ucanr.edu
Read Sarah Marsh’s bio

Olukayode "Kayode" Jegede

UC Cooperative Extension agricultural toxicology specialist
UC Davis
ojegede@ucdavis.edu
Read Olukayode "Kayode" Jegede’s bio

Crystele Leauthaud

UC Cooperative Extension agroecology specialist
UC Santa Cruz
cleautha@ucsc.edu
Read Crystele Leauthaud’s bio

Jennifer Smilowitz

UC Cooperative Extension nutrition and health equity specialist
UC Davis
jensm@ucdavis.edu
Read Jennifer Smilowitz’s bio

Mackenzie Patton

Integrated pest management advisor
Central Sierra: El Dorado, Amador, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties
mfpatton@ucanr.edu
Read Mackenzie Patton’s bio

Simarjeet Singh

Irrigated grass systems area advisor
Modoc, Lassen and Shasta counties
ssmsingh@ucanr.edu
Read Simarjeet Singh’s bio

Aaron Wilcher

Community and economic development advisor
Inyo, Mono and eastern Kern counties
awilcher@ucanr.edu
Read Aaron Wilcher’s bio

Brian Woodward

Forestry advisor
Santa Cruz, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties
bdwoodward@ucanr.edu
Read Brian Woodward’s bio

Bruno Pitton

Environmental horticulture advisor
Placer and Nevada counties
bjpitton@ucanr.edu
Read Bruno Pitton’s bio

Kitty Oppliger

Community health and nutrition advisor
Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Placer and Nevada counties
koppliger@ucanr.edu
Read Kitty Oppliger’s bio

Param Singh

Agricultural technology advisor
Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and San Luis Obispo counties
psbsingh@ucanr.edu
Read Param Singh’s bio

Jessie Godfrey

Environmental horticulture and water resource management advisor
Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties
jmgodfrey@ucanr.edu
Read Jessie Godfrey’s bio

Alexa Erickson

Assistant community nutrition, health and food systems advisor
Contra Costa and Alameda counties
americkson@ucanr.edu
Read Alexa Erickson’s bio

Michael Cohen

Organic materials management and agri-food systems advisor
Santa Clara County
mfscohen@ucanr.edu
Read Michael Cohen’s bio

Raymond Mireles

Fruit and almond advisor
Fresno and Tulare counties
jrmireles@ucanr.edu
Read Raymond Mireles’s bio

Luis Peña-Lévano

UC Cooperative Extension specialist in dairy cattle production, health and management economics
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
lpenalevano@ucdavis.edu
Read Luis Peña-Lévano’s bio

Emma Volk

Production horticulture advisor
Santa Barbara and Ventura counties
evolk@ucanr.edu
Read Emma Volk’s bio

Mandeep Riar

Restoration ecology and weed science area advisor
Kern, Tulare and Kings counties
mriar@ucanr.edu
Read Mandeep Riar’s bio

Esther Mosase

Urban watershed resilience advisor
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties
enmosase@ucanr.edu
Read Esther Mosase’s bio

Srabani Das

UC Cooperative Extension regenerative agriculture specialist
UC Merced
sradas@ucanr.edu
Read Srabani Das’s bio

Lais Costa

UC Cooperative Extension specialist in rural community disaster preparedness
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
lrcosta@ucdavis.edu
Read Lais Costa’s bio

Edith de Guzman

UC Cooperative Extension water equity and adaptation policy specialist
UCLA
eb3@ucla.edu
Read Edith de Guzman’s bio

Ryan Hill

Weed science and agronomy advisor
Tehama, Shasta and Glenn counties
rjahill@ucanr.edu
Read Ryan Hill’s bio

Liliana Vega

4-H youth development advisor
Orange and San Diego counties
live@ucanr.edu
Read Liliana Vega’s bio

Jasmin Ramirez Bonilla

Pesticide-safety education program coordinator
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
jramirezbonilla@ucanr.edu
Read Jasmin Ramirez Bonilla’s bio

Veronica Van Cleave-Hunt

Community nutrition, health and food security advisor
Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter and Yuba counties
vvancleavehunt@ucanr.edu
Read Veronica Van Cleave-Hunt’s bio

Laurie Wayne

Nutrition and food systems advisor
Modoc, Lassen and Siskiyou counties
lwayne@ucanr.edu
Read Laurie Wayne’s bio

Bailey Smith-Helman

Community education specialist
UC ANR Climate Smart Agriculture Program
bsmithhelman@ucanr.edu
Read Bailey Smith-Helman’s bio

Carly Hyland

Assistant professor of Cooperative Extension, environmental health sciences
UC Berkeley
chyland@berkeley.edu
Read Carly Hyland’s bio

Justin Valliere

Assistant professor of Cooperative Extension, invasive weed and restoration ecology
UC Davis
jmvalliere@ucdavis.edu
Read Justin Valliere’s bio

Alexandra "Ali" Estvan Hill

Assistant professor of Cooperative Extension, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
UC Berkeley
alihill@berkeley.edu
Read Alexandra "Ali" Estvan Hill’s bio

James "Jay" Sayre

Assistant professor of Cooperative Extension, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
UC Davis
jsayre@ucdavis.edu
Read James "Jay" Sayre’s bio

Cristina Murillo-Barrick

Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community development advisor
Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties
cmurillo@ucanr.edu
Read Cristina Murillo-Barrick’s bio