Syrett joins Statewide Programs and REC Operations 

Selena Syrett has accepted a new position within UC ANR. As of Oct. 20, she is an administrative assistant 3 within the Statewide Programs and Research and Extension Center Operations unit.

Syrett has been with ANR for nearly four years, serving as the front desk administrative assistant at ANR’s 2nd Street Building in Davis. She will continue to sit at the front desk area while taking on new responsibilities, including purchasing and administrative support for statewide program directors and UC Cooperative Extension specialists, support for REC business officers, managing the Statewide Programs and Research and Extension Centers website, processing invoice payments and other administrative duties.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from UC Davis.

Syrett can be reached at smsyrett@ucanr.edu and (530) 750-1200.

Guillen becomes 4-H advisor for San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties

Melissa Guillen is now a 4-H youth development advisor serving San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties as of Oct. 1. 

She joined UC Cooperative Extension in February as the academic coordinator for the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE program, leading nutrition education and community health initiatives across the region.

Guillen brings her experience in food systems, nutrition, and organizational leadership to her new role. With a strong background in both nonprofit and business operations, she is passionate about building collaborative systems that strengthen communities and promote equity.

Prior to joining UCCE, she served as chief operating officer at Backyard Bowls, where she led strategic growth, operations and team development. Previously, she managed youth and nutrition programs at the San Luis Obispo Food Bank, focusing on food literacy, food security initiatives and public health advocacy. Her expertise spans program development, business strategy and cross-sector collaboration.

Beyond her professional work, Guillen is deeply involved in her community. She serves as chair of the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara and as President of the Board for Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA). She was also a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County, a foster parent, and an exchange student host – roles that reflect her dedication to creating safe, supportive environments where young people can thrive.

She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from Meredith College and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from North Carolina State University. 

Guillen is based at the UCCE office in San Luis Obispo and can be reached at mpguillen@ucanr.edu.

Rocha joins UC ANR as agricultural economics specialist 

Adauto Rocha Jr. joined UC ANR on Sept. 2 as an assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Santa Cruz Economics Department.

Rocha is an agricultural economist specializing in production economics and policy evaluation for small and family farms. 

At UC ANR, Rocha’s program will focus on the impact evaluation of policies and social programs, cost studies, and the development of accessible digital tools to support profitability, resilience and equitable rural development across California’s small-farm sector. In his new role, he is most excited about strengthening small-farm community resilience and competitiveness and contributing to more sustainable food systems.

“I look forward to contributing to this mission and collaborating with colleagues, producers, and stakeholders across California,” Rocha said.

Rocha’s research has focused on production economics and the evaluation of agricultural and environmental policies. He has published in journals such as The Review of Income and Wealth and The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, and contributed to major reports for the World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Brazilian ministries. 

Much of his work centers on family farming and conservation, with an emphasis on understanding how policies and practices shape economic outcomes and resilience in rural communities.

Before joining UC ANR, he was an assistant extension professor at the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he conducted research and outreach on livestock economics, conservation programs, and risk-management tools.

He holds two doctoral degrees – one in applied economics from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and another in agricultural economics from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he received the J.B. Hassler Ph.D. Research Citation for outstanding research in agricultural economics.

Rocha is based at UC Santa Cruz and can be reached at arochajr@ucsc.edu and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adauto-rocha-jr/.

Gonzales joins Climate Smart Agriculture team 

Juan Gonzales is the newest community education specialist with the UC ANR Climate Smart Agriculture Program based in Fresno County, where he will provide technical assistance to growers for climate-smart agriculture practices. 

Gonzales grew up in Kerman in Fresno County, and he has worked as a field laborer on various crops and lived among grape vineyards and almond orchards. “I’m proud to give back to the same farming communities I grew up around,” he said. “A big part of why I do this work is to support small-scale farmers who often don’t have the same access to resources or networks.”

Gonzales earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural plant science from Fresno State and plans to pursue a master of management degree at UC Davis. He completed his internship at Family Tree Farms in Goshen as a field scout. He has recently turned his focus from pest management to climate conscious practices. 

“I’m especially excited about an educational series I’ve developed on soil health, grant compliance and climate-smart practices,” said Gonzales. “Over the next few months, I’ll be working with farmers to roll this out as a 12-week multilingual hybrid educational series. The goal is to provide hands-on tools and information that farmers can actually use in their operations.”

Before joining UC ANR, he worked as a program assistant at Fresno State, where he helped design curriculum and support outreach to farmers across 31 counties. He also has experience in pest management, commodity inspection and agricultural operations.

“I’m really looking forward to collaborating with colleagues and community partners here at UC ANR,” Gonzales said. “If you’re working on climate-smart agriculture or farmer education, I’d love to connect and learn from you too.”

Gonzales is based in Fresno and can be reached at (559) 941-0453 and jpgonzales@ucanr.edu. He is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-gonzales-b935202b5.