Purdue Extension educators honored with annual awards

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Indiana Extension Educators Association presented its annual award to county educators during Purdue Extension’s Professional Development Conference last week.

Awards and recipients were:

Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR)

Individual: Sara Dzimianski, ANR educator, Purdue Extension – Perry County.

Team: Emergency Animal Management – Scottsburg: Candace Croney, associate professor, Department of Animal Sciences; Mark Kepler, Purdue Extension – Fulton County director and ANR educator; Ron Lemenager, professor, Department of Animal Sciences; Danielle Howell-Walker, Purdue Extension – Washington County Director and ANR educator; and Megan Voyles, Purdue Extension – Scott County director, Indiana 4-H Youth Development educator, and ANR educator.

Community Development

Individual: Jan Dougan, Purdue Extension – Dubois County Director and Health & Human Sciences Educator.

Health & Human Sciences (HHS)

Individual: Nancy Hudson, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Fulton County.

Team: I am Moving, I am Learning Child Care Provider Training: Barb Beaulieu, Human Development Extension specialist, Department of Human Development and Family Studies; Esmerelda Cruz, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Clinton County; Kim Frazier, Purdue Extension – Miami County director, Indiana 4-H Youth Development educator and HHS educator; Jane Horner, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Cass County; Mindy Mayes, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Grant County; Lindsey Pedigo, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Howard County; and Teresa Witkoske, Human Development educator, Purdue Extension – Wabash County.

Indiana 4-H Youth Development (4-H)

Bob Amick Award: Jill Andrew-Richards, 4-H educator and ANR educator, Purdue Extension – Ohio County

Individual: Malea Huffman, 4-H educator, Purdue Extension – Greene County

Team: Southeast Indiana 4-H Judges and Leaders Clinic: Liz Beiersdorfer, Purdue Extension – Dearborn County director and 4-H educator; Peg Ehlers, Purdue Extension – Switzerland County director, 4-H educator, and HHS educator; Lesley Lodmell, Purdue Extension – Lawrence County director and 4-H educator; Heather VonDielingen, 4-H educator, Purdue Extension – Jackson County; Katie Whiteford, 4-H educator, Purdue Extension – Clark County; and Lisa Wilson, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Gibson County.

Diversity Award

Bi-Literacy Program: Esmerelda Cruz, HHS educator, Purdue Extension – Clinton County; and Alejandro Cuza-Blanco, associate professor of Spanish and Linguistics, Purdue School of Languages and Cultures.

Cooperative Extension Team Service Award

Food Science Frenzy: Meagan Brothers, Purdue Extension – Vanderburgh County director and HHS educator; Megan Hoffherr, 4-H educator, Purdue Extension – Gibson County; and Hans Schmitz, Purdue Extension – Gibson County director and ANR educator.

Friend of Extension

Beth Steiner of North Vernon for leadership in Jennings County’s Indiana 4-H Youth Development and Health and Human Sciences programs, fundraising efforts, and advocacy on behalf of the Purdue College of Agriculture. 

Writer: Nick Rogers, 765-496-0108, rogersn@purdue.edu

Source: Jason Henderson, 765-494-8489, jhenderson@purdue.edu 

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Photos of the winners are posted at https://ag.purdue.edu/extension/awards/Pages/2017.aspx

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Shari Finnell, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, sfinnell@purdue.edu  
Agriculture News Page