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MSU Extension/Kalamazoo County
STAFF
(269) 383-8830
4-H Program Assistant: Bonnie Gazdag
Participates in planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating county 4-H programs
to the specific needs of the young people in the county. Works with developmental
committees and clubs to strengthen support for 4-H. Assists with 4-H club membership
expansion efforts. Recruits and trains volunteers.
4H Extension Educator: John Burhans
Responsible for the youth phase of the MSU Extension in providing opportunities for
youth to develop leadership potential, citizenship responsibility and productive
capacity through the volunteer leadership of adults and older youth.
Breastfeeding Peer Counselor: Amanda Hulet
Makes home visits to moms who are breastfeeding or who are planning to breast feed
upon birth. Client visits are on an as-needed basis to encourage the continuation of
breastfeeding. Client contacts are made by phone or letter. Counselor helps with
the education and awareness of breastfeeding to the WIC population,
Health Fair, Community Showers, etc.
Children/Youth/Family (CYF) Educator: Leatta Byrd - Registered Dietitian
Responsible for coordinating paraprofessionals that provide nutrition educational
programs to limited resource families helping people learn to improve the nutritional
quality and adequacy of their diet, health and well being of families in the Expanded
Food and Nutrition Education Program.
Additional program areas:
- Breast Feeding Initiative: supervises BFI program assistants who support and educate
mothers who are breastfeeding, on the many benefits of breastfeeding.
Also, provides answers to consumers who phone seeking information on various
consumer topics and writes nutritional articles on a quarterly basis for local news
media.
Commercial Horticulture Educator: Jeanne Himmelein
Responsible for educational programming in ornamental horticulture in SW Michigan
region. Main emphasis is floriculture, in particular the bedding plant industry
located primarily in Kalamazoo County. Also responsible for clientele involved in
landscaping, landscape service, lawn maintenance, and woody ornamentals production.
Serves as a resource person to all SW Michigan counties regarding any questions from
non-traditional clientele.
Community and Economic Development Extension Educator: Mark Thomas
Responsibilities include providing educational leadership, coordinating and promoting community and economic development efforts in
Kalamazoo County with emphasis on Food Security Systems and economic analysis. He is a facilitator; economic counselor and educator to assist
businesses and to help community members and government officials understand the economic, social, political and environmental impact of economic
development.
Consumer Horticulture Educator/Master Gardener Program Coordinator: Linda Whitlock
Consumer Horticulture Program
An experienced Horticulture Educator is available to answer consumers' questions by phone
regarding flower and vegetable gardens, lawns and home-invading pests. The Educator will also
examine samples when brought in by the public and identify the problem. This service is
free-of-charge. If it requires more in-depth analysis, it will be sent to MSU's Research Lab to
be analyzed for a slight fee to the consumer.
MSU's Master Gardener Volunteer Program is managed and administered through this
program. The Michigan Master Gardener Program is a horticulture education and volunteer
leader training program offered by Michigan State University Extension (MSUE). It provides
home gardening information to Michigan citizens through a network of trained volunteers. An
interest in plants, a personal commitment to volunteerism and an enthusiasm for sharing
knowledge with others are the only prerequisites.
County Extension Director (C.E.D.): Maury Kaercher, Interim CED
Responsible for the general administration and management of MSUE in Kalamazoo
County. The C.E.D. maintains a cooperative relationship with legislators (county,
state and federal), the general public and various relevant groups and organizations.
The C.E.D. also administers local office operation, obtains financial support of the
programs and activities of our office, provides program leadership and administrative
leadership for all MSUE staff members. The C.E.D. conducts educational programs in
community and economic development.
Extension Dairy Educator: Ira Krupp
Specific educational programming is centered on milk marketing. Development of
educational materials that can be utilized by farmers and other Extension Educators to
understand the new multiple component pricing for milk, which started in Michigan in
1995. Other efforts include assistance to farmers in financial management and
facility design alternatives. A six county area partnership team has been formed to
network the industry. The Extension Dairy Educator for SW Michigan is housed in Allegan
serving Allegan, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren Counties as Area
of Expertise Educator and provides Extension educational programs specifically for dairy
farmers and the dairy support industry.
Family Nutrition Program Home Economist: Leatta Byrd - Registered Dietitian
As the R.D. and Home Economist with the Family Nutrition Program this is a varied
role. Primarily functions as a home-health dietitian for food stamp eligible
patients with special nutritional problems, much like a home-health or visiting
nurse. Acts as a liaison between the primary care physician and the patient. In
home: makes assessments on general nutrition knowledge, comprehension of medical
condition and special diet (as well as compliance with meal planning, grocery
shopping and cooking skills, food safety skills and budgeting/resource management
skills) and provides appropriate education. Submits news-release articles for area
newspapers and magazines.
Kinship Care Education Coordinator: Joyce Stout
Recruits sponsors and provides technical assistance to organizations who sponsor
support groups for grandparents who raise grandchildren. Trains and certifies
facilitators in using the Second Time Around curriculum. Develops training materials
for facilitators and supplementary lessons for support groups. Provides on-going
support to trained certified facilitators. Increases community awareness of the
issues facing grandparents who are parenting again.
Livestock Educator: Maury Kaercher
As livestock Educator day-to-day activities vary, putting together educational
programs, sending out correspondence relating to livestock and is ongoing.
Responds to clients needs by returning phone calls, keeps abreast of local land use
issues regarding livestock operations and the impact they have within SW Michigan.
Keeps elected officials informed of the latest technology regarding current farming
practices, and updates this group on the economic impact of agriculture.
Nutrition Instructor: Email
EFNEP nutrition instructors conduct educational programs directly with the clientele
in the home or in a group. Homemakers or youth are taught planned nutrition lessons
in addition to EFNEP responsibilities, instructors can be trained as breastfeeding
peer counselors and have BFI responsibilities to provide breastfeeding support in the
home, hospital, clinics or by phone to breastfeeding mothers.
Swine Educator: Beth Franz
Major programming emphasis revolves around four educational initiatives derived
through needs assessment of swine providers of SW Michigan. They include
pseudorabies eradication education, swine manure nutrient management, swine
operations integrated resource management, and advanced swine production management
training. Other program areas: facilities utilization, swine nutrition, technology
awareness, employee training, and youth swine education.
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