Purdue Extension Professional Awards Recognized at Conference

A number of Purdue Extension Professionals were recognized at the annual Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference (PDC) on Thursday, December 14, at the Tippecanoe County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Awards were presented by the Indiana Extension Educators Association (IEEA), Purdue University Cooperative Extension Specialists Association (PUCESA), and the Purdue Extension Director’s Office. We wish to extend our congratulations to each of these individuals and teams on their accomplishments and on the impact they are helping Purdue Extension to make across the State of Indiana!

IEEA Awards

Program Area Career Awards
• Presented annually to Educators in each program area who have served at least 20 years. The career awards are based on a combination of professionalism, professional accomplishments, community involvement, and special recognition and awards.
Agriculture and Natural Resources – Richard Beckort, Jackson County

Program Area Individual Awards
• Recognize the outstanding work of Purdue Extension field-based Professionals and the impact their programs have achieved.
Agriculture and Natural Resources – Rebecca Koetz, Lake County
4-H Youth Development – Mitch Wagoner, Knox County

Program Area Team Awards
• Recognize and encourage teamwork among Extension
Professionals within the same program.
Agriculture and Natural Resources – Sheep & Goat Field Day - Robby Kelly, Elkhart County; Elysia Rogers, DeKalb County; Mark Kepler, Fulton County

Community Development – Digital Ready Businesses - Roberto Gallardo, Vice President of Engagement, Director of Purdue Center for Regional Development; Emily Del Real, Engagement Specialist; Cheyanna Geideman, Engagement Specialist

Community Wellness Coordinator – Food as Medicine – Erin Meyer, Spencer, Perry, Crawford, & Pike County CWC; Ashlee Sudbury, Daviess, Dubois, Martin, & Orange County CWC; Katelyn Kutemeier, Washington, Bartholomew, & Jackson County CWC: Annie Eakin, Brown, Lawrence, & Monroe County CWC; Karina Moore, former Orange County Health & Human Sciences Educator; Maddie Underwood, former Jackson County Nutrition Education Program Assistant

Health and Human Sciences – New Times, New Methods…Delivering Education Through Social Media During a Pandemic and Beyond – Pandora Taylor, Boone County; Susan Peterson, Hamilton County; Mandy Gray; Beth Switzer, Hendricks County (retired); Amanda Veenhuizen, Johnson County (formerly); Ashley Piland, Marion County; Kevin Davis, Marion County; Diana Stone, Shelby County

4-H Youth Development – Joanne Lytton, Carroll County; Kelsey Holt, Carroll County (formerly); Lynn Korniak, Cass County (retired); Caren Crum, Clinton County; Josh Winrotte, Howard County; Sara Badger, Miami County (formerly); Kathryn Weiss, Newton County (formerly); Samantha Williams, Pulaski County; Megan Skiba, Tippecanoe County; Molly Childers, White County

Other IEEA Awards
Bob Amick Award - Recognizes a 4-H Youth Development Educator with less than 10 years of service - Katie Whiteford, Clark County

CES Team – Indiana 4-H Quality Livestock Care – Courtney Stierwalt, 4-H Extension Specialist; Dr. Casey Mull, 4-H Program Leader; Dr. Colleen Brady, Professor, Agricultural Sciences Extension and Communication; Dr. Marisa Erasmus, Associate Professor, Animal Sciences; Dr. Stacy Zuelly, Clinical Assistant Professor, Animal Sciences; Dr. John Blanton, former Animal Sciences Department Head; Jeff Pell, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator and CED, Hendricks County; Mark Kepler, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator and CED, Fulton County; Julie Wilson, 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Randolph County; Abby Morgan, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Montgomery County; Rebecca Wilkins, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Harrison County; Robby Kelly, 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Elkhart County; Christie Jacob, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Parke County; Cora Reinbolt, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Community Development Educator and CED, Bartholomew County; Brian Howell, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Tipton County; Kyle Weaver, 4-H Youth Development and Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator and CED, Switzerland County

Diversity – Juntos 4-H – Heather VonDielingen, 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Jackson County; Molly Marshall, Health and Human Sciences Educator, Jackson County; Richard Beckort, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Jackson County; Jennifer Haynes, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Lake County; Rebecca Koetz, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Lake County; Rachael Smith, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Marion County; Lauren Fenneman, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Dubois County; Sthele Greybar, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Elkhart County; Luis Santiago, Community Outreach & Engagement Educator, Daviess County

International – Farmer-to-Farmer – Making Baking Flour out of Root Vegetables – Abigail Creigh, Health and Human Sciences Educator, Noble County; Molly Hoag, Health and Human Sciences Educator, Wells County

Tenure awards
Members of IEEA recognized for their tenure level milestones, starting at 5 years, and at each subsequent 5-year interval, included the following.

Outgoing IEEA Section Presidents Recognition

The leadership of a program area section within IEEA is a four-year commitment – secretary, vice-president, president, and past-president. Those who have completed their term as president and are transitioning into a past-president role include:
• Agriculture and Natural Resources Section – James Wolff, Allen County
• Community Development Section – Lupe Valtierra, Lake County
• Community Wellness Coordinator Section – Jeff Walker, Jennings, Ripley, and Dearborn Counties
• 4-H Youth Development Section – Heather Dougherty, Johnson County
• Health and Human Sciences Section – Mindy Mayes, Wabash County

Outgoing IEEA President Recognition
The leadership of the umbrella professional association for Purdue Extension is a four-year commitment – secretary, vice-president, president, and past-president. The 2023 IEEA President was Robby Kelly, 4-H Extension Educator and CED, Elkhart County.

Friend of Extension Award – Max Fitzpatrick, Johnson County. Read the story about Max and watch a tribute video to his memory.

PUCESA Awards

Ann Hancook Award
• Objective: To encourage and recognize cooperation between Extension Educators and Specialists in programs focusing on families.
• Recipient: Parents Forever. Team Members include Kelsie Muller, HHS Specialist in Human Development; Chelsea Brewer, HHS Educator and CED, Dubois County; Jo Gilreath, HHS Educator, Vanderburgh County; Brooke Goble, HHS and 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Pike County; Megan Jaspersen, HHS Educator and CED, Perry County; Jamie Jo Lowder, HHS Educator, Owen County; Kristen Lowry, HHS Educator and CED, Posey County; Olivia Morgan, HHS Educator and Co-CED, Clay County; Meagan Salomon, HHS Educator and CED, Vanderburgh County; Dana Stanley, HHS Educator, Steuben County; and Jennifer Stefancik, HHS Educator, Daviess County.

Early-Career Award

Objective: To recognize outstanding contributions to Purdue Extension by Specialists/Administrators with up to 10 years of service.
• Recipient: Laura Ingwell, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, specializing in Fruit & Vegetable Pest Management

Career Award
• Objective: To recognize outstanding contributions to Purdue Extension by Specialists/Administrators with over 20 years of service.
• Recipient: Kathryn Orvis, Professor, Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, specializing in Junior Master Gardener, Youth Horticulture Education, and Ag Biotechnology Education

Leadership Award
• Objective: Recognize an individual’s leadership and contribution to a specific and highly effective Extension program
• Recipient: Eileen Kladivko, Professor, Department of Agronomy, specializing in soil physics, soil biology, and soil management.

Team Award
• Objective: Recognize innovative Extension Programming by a team of Specialists and their allied partners.
• Recipient: Farm Stress Team. Team Members include: Angela Sorg, HHS Educator, DeKalb County; Richard Beckort, ANR Educator, Jackson County; Amanda Bullion, HHS Educator, Delaware County; Shannon Chipman, HHS and 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Ohio County; Rachel Dillhof, Purdue Extension Social Media Coordinator; Jonathan Ferris, ANR Educator and CED, Wayne County; Kelly Heckaman, Area 11 Director; Abby Heidenreich, ANR Educator, Gibson County; Jane Horner, HHS Educator, Cass County; Mathias Ingle, ANR Educator, Howard County; Robert Kelly, 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Elkhart County; Emily Kresca, ANR Educator, Kosciusko County; Kurt Lanzone, ANR Educator and CED, Parke County; Kelsey Meyers, HHS and 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Henry County; Bryan Overstreet, Conservation Agronomist and Soil Health State-Wide Coordinator; Marcia Parcell, HHS Educator, Dearborn County; Gail Peitzmeier, HHS and 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Crawford County; Zoe Robinson, HHS Educator, Randolph County; Elysia Rodgers, ANR Educator and CED, DeKalb County; Brittney Schori, HHS Educator, Whitley County; Tonya Short, HHS Educator, Knox County; Adam Tyler, ANR and 4-H Youth Development Educator and CED, Fountain County; and Elisa Worland, HHS and Community Development Educator, Wayne County.

Student in Extension Award
• Objective: Recognize a graduate student that has made outstanding contributions to the Cooperative Extension Service and shows exceptional promise in this role.
• Recipient: Jeanine Arana, Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Purdue Extension Director's Office Awards

Paul B Crooks Outstanding Extension Educator Award
The Crooks Award recognizes Extension Educators who have demonstrated excellence in Extension programming. Dr. Paul B. Crooks served as an Extension agent in Benton, Fountain, and Morgan Counties before becoming administrator of the statewide Better Farming-Better Living program in 1954. He later served as Associate Director of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service from 1962-82. Crooks also served as national president of Epsilon Sigma Phi in 1969, a group that recognized his leadership in 1973 with its Distinguished Ruby Award.

A plaque and a $2,000 cash award are presented to the winner of the Crooks Award.

The 2023 recipient of the Crooks award is Jeff Burbrink, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, LaGrange County. 

Eric G Sharvelle Distinguished Extension Specialist Award

The Sharvelle award recognizes Extension Specialists who have served the people of Indiana by demonstrating a high degree of proficiency and professionalism during their careers, along with a track record of excellence in Extension programming. The Sharvelle Award is given each year in memory of Eric G. Sharvelle, who was a Purdue professor of botany and plant pathology from 1946 to 1975. The award was established in 1985 by Dr. Derek and Sybil Sharvelle of Battle Ground, Indiana.

A plaque and a $2,000 cash award are presented to the winner of the Sharvelle Award.

The 2023 recipient of the Sharvelle award is Dr. Janna Beckerman, Professor Botany & Plant Pathology. 

Purdue Extension Director’s Award

Andrea Kane, Business Manager for Purdue Extension, is the 2023 recipient of the Purdue Extension Director’s Award. Andrea’s commitment to aiding campus and field staff in navigating the grant pre- and post-award process has significantly enhanced Purdue Extension’s ability to submit and receive external grants over the past several years. She has an exceptional aptitude for navigating the intricate landscape of grant budget preparation, leading to successful proposals.

Once grants are received, Andrea ensures that every financial aspect is executed with precision, allowing the grant-funded projects to positively impact Indiana communities. Her level of customer service with a warm and friendly spirit creates an atmosphere where collaborators feel supported and encouraged throughout the grant process!