Extension and Engagement Strategic Plan

Rooted in Oregon, growing together

The Division of Extension and Engagement plays a vital role in advancing Oregon State University's institutional goals, especially through our unique statewide infrastructure, university-wide engagement model and commitment to serving all Oregonians and their communities.

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Vision, mission and values

Vision

Together, we envision a future where Oregon's people, communities and ecosystems prosper.

Mission

We work with communities throughout Oregon to support lifelong learning and co-create innovative solutions to address local challenges.

Values

  • Community-centered: We listen first and act in partnership.
  • Collaboration: We work across boundaries to multiply impact.
  • Integrity: We build trust through transparency, consistency and accountability.
  • Reliability: We show up and follow through.

Five-year targets

  • Increase Extension-related research expenditures, grants and partnerships by 30%.
  • Ensure at least 80% of Extension program participants report positive change in learning, actions or conditions.
  • Sustain and strengthen formal partnerships with all 36 counties and all nine federally recognized Tribes, and strengthen collaboration with Indigenous communities.
  • Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with all OSU colleges.
  • Ensure OSU Extension programs and engagement efforts are representative of Oregon’s people and communities.
  • Increase public awareness of Extension to 65%.
  • Expand Extension youth development program participation to reach 1 out of 4 Oregon youth.

Implementation timeline

The strategic plan was developed based on broad internal and external input during 2024-25. Implementation of priority level 1 tactics begins in fall 2025.

A conceptual timeline of implementation for the Division of Extension and Engagement's Strategic Plan.

Strategic plan timeline description

In summer 2025, division leadership teams prioritized tactics and established a framework and roles for implementation.

In fall 2025, we are establishing teams and action plans for tactics spanning the first one to two years. This phase also includes aligning on the cadence and approach to plan management.

In 2026 and beyond, we will launch teams and action plans for remaining tactics.

On an ongoing basis, we will track and communicate outcomes to support involvement and connection among employees, collaborators and constituents.

Actions and tactics

Action 1: Service

Ensure access to responsive, relevant, high-quality programs that reflect communities' unique needs.

Action sponsors: Wiley Thompson, Leanne Giordono

Tactics

  1. Develop a statewide framework and timeline for informal and formal needs assessments.
    Lead: Berit Dinsdale
  2. Create a statewide, organizational framework to evaluate participation, outcomes, and impact.
    Lead: Sandi Phibbs
  3. Launch an annual program planning and improvement cycle.
    Lead: Gordon Jones

Action 2: Visibility

Increase awareness and recognition for OSU's Extension and Engagement work.

Action sponsors: Jennifer Alexander, Nicole Strong

Tactics

  1. Launch a strategic marketing campaign and statewide marketing framework for OSU Extension.
    Lead: Rick Banks
  2. Increase internal awareness and national recognition of Oregon State as a leader in community-engaged practice and scholarship.
    Leads: Allison Myers and Jessi Kershner

Action 3: Relationships

Become a preferred partner for communities across Oregon by restoring and maintaining relationships based on trust, respect and reciprocity.

Action sponsors: Marina Denny, Heidi Luquette

Tactics

  1. Formalize partnerships with all 36 counties and all nine federally recognized Tribes, and strengthen collaboration with Indigenous communities.
    Lead: Jeff Sherman-Duncan
  2. Formalize engagement with all OSU academic colleges.
    Lead: Marina Denny
  3. Strengthen the university's impact through effective engagement with community partners and collaborators.
    Lead: Dusti Linell and Amanda Gladics
  4. Maintain community-led advisory councils to inform and support state, local and programmatic efforts.
    Leads: Heidi Luquette and Natalie Kinion
  5. Grow and improve internal collaboration and processes related to community-engaged work, based on Oregon State's public engagement framework.
    Leads: Sam Angima and Nicole Strong

Action 4: Resources

Grow, diversify and allocate funding to support long-term organizational growth and sustainability.

Actions sponsors: Tiffany Gillis, Eric Dickey

Tactics

  • Ensure the budget allocation process is clear, equitable and aligned with division and university strategic priorities.
    Leads: Emily Blume and Clay Guetling
  • Develop a resource growth plan that includes a diverse funding portfolio, inclusive of grants, contracts, philanthropy, fees and state/county investments.
    Lead: Eric Dickey
  • Collaborate with OSU Foundation and college partners to reflect and support OSU Extension and public engagement as integral to university campaign priorities and unit development targets.
    Lead: Karen Swanger

Action 5: People

Sustain a people-first culture where everyone feels valued and supported to learn, contribute, grow and lead.

Action sponsors: Cathy Haas, Jeff Sherman-Duncan

Tactics

  1. Enhance all stages of the employee lifecycle.
    Lead: Wiley Thompson
  2. Enhance all stages of the volunteer lifecycle.
    Lead: Mark Brown
  3. Implement a systematic division orientation and onboarding program.
    Lead: Ana Lu Fonseca
  4. Create professional development and leadership pathways tied to roles, career stages and professional competencies.
    Lead: Jamie Davis
  5. Create an approach to better transfer knowledge between employees throughout the employee lifecycle, including standardized offboarding processes.
    Lead: Tarron Anderson

Roles and responsibilities

  • Action sponsor: Leaders who are responsible for the success of the action area and ensure alignment with university and division priorities and achievement of desired results.
  • Tactic lead: The person/people responsible for leading the implementation process including convening their respective tactic implementation team.
  • Tactic team: Small team responsible for developing and implementing a specific action plan for the tactic.
  • Sponsors, leads and teams will consult with relevant internal and external constituents or subject matter experts while planning and implementing each tactic.

Plan management and progress updates

  • Tactic leads are responsible to provide quarterly updates on progress and key metrics.
  • Division leadership (including action sponsors and tactic leads as needed) will hold quarterly check-ins that provide for awareness, input, collaborative problem-solving and plan adjustment.
  • Progress updates will be shared regularly on this webpage, and in all-employee forums including division emails, newsletters and all-hands meetings.

Work underway

The Division of Extension and Engagement continues to advance efforts launched under previous OSU and division strategic plans. These ongoing initiatives strengthen our foundation for future success.

  • Fostering a culture of employee engagement and belonging, including ongoing Gallup Q12 assessments, 4-H culture work, supervisor training and feedback systems.
  • Enhancing grant and sponsored program support to expand research, innovation and community impact.
  • Implementing a digital engagement strategy to modernize relationship management (CRM), data systems and digital marketing practices.
  • Expanding access and ensuring accessibility across all programs, resources and evaluation methods, with a focus on equity and inclusion.
  • Advancing engaged scholarship, including promotion and tenure support, annual reviews and recognition systems.
  • Strengthening collaborations with Access OSU and aligning efforts to support student pathways, transfer success and broader OSU student success goals.
  • Contributing to national Extension initiatives, including EDEN, Program Action Teams, Urban Extension, 4-H Beyond Ready and others.
  • Building relationships with key partners, including the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) and the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC).

Strategic plan steering committee members

Thank you to the following individuals for their service on the strategic plan steering committee during 2024-25.

Lead: Natalie Kinion, Eastern Regional Director

  • Katie Ahern, Deschutes County, Family and Community Health/SNAP-Ed
  • Chris Branam, Extension Communications, News and Public Affairs Manager
  • Marina Denny, Associate Vice Provost for Engagement
  • Marcia Dickson, E&E Administrative HR Services Coordinator
  • Elliot Drake-Maurer, Outdoor School, High School Coordinator
  • Shelby Filley, Regional Livestock and Forages Extension Specialist
  • Gina Galaviz-Yap, Director, OSU Juntos
  • Erin Giebner, Women Owning Woodlands Network Manager
  • Leanne Giordono, Director of Extension Evaluation and Reporting
  • Deborah Good, Outdoor School, Research, Evaluation and Assessment Coordinator
  • Katie Hensley, Professional and Continuing Education Program Manager
  • Jessi Kershner, Associate Director, Oregon Sea Grant
  • Dakota Lager, Tillamook County, 4-H Youth Development
  • Heidi Luquette, Director of Extension External Relations
  • Angela Sandino, North Willamette Regional Director
  • Jeff Sherman-Duncan, Associate Vice Provost for Partnerships
  • Karen Swanger, Director of KidSpirit

Plan development

This is the first strategic plan for the Division of Extension and Engagement in its current form.

In 2016, the Division of Outreach and Engagement reorganized when Ecampus (now Educational Ventures) became a separate division. In 2020, the division was renamed Extension and Engagement to better highlight the significance of the OSU Extension Service as well as the division’s role in helping to steward and support Oregon State’s broader public engagement mission. During this time, the division continued to operate in alignment with Oregon State’s Strategic Plan 4.0.

Oregon State’s current strategic plan, Prosperity Widely Shared, launched in November 2023. Development of the Extension and Engagement strategic plan followed in February 2024 under the leadership of former vice provost Ivory W. Lyles.

He appointed Eastern Regional Director Natalie Kinion to chair a steering committee of division employees representing division units and programs from across Oregon. Partnering with strategic consultants from Corragio Group, the process began with broad internal and external feedback and a situation assessment. The steering committee then created a draft plan and shared it at the 2024 Extension Annual Conference for further input. After incorporating feedback from across the division, university and statewide constituents, the final plan was completed in fall 2025 under the leadership of current vice provost Kristopher Elliott and is now moving into the implementation phase.

Share the vision

Download a short, two-page guide to the Extension and Engagement Strategic Plan.

Download strategic plan overview