Trisha Applebee
4-H is not just a career, but is a passion for Trisha as she has personally experienced the opportunities that 4-H provides youth as they grow and thrive within their communities. Trisha Applebee serves as the Administrative Assistant to the Director for 4-H Youth Development and Program Leader. Before serving in this role, she was the Education Program Assistant in Clackamas County for 12 years. Trisha's 11-year membership in 4- H began in 1992 as a "Pre-4-Her" (now called Cloverbuds). Trisha began volunteering with the program as a teen leader, and in 2004 began serving as the Fair Data Entry Clerk for the Clackamas County 4-H program (2004-2022). Trisha has served as a volunteer with the Clackamas County 4-H program and has served as a judge in several counties for the Clothing & Sewing, Food & Nutrition, and Food Preservation project areas. In her spare time, Trisha enjoys knitting, crocheting, sewing, cooking, singing and spending time with her dog.
Sergio Arispe
Sergio Arispe, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal & Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University. He serves as the Livestock & Rangeland Field Faculty in Malheur County with the Extension Service and Experiment Station appointment. Sergio's work focuses on landscape-scale ecological collaborations, rangeland monitoring and assessment, innovative teaching technologies in extension, and cattle management. His primary goal is to enhance regional knowledge and establish partnerships to address global agricultural and ecological challenges. Originally from Houston, Texas, Sergio developed an interest in agricultural sciences through FFA in high school. He holds a BS from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, an MS from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. Sergio has collaborated with agricultural producers and natural resource managers in Mexico, China, Ecuador, and Spain. He is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served in Ecuador from 2004- 2006. In his free time, Sergio enjoys fly fishing, cooking for others, artisan cheese parties, and spending time with his wife and two boys.
Emily Blume
Emily was born and raised in Vermont but headed out west to Oregon in 2002 graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in Nutrition. Emily has worked as the Administrative Office Manager for OSU Lincoln County Extension since June 2020. This position has given her the flexibility to serve her community in a variety of ways including disaster recovery, Juntos en Colaboracion, and continued outreach on all extension programming offered in Lincoln County.
Alicia Christiansen
Alicia Christiansen is the Forestry and Natural Resources Extension Agent in Douglas County. She works with a wide variety of audiences, most often small woodland owners, to provide education and outreach for forestry and natural resource subjects. She enjoys helping landowners gain forest management knowledge and experience through site visits, workshops, tours, and articles/publications. She holds a B.S. in Forestry and Natural Resources from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a M.S. in Natural Resources from California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt. Alicia is an active member of the Society of American Foresters and the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals. In her free time, Alicia enjoys working on her small woodland property, gardening, camping, and exploring new places with her family.
Dr. Steve Culman
Steve Culman is the Director of the Central Oregon Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Dr. Culman has a wealth of experience and expertise in soil health, crop management, and agricultural sustainability. Most recently an Endowed Chair of Soil Health in Potato Cropping Systems at Washington State University, his research focuses on improving soil health through management practices that enrich nutrient cycling to enhance crop production and environmental outcomes. His collaborative, field-based research involves working directly with growers to implement practical solutions for modern agricultural challenges.
Before joining Washington State University in 2022, Dr. Culman served for nine years as a state specialist in soil fertility at Ohio State University. His academic journey also includes postdoctoral research positions at the University of California, Davis, and Michigan State University. He holds both an M.S. in Soil Science and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Cornell University.
Benjamin Wesley Davis
Ben Davis is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. Davis holds an MFA in Creative Writing from OSU with a decade of experience in professional writing, science communications, and digital marketing, along with advanced skills in videography, photography, and web design.
Davis first joined the College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) as a writer in 2015, and became Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications in 2020. He has served as the Interim Director since last November, leading operations of the CAS marketing and communications team, with a focus on integrated marketing and strategic storytelling to share the broad impact of the college.
Eric Dickey
Eric Dickey is the Director of Sponsored Programs for Extension and Engagement. As a grant developer, he has dedicated his career to helping people acquire grant money. In so doing, Eric mentors people through grant application and award processes, enabling them to become better professionals in their work.
Eric’s mother is from Germany, and his father was from Oklahoma; he was born in an Air Force base hospital in Kansas and spent 21 years on or near military bases. During his formative years, Eric lived in a small farming village in Germany. Growing up as the son of an enlisted airman, he saw much poverty and began working at 12 to help provide for his family. He has lived in Oregon since he was 24; his spouse is from Alabama, and their two beloved children were born in Oregon.
Eric is a poet, children's author, writer, and translator trained in American and German culture and education systems. He works hard to support climate health and earth-given
resources. He has a strong commitment to under-represented people and strives to provide inclusive access to his approach and products in order to honor all individuals as they navigate their own individual and institutional contexts. It is Eric's belief one person's wellness benefits their communities.
Amanda Gladics
Amanda Gladics provides community education programs that foster sustainability of fishery resources, and the public's understanding of those resources. She works closely with commercial fishermen, researchers, and managers to provide safety training and workforce development for commercial fish harvesters and develop innovative solutions for reducing bycatch fisheries. She enjoys providing public education for coastal residents and visitors using experiential, field-based learning and other creative communication, outreach, and engagement approaches. She joined OSU Extension and Oregon Sea Grant in 2016, and is based in Astoria, Oregon at the Clatsop County office. Gladics earned a B.S. in natural resources, a graduate certificate in fisheries management, and an M.S. in marine resource management, all from Oregon State University.
Katie Hensley
Katie Hensley is a program manager for Oregon State University Professional and Continuing Education. Since joining OSU in 2017, she has collaborated with academic faculty across campus to create noncredit learning opportunities in both the professional/workforce education and lifelong learning spaces. She enjoys consulting with internal and external partners on best practices in online and adult education as well as innovation in the noncredit space.
Katie holds a BA in Anthropology from University of Washington, MS in Education from Western Oregon University, and Project Management Certificate from Oregon State.
Dr. Rachel Jones
Dr. Rachel Jones is a passionate advocate for student success and inclusion, currently serving as the Student Engagement Coordinator in the College of Agricultural Sciences' Academic Programs Office. Since joining the team in September 2022, Rachel has taken on leadership of three college-level undergraduate research programs and serves as an advisor to the CAS Club Leadership Team. She is particularly committed to addressing barriers to access and equity in experiential learning, especially for Ecampus students. To this end, Rachel has spearheaded multiple working groups focused on developing innovative strategies to bridge these gaps and expand opportunities for all students. Prior to her current role, Rachel worked as an academic advisor and instructor in the Biological & Ecological Engineering Department from 2017 to 2022, where she mentored students in both academic and professional development. Rachel holds a B.S. in Biology from Truman State University, an M.S. in Biology from Villanova University, and a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. Outside of her professional work, Rachel enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking and camping with her husband and three daughters.
Dr, Alexander Levin
Dr. Alec Levin is the Director and Viticulturist at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC) and associate professor in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University. He also is a core faculty member of the Oregon Wine Research Institute (OWRI), and serves as the chair of the Grape Genetics, Physiology and Management working group in the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).
Dr. Levin completed his Ph.D. in Horticulture and Agronomy at UC-Davis investigating physiological differences in drought responses among several red wine grape cultivars. Since 2016, he has been leading the Southern Oregon viticulture research and extension program at SOREC, located in the heart of the Rogue Valley near Medford, OR. Dr. Levin conducts applied viticultural research focused on the fields of grapevine water relations and ecophysiology, and vineyard irrigation management. He was appointed SOREC Director in March 2023.
Dr. Brian J. Pearson
Brian Pearson joined Oregon State University at the end of December 2023. He currently serves as Director of the Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Hood River, OR. Prior to joining OSU, Brian worked for the University of Florida where he focused on specialty crop research. Current research efforts include AI applications in agriculture and tree fruit response to environmental stress.
Dr. Travis Mulliniks
Dr. Travis Mulliniks is the Glenn & Mildred Harvey Professor of Beef Cattle Management and Associate Department Head at Oregon State University. He grew up on a cow-calf operation in eastern Oklahoma and received his BS degree in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University. In addition, he earned a MS and PhD in Range Nutrition from New Mexico State University. Dr. Mulliniks’ research objectives consist of developing an applied cow-calf research program that emphasize economically viable management options through enhanced efficiency, productivity, and nutritional management in beef cattle production. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of 188 scientific and technical publications and has received over $3.75 million in grant funding.
Michele Webster
Michele Webster is Office Manager and Local Liaison for the Linn County Extension office. She started in 2010 as front office and 4-H support and became the office manager in 2015. A year later she added the county leader/local liaison role and currently serves as a leader maintaining relationships with county stakeholders including elected officials. She provides managerial, supervisory, financial management including preparing and managing the budget, and communications and marketing support for Linn County. Prior to joining Extension, she worked for a large mill in the accounting department, where she learned many of her finance skills. As a child of German immigrant parents, and her first language being German, college was not a natural conclusion. Trade schools were encouraged and she attended travel school and was a travel agent for both private and corporate industry for many years. This travel career led her to a position as an international sales agent working with customers all around the world and the ability to speak with customers in Germany. Her passion is working with people and many would say she is in her element in marketing and promoting Extension at outreach events and in the community.
Traci Reed
Traci Reed graduated from Bonanza High School in Klamath County and was part of the Langell Valley Swine Club and has loved 4-H ever since. After high school, she attended Eastern Oregon University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, later earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership at Washington State University in 2006. During this time, she joined the Oregon Army National Guard and spent 8 years as a truck driver and fuel specialist. Traci spent 25 years teaching English as a Second Language K-12th grade before joining Oregon State University as the 4-H Coordinator. Since moving back to Klamath County 17 years ago, she and her family have been active volunteers in youth sports, a 4-H Volunteer, a 4-H Board Member, KBREC Success Team Leader, and the 4-H Youth Development Coordinator for 8 years. Her hobbies include keeping busy!