We were pleased to welcome 27 people representing 34 counties at this year's annual UC Master Gardener Program Coordinator Meeting. As this was a conference year, our meeting was held at the start of the triennial UC Master Gardener Conference, this year in Tahoe City, CA on Monday, Oct. 2. This year's meeting emphasized networking and emerging partnerships.
We have a lot of new faces since our last in-person annual Coordinator Meeting so we kicked off our event with a wonderful opportunity to get introduced to one another and highlight local program successes. We enjoyed meals together and continued conversation and connection to share resources and ideas across programs.
Presenters joined us to contribute to our theme of emerging partnerships. In addition to the impactful work new partnerships represent, strategic partnerships can help us open our program doors wider to a broader diversity of clientele and future trainees. Elizabeth Moon, UC ANR Director of Workplace Inclusion and Belonging, helped set the stage to discuss partnerships by grounding us in shared language around equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Following Elizabeth's presentation, we had engaging learning and discussion opportunities with Karina Hathorn, Garden Project Manager with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC, and Yana Valachovic, Forestry Advisory with UCCE Humboldt & Del Norte. We look forward to hearing about new and expanding partnerships to address California's pressing needs!
Before breaking for a shared meal, Anne Megaro and Sheron Violini from UC ANR Government and Community Relations impressed on us the importance of sharing and celebrating with our elected officials. The importance of their presentation was reinforced later in the week when each of the four search for excellence winners received a Senatorial Resolution in honor of their impactful community work.
Resources and presentations from our meeting are now available on the Coordinator's Website: https://mgcoord.ucanr.edu/Training/Annual_Coordinator_Meeting/
Thank you for all who were able to attend in person and who have reviewed the materials posted online. We look forward to hosting our next annual meeting in fall of 2024. Until then, let's continue the networking and dialog!