I am pleased to announce that Steven Worker has agreed to serve as the Strategic Initiative leader for Healthy Families & Communities. He is the 4-H youth development advisor for Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties and currently serving as interim assistant 4-H Youth Development Program Leader for the Strategic Plan.

Steven joined UC ANR in 2001 as a state 4-H program representative. In 2009, he became the 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) coordinator. After earning his Ph.D. in 2016, he joined UC Cooperative Extension as a 4-H youth development advisor.

UC ANR's Strategic Initiative leaders work with their respective strategic initiative panels to improve communication, highlight research/extension gaps, and conduct detailed panel meetings. SI Leaders represent their panels, program teams and statewide programs/institutes at Program Council, providing programmatic input into resource allocation recommendations.

Steven joins SI leaders Helen Dahlke for Water Quality, Quantity and Security; Josh Davy for Sustainable Natural Ecosystems; Rachel Surls for Sustainable Food Systems; and Tom Turini for Endemic and Invasive Pests. 

We are grateful to Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty for serving as the previous SI leader for Healthy Families & Communities. 

Brent Hales 
Associate Vice President