Merced County 4-H Team
Merced County 4-H Youth Development Program
The following UC staff and county employees are here to assist you. If you have a question give us a call at (209) 385-7418 or email one of us below.
4-H Youth Development Staff
Crystal Cortez
Community Education Specialist II
crdcortez@ucanr.edu
Crystal is the Community Education Specialist for Merced County 4-H Youth Development Program. She is located at the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Merced Office. She comes to the program with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an interest in working with youth. She worked for Merced City School District for seven years in a variety of positions ranging from Behavioral Support Aide to Office Assistant. She also worked for Autism Intervention Professionals as a Registered Behavior Technician. She left the school district to join the Merced 4-H team in May 2022 and became the 4-H Program Office Assistant. A year later she joined as the Community Education Specialist in June 2023. She is a strong advocate in supporting youth development through guidance and mentorship to meet their full potential. She is most excited about creating opportunities for them to excel in. She hopes to create positive collaboration to benefit the youth of Merced County.
Courtney Fagalde
4-H Program Office Assistant III
cfagalde@ucanr.edu
Courtney is the Office Asst III for Merced County 4-H Youth Development Program. She is located at the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Merced Office. She's a mother and a huge advocate for youth. She's most passionate about helping youth succeed. She has 7 years of experience working in the education system. She's very excited about the relationships she gets to develop in the future along with being a part of the Merced County 4-H team.
Jose Campos
CA 4-H Regional Program Supervisor
jaccampos@ucanr.edu
Jose joins our staff with more than 40 years of 4-H experience in the Youth Development Program. He grew up in Stanislaus County as a member, served as an adult volunteer and Summer Camp Program Director. His goal is to continue building on the traditions of Merced 4-H, and create pathways to opportunities for youth and adults to explore their potential.
Allison Plagenza
Community Education Specialist I
aplagenza@ucanr.edu
Allison is the current Community Education Specialist I, and she has her Associate's Degree in Business and in Library Science. She has been a 4-H Member since she was 7 years old, and has served as Merced County Ambassador. She has also held other leadership roles at club and county levels, and really enjoys exploring and teaching STEM projects. Going forward she hopes to use what she's learned to help create a positive learning space for Merced County 4-H youth!
Beth Smith
Bookkeeper
besmith@ucanr.edu
Beth is a 4-H alumni and volunteer Leader for over 30 years. She assists the 4-H Sponsoring Committee in planning and accounting for fundraising and support, and assists with the Merced County Ambassadors.
Russell Hill
Associate 4-H Youth Development Advisor
California 4-H Shooting Sports Program Co-Coordinator
rdhill@ucanr.edu
Russell is an Associate 4-H Youth Development Advisor IV with the University of California. He received his B.A. in anthropology from CSU Fresno in 1998 and MPA from CSU Stanislaus in 2003. From 2015-2019 he led one of 7 counties piloting the 4-H Latino Initiative, where he collaborated to develop, deliver, and assess culturally responsive program models for the Latino community. Russell conducted a Sabbatical Research project in Central Mexico as part of a USDA funded International Agriculture Education Fellowship Program, under the management of University of Missouri, where he developed, implemented, and evaluated a culturally adapted 4-H club program. As a Qualified Administrator for IDI and a member of the California 4-H team, he collaborated in creating a professional development program that increased intercultural competence skills of 4-H staff. Hill’s commitment to DEI work has been recognized by APLU, ESP, NAE4-HYDP, and the University of California.
Please Contact any one of us at:
Merced County Office
University of California Cooperative Extension
2145 Wardrobe Avenue
Merced, CA 95341
(209) 385-7418
fax: (209) 722-8856