May 2015

Table of Contents

President's Message

Spotlight on Webinar Subcommittee

Upcoming Webinars

Give Service to Your Peers: Become a Reviewer

2015 Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference is History

Transportation to The Greenbrier Resort 

Meals at the Greenbrier

New Certification for Nutrition and Wellness

HUD Father's Day 2015 - Reconnecting Families and Dads

Meet the Board:- Hannah Fincham (WV) 2015 Annual Session Co-liaison

 
Important Dates

Members-only Webinar • May 21
Preventing Identity Theft

Members-only Webinar • July 16
Home Food Preservation Research and Practice Today

NEAFCS 2015 Annual Session • Nov 2-5
White Sulphur Springs, WV

NEAFCS 2016 Annual Session • Sept 12-15
Big Sky, MT

NEAFCS 2017 Annual Session • Oct 15-19
Omaha, NE

View All Events...

National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Science
140 Island Way, Ste 316
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
(561) 477-8100
[email protected]

President's Message
Peggy Ehlers, Ed.D. (IN), President

Dear NEAFCS Members,

Happy Spring!

May is bringing flowers here in Indiana, from the April showers. Our ornamental trees are in full bloom. After a long cold winter, spring is most welcome.

There were 47 NEAFCS representatives at the JCEP-sponsored Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference in April, at Crystal City Arlington, VA.  During the conference this year, Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and our Federal-funding partner for Cooperative Extension, shared a most interesting message.

At the PILD Conference NEAFCS received very positive attention from the outstanding IMPACT statements, eight total. Congratulations to the team for completing this task. Please review and use this valuable resource located on our website.

If you have never attended PILD, consider the opportunity for 2016. Our association supports 20 first time individuals at a level of $200 each.

Congratulations members – Rita Ussatis, Lindsey N. Yeager, and Lorrie Coop, who found the key in the April, 2015 newsletter. Look for the hidden key in the newsletter. Remember you are the KEY- Knowledge, Experience, and You of NEAFCS.

My Best to all. Have a great month.

Peg
[email protected]

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Spotlight on Webinar Subcommittee
Debby Mathews (AL), President-Elect

Julia Zee (HI) is a familiar face to eNEAFCS readers this year. She chairs the webinar subcommittee, which is one of the two professional development subcommittees. The other subcommittee is the professional development subcommittee. (Perhaps we need to come up with another name for that subcommittee!) Both committees serve under the direction of Patty Merk (AZ) NEAFCS VP Professional Development.

In addition to Julia’s photo, we have enjoyed her articles about upcoming webinars throughout the year. Two of those webinars, “How to Become a Powerful PIN-fluencer” and “The Mediterranean Diet” have had the maximum number of attendees register. That magic number is “100”. These and all webinars are archived on our website if you would like to see one you missed.

Those assisting Julia as they use marketing and presentation skills to keep NEAFCS members updated through webinars are: Chair-Elect Gisele Jefferson (CO), Leif Albertson (AK), Julie Cascio (AK), Mary Ann Lienhart Cross (IN), Pamela Dooley (KY), Amy Elizer (KY), Vicky Hayman (WY), Luci Lockersmith (KY), Joanne Kinsey (NJ), Sonja Koukel (NM), and Leslie Shallcross (AK).

Take a bow, webinar subcommittee members. We applaud you!

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Upcoming Webinars  
Julia Zee (HI), Webinar Subcommittee Chair

Our next webinar presentation focuses on Preventing Identity Theft, a University of Idaho Extension program, on Thursday, May 21, 2015 with Extension Educator Luke Erickson. Learn about the fastest growing white-collar crime, how to prevent your identity from being stolen, and steps to take if one becomes a victim. UI Extension Educators have been delivering this up-to-date program to educate and protect consumers ranging from high school students to senior citizens. Register through the NEAFCS website, under Professional Development. 

Mark your calendar! Learn about the latest in home food preservation research and resources on July 16 with Elizabeth L. Andress, PhD, Professor, Foods and Nutrition and Extension Food Safety Specialist, University of Georgia.

If you have a program that you'd like to share with NEAFCS members, submit a proposal online anytime. NEAFCS webinars are peer-reviewed and presented to a nationwide audience. Visit the webinars webpage (http://www.neafcs.org/webinars). Email me ([email protected]) if you have any questions or have a suggestion for a future webinar.

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Give Service to Your Peers: Become a Reviewer
Margie Memmott (UT), Vice-President for Member Resources

BE A REVIEWER. We invite you to join our current list of peer reviewers and give service to your colleagues seeking promotion, tenure and/or submitting publications. This group of volunteer reviewers provides a valuable service to the membership of NEAFCS and we need you!

Roxie Rodgers Dinstel of Alaska, is charged with updating our current list, so help her out and let her know if you can serve as a reviewer. Email [email protected] or call her at (907) 474-2426.

Please provide your:

• Name
• Working Title (e.g., Extension Educator, Agent, Specialist, Administrator, etc.)
• Brief Description of Your University's Promotion/Tenure or Permanent Status Process
• Rank (e.g., Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor OR specify the equivalent rank within your university system)
• Work Address, including zip code
• Work Telephone Number, including area cod
• Work Fax Number, including area code
• Email Address
• Areas of Expertise (e.g., family life, nutrition, family finance, housing, food safety, etc)
• Would you be willing to serve as a peer reviewer of Extension publications? If so, in what areas of expertise?

NEED A REVIEWER? For members who are currently preparing packets for promotion or developing new publications and need to find peer reviewers, log in to neafcs.org and find our current list of NEAFCS External Reviewers for Promotion & Tenure and Publications under Links and Resources on the Member Resources tab at http://www.neafcs.org/member-resources---external-reviewers.

This list specifies the reviewer’s title, description or tenure/permanent status process, rank, area of expertise and availability to peer review extension publications. This will help those who are seeking a reviewer, determine who will best meet their needs.

A special thanks goes to Roxie Dinstel for her work in maintaining and updating our reviewer list and thanks to our 75+ members who serve as current reviewers! We also thank in advance, those of you who will soon sign up to be new reviewers. This is a rewarding experience and great way to give back to your profession. 

Whether you need a reviewer, or serve as a reviewer, we encourage the use of this valuable resource, which is just one more service that your Member Resources Committee provides to NEAFCS members.

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2015 Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference is History
Theresa C. Mayhew (NY), Vice President – Public Affairs

The early results are in. This year’s “Imagining Extension – Eyes on the Future” PILD conference, held April 12-15 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City located just outside Washington, DC, was another great success. Over 310 folks attended the event, which was chock full of informative general sessions, pertinent concurrent workshops, productive state strategy planning time, energizing association meetings, enchanting cherry blossoms, exciting Hill visits and lots of invaluable networking. Two high points for me included a terrific panel presentation featuring a team of FCS-focused NIFA program leaders and our own NEAFCS association meeting that was attended by 43 members, as well as NIFA’s Caroline Crocoll and Beverly Samuel. All 20 of our PILD first-timer scholarship recipients were present at this session and their written reflections on the PILD conference are streaming in daily. I’ll be sharing them in future issues of this newsletter. You’ll want to read what they have to say.

I’d like to take this occasion to thank all the members of the 2015 Impact Statement compilation team. They are Karen Ensle (Rutgers), Mandi Seaton (Texas A&M Agri Life), Glenda Hyde (Oregon State), Julie Garden-Robinson and graduate research assistant Rebecca West (North Dakota State), Shauna Henley (University of Maryland), Sonya McDaniel (Oklahoma State), Mary Liz Wright (University of Illinois), and Linda Combs (University of Kentucky). They did a wonderful job synthesizing what was submitted by state affiliates in a short time frame. I truly appreciate all their efforts and hard work. I’d also like to acknowledge my administrative assistant Emily Warrington for her help with formatting and photo procurement.

If you’ve never attended PILD before, really consider doing so next year. Whether you’re a veteran or neophyte NEAFCS Extension employee, it’s an invaluable experience – one that you’ll benefit from for years to come. Next year’s conference is April 10-13, 2016 so mark your calendars today!

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Transportation to The Greenbrier Resort
Gwen Crum (WV), Families and Health Extension Agent

It will soon be time to start making your travel arrangements to visit The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, WV, for the 2015 NEAFCS Annual Session. Whether you choose to arrive by air or land, there are several options available depending on your preferred method of travel.

Driving through the mountains of southeastern West Virginia is a wonderful way to enjoy the state’s breathtaking scenery. The Greenbrier Resort is conveniently located just off of US 64 in White Sulphur Springs. For GPS directions, the physical address is 300 W. Main St, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986.

If you’re up for an adventure, you could travel through West Virginia’s mountains via train! Amtrak has a station located in White Sulphur Springs directly across from The Greenbrier Resort’s main entrance. Should you choose this option, a complimentary shuttle is provided to The Greenbrier’s entrance.

For those of you who plan to fly to the 2015 NEAFCS Conference, the local airport, Greenbrier Valley Airport, is about 15 miles from the resort. Flights there connect to Washington DC and Atlanta. The West Virginia Affiliate of NEAFCS is working to provide free shuttle transportation from this location. Avis Car Rental is also available at Greenbrier Valley Airport.

Yeager Airport in Charleston, WV, and Roanoke Regional Airport in Roanoke, VA, are both approximately 100 miles from The Greenbrier. You can directly connect to these airports from major cities including Detroit, Washington DC, Chicago, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Myrtle Beach, Orlando and others. Both airports offer car rental options from the major car rental companies for your remaining drive to The Greenbrier.

For more specific details on transportation options, please check out our Annual Session Travel Fact Sheet. .

We wish you safe travels, and we look forward to seeing you in November!

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Meals at the Greenbrier
Cindy Rosen, NEAFCS Conference Planner

By now many of you are exploring and planning your stay at the Greenbrier for this year's Annual Session.  Our staff is working behind the scenes to make sure that your stay will be flawless.

While we're all excited about being part of the Greenbrier's magnificent history, we also know that a five-star resort like this can get pricey.  So, we have been collaborating with the Greenbrier to put together special, discounted menus for all of their restaurants to accommodate any meals that are not included in your registration.  See www.neafcs.org/2015-registration for information on what's included in your registration.

In addition, we will be providing you an index-type card when you check in at the NEAFCS Annual Session registration kiosk that lists all of the restaurants at the Greenbrier, their operating hours, and cuisine type. This card will fit nicely in your neck wallet behind your name badge so that you have easy access to it throughout the conference.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

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New Certification for Nutrition and Wellness
Peggy Ehlers (IN), President

The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) has been developing a new professional certification for nutrition and wellness educators. The professional level certification is at a stage where the assessment will be pilot tested. If individuals are willing to serve as a pilot participant you will need to have a BS or be a senior within a year of completing a degree. They are not specifying the content of the degree, except the individual’s educational background and experience should have a strong alignment with the competencies to be tested. About 100 pilot participants are needed. Please contact Sharon Hoelscher Day at [email protected] if you have any questions or interest.

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HUD Father’s Day 2015 – Reconnecting Families and Dads
Peggy Ehlers (IN), President

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is encouraging Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) across the country to expand opportunities by participating in and/or hosting events that support family reunification, fatherhood and self-sufficiency.

HUD wants to expand the scope and the reach of the efforts by encouraging PHAs and partners to plan events anytime in June 2015. The department is striving to encourage on-going connections between fathers and children while simultaneously orchestrating local resources that enhance the father’s capacity to be an economic and social asset. On Father’s Day and beyond, PHAs will be looking to partner with agencies, organizations and individuals. The webpage for additional information is www.hud.gov/fathersday or contact Jerryl Bennett at 202.402.4120 or at [email protected].

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Meet the Board
Hannah Fincham (WV), 2015 Annual Session Co-liaison

In West Virginia, our members are working hard to organize an experience not soon forgotten for our 2015 Annual Session.  I think we all share the same love of and passion for our great state, so we’re looking forward to showcasing it to our members across the country.  We know you’ll love the Greenbrier and West Virginia!   

As for me, I was raised on a small family farm in north central West Virginia.  Growing up in 4-H, I knew from an early age that I wanted a career in the Extension Service.  I attended West Virginia University and received degrees in business administration and public administration.  I began my career as an Extension Agent in Monongalia County, the county in which West Virginia University is located.  When the opportunity arose to move back to my home county, I couldn’t turn it down.  I now serve Barbour and Randolph Counties as the Families and Health Extension Agent.

This move allowed my husband, Derek, and I to raise our two-year-old daughter, Eva, close to lots of family, and we love it!  We enjoy working on the farm and traveling around West Virginia when we can.  While we are excited about our upcoming trip to Maine this summer, we also look forward to hikes in West Virginia’s beautiful mountains and visits to our many state parks (we live close to several!).  We are lucky to live near the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad Excursion Train, so we plan to take Eva on her first train ride this summer.  Check out some of the great places to visit while you’re here at www.wvtourism.com.  There’s a reason it’s called Wild, Wonderful West Virginia!

I look forward to seeing you here in November!

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