Public Affairs

“If we don’t tell our story, someone else will. And when someone else tells your story, it certainly won’t be the story we want told.”
Help the Public Affairs Committee tell your story the way it truly deserves to be told!

The Public Affairs division within the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) promotes the value, visibility, and impact of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension professionals among consumers, the media, and policymakers. 

This committee is also responsible for keeping members informed about FCS Extension issues and for raising awareness among consumers and external stakeholders. We help our members stay future-forward on the key issues; we provide training for chapter officers, host webinars, communicate with members through NEAFCS newsletters, and develop resources to help members share their high-impact program stories. 

Strategic Plan Goal:  
Build unity, pride, and visibility of NEAFCS membership.    

Committee Goal: 
Promote relevance and impact of our profession and programs to both internal and external audiences.  

Committee Objectives:  

• Communicate the value of Family and Consumer Sciences to families and communities. 
• Enhance the Family and Consumer Sciences image/brand and work of Extension professionals. 
• Promote new partnerships with external organizations that share a common mission and vision with FCS educators. 

LinkedIn Effort Leadership 
To exemplify FCS voice, the PA committee led the launch of the NEAFCS LinkedIn page. This committee is committed to managing this page to amplify the work of NEAFCS members in front of external stakeholders and nationwide Land Grant Universities.  

This committee comprises two subcommittees with distinctive roles and service responsibilities. 

• Public Affairs - Advocacy Subcommittee - Strengthen Family and Consumer Sciences Extension through stakeholder awareness and strategic coalition-building at national, state, and local levels.
• Public Affairs - Public Engagement and Impact Subcommittee - Champion policy awareness, legislative education, and member success storytelling at events like PILD to engage stakeholders, NIFA leaders, and lawmakers.

Find Your Fit: Where Will Your Voice Shine With the PA Committee?
Since 2026, the Public Affairs team has strategically expanded our educational advocacy and impact efforts beyond traditional staples like Living Well Month and PILD Impact Reports. We invite you to explore our new initiatives and discover how you can get involved:

• Join Advocacy if you love driving educational awareness, building strategic coalitions, and highlighting the broader FCS profession.
• Join Public Engagement & Impact if you love collecting program success stories, engaging lawmakers, and showcasing high-impact work at events like PILD and LinkedIn.