Dr. Porshe Chiles McKay is passionate about community, raising up others' voices, the power of storytelling, and honoring our connection to the land. I had the pleasure of working with Porshe through her PhD and enjoyed this conversation about her dissertation research and her leadership experiences and beliefs, and the importance of finding and keeping community.

GRACE Grows: Community | Garden | Education 

PDY&F Community Garden - James Gardner

Welcome to Microscopic Marvels, a new podcast from Streaming Science where tiny organisms make a big impact. In this series, students, scientists, and ranchers come together to uncover the hidden world of nematodes—microscopic worms that shape ecosystems in surprising ways. Listeners will hear stories from researchers working in places as diverse as the Nebraska Sandhills and Antarctica, as well as ranchers who view their land as living laboratories. Along the way, you’ll discover what nematodes can teach us about climate change, biodiversity, and the resilience of life on Earth.

Dr. Matt Sowcik is an Associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida. He is a leadership scholar and educator, with an interesting breadth of experience. Listen as we discuss leadership theory and practice and bridging the gap between the two as leadership educators! 

Check out his book, The H-Factor: The intersection between humility and great leadership.

Meg Boria-Meyer is the founder and executive director of the Gainesville Giving Garden, a non-profit farm combatting food security. Under her leadership, the Gainesville Giving Garden received Project YouthBuild's 2023-2024 Impact Partner of the Year. She is a strong believer that local food is at the intersection of health, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. Meg also believes that collaboration is the most effective way to lead change toward food sovereignty. Listen as she shares about her work with the community, her thoughts on leadership, and the wide variety of community collaborations she invests in like Working Food and others.

Dr. Amy Harder has held a variety of positions in Cooperative Extension, across several states. She has spent a majority of her professional career dedicated to improving Extension through developing capacity of its people. From needs assessments and prioritization, to job satisfaction and motivation, to competency development, Dr. Harder's contributions to and through Extension extend not only across state boarders, but internationally also. It was a joy to learn more about her own journey through Extension, from being a county agent in Colorado, to her role as the director of the UF/IFAS Extension Program Development and Evaluation Center (PDEC), to her current role as Associate Dean and Associate Director for Extension in the University of Connecticut's College of Ag, Health, & Natural Resources (CAHNR). Amy leads by example, matching high expectations with a determined work ethic. Enjoy this episode of Rooted In Leadership, as Dr. Harder shares how Extension is a natural training ground for leadership. 

This article from "Advancements in Agricultural Development" explores the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) faced by female health and nutrition extension agents working in Guatemala's Western Highlands. The study, conducted by researchers primarily from the University of Florida, aims to understand these agents' perspectives on their roles and challenges in delivering effective programs. Utilizing an instrumental case study design with semi-structured interviews and observations, the research identifies key factors like effective communication and professional vocation as strengths, while language barriers and difficulty demonstrating program value emerged as weaknesses. Opportunities include network expansion and professional growth, contrasted by threats such as gender inequality and political instability. The authors recommend multilingual training, professional development, and community engagement to address identified challenges and improve program implementation.

Janice Morrow is the Executive Director for the Society of American Indian Dentists. She has over two decades of experience in strategic marketing and communications. Her resume extends to leadership in the non-profit sector as well. Most impressively, Janice has leveraged her expertise to serve organizations across various contexts, often while working remotely, which can pose extra challenges when leading high performance teams. In this episode, we talk about transitioning from city to rural life, the power of 4-H in youth leadership development, and the importance of cultural understanding in leadership. 

Dr. Marina Denny is the Associate Vice Provost for Engagement at Oregon State University, but she has enjoyed a versatile career across a range of Cooperative Extension systems at various levels. She has vast experience working with volunteers and developing and measuring leadership competencies in different audiences within and outside Extension. She brings her interesting and diverse personal, educational, and employment background to bear on our conversation and reminds us that a non-traditional path is still a path to achieving your goals if you open yourself up to all the ways you can succeed.