HFC Retirements July 1, 2011 Evelyn Conklin-Ginop Mary Harmon Mike Marzolla Carole Paterson Shirley Peterson Jeanette Sutherlin Sonya Varea Hammond
Evelyn Conklin-Ginop UCCE Career 32 Years Evelyn has been the 4HYD Advisor in Sonoma County since 2000. She started her UC career as a 4HYD Advisor in San Bernardino in 1979 and also served several years as 4HYD Advisor in Mendocino and Lake Counties prior to applying for the Sonoma position. Evelyn has several noteworthy accomplishments from her productive career; most notably her passionate commitment to reach underserved clientele through innovative programs such as the Literacy Program and her 4H BackPacks to promote reading, the 4H Bloco Drum and Dance Afterschool Program and her materials to build leadership and competency skills, such as conflict resolution.
Mary Harmon UCCE Career Totals 15 Years of Service Mary returned to UC ANR as a 4HYD/NFCS Advisor in Imperial County in 2007. She had been a 4HYD Advisor in Imperial from 1978-1990. Mary has developed New Leader Orientation materials to prepare adult leaders for their roles. She has developed a collaborative team in Imperial with her staff and the UC ANR Academics that will serve the community through the transitions to a multi-county partnership. She demonstrates a commitment to University and Public Service that exceeds expectations.
Mike Marzolla UCCE Career 28 Years Beginning in 1983 as 4HYD Advisor in Santa Barbara and expanding to present assignment in charge of southern Santa Barbara County and Ventura County 4HYD including the 4HYD Military programs at Vandenberg Air Force Base and two naval bases in Ventura County. Most significant accomplishment(s) includes innovative efforts to develop statewide environmental education through partnerships within ANR and with external partners resulting in unique efforts such as Agua Pura and Jardin de Palabras.
Carole Paterson UCCE Career 31+ Years Carole has had many roles within UCCE, with the last 6 years as County Director in Solano County. Her initial career with UCCE started as the county paid 4H staff assistant for 5 years before beginning her academic career. She has several significant career accomplishments including, but not limited to innovative work with Youth Governance and Ag Futures, providing relevant public policy information to support ANR s future.
Shirley Peterson UCCE Career 35 Years Her career includes a variety of roles includes NFCS, 4HYD and CD. During her career, she worked in Ventura County for 23 years and San Luis Obispo for over 12 years now. She has several significant accomplishments including programs such as Let s Eat Smart and Play Hard Together and The Lunch Box. She is most often acknowledged for her tireless work on the Money Talks curriculum and associated outcomes and impacts from this work. She is a valued team member and an acknowledged collaborative leader.
Jeanette Sutherlin UCCE Career 37+ Years Her career started as an Urban Program Representative in San Diego County from 1973-1976. Jeanette served as a 4HYD advisor in Fresno County from 1976-1986. She transitioned to the NFCS Advisor position in 1986. She has served as County Director the past 12 years, while continuing to administer one of the largest FSNEP and EFNEP programs in California. Jeanette notes her most significant accomplishment as an administrator as a champion of staff.
Sonya Varea Hammond UCCE Career 20 Years Sonya has been a successful administrative leader in UCCE her entire career. In addition to her County Director role since 1990, Sonya has also provided leadership in other adjacent counties, including Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara as needed to support UC ANR leaders. Sonya demonstrates leadership in all areas, including ANR s affirmative action committee(s), ANR s Leadership Development and Oversight Committee and efforts to promote ANR through Marketing Cooperative Extension at the Local Level. The outcomes of her work are distributed statewide, regionally and nationally. She truly is a leader among her peers.
Upcoming Retirements Peggy Gregory Richard Mahacek
Peggy Gregory Her Career Spans Over 37 Years She started as an SRA I in 1974 in Bakersfield. She served as the 4HYD Advisor in Kern County since 1976, and transferred to Kings County in 1991. Peggy provided administrative leadership as County Director since 2000. She also provides statewide leadership as the policy contact for the Statewide 4HYD office. She is recognized for her outstanding contributions to volunteerism, including her work with Latino volunteers and teens.
Richard Mahacek His Career Includes Over 36 Years of Service He started as a Program Rep in San Benito in 1975. He has served as a 4HYD Advisor in Merced since 1976. He currently provides administrative leadership as County Director in Merced and supports adjacent CDs, as a mentor. He is truly a model for all 4HYD Advisors, as noted by his past RD, Linda Manton. He develops capacity in staff and volunteers, as well as colleagues and peers. He is noted for his outstanding leadership in the UCCE 4H SET program, among many other accomplishments.