What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri?
I am a livestock specialist covering 8 counties in the southwest and southeast regions, headquartered in West Plains; grazing beef cattle operations are the most numerous in my area so they take up the majority of my time. I also enjoy working with horse owners and sheep and goat producers. I work mainly in the nutrition, reproduction and grazing areas but every day presents different challenges and opportunities.
How long have you worked in this position?
I started with MU Extension in 2018, making this my 8th year in my position.
What is your favorite part about the work you do?
I really enjoy equipping livestock producers with the knowledge for them to make the best decision for their operation to meet their goals.
How are you helping MU A&E Extension advance its reach and impact?
One of my newer programs, The Horsemen’s Webinar Series, has a global audience, and is providing research-based education to horse owners and managers in a virtual format. Not only are we expanding the reach of the program geographically but editing recordings and providing access to the education at the viewer’s discretion breaks down barriers to attendance that we see in our typical programming.
What is something your CAFNR and MU Extension teammates may not know about you?
I am a huge fan of coffee, and I can’t live without it!
What is your hometown, place of high school graduation, and degrees/universities?
I grew up in Plano, Texas and graduated from Plano Senior High School in 2012. I went on to get my bachelor’s degree in animal science and my master’s degree in physiology of reproduction from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. My graduate research focused on placental biology and fetal programming in cattle, sheep and horses.
