Search for UF/IFAS Dean for Extension and Director, Florida Cooperative Extension Service

Published: September 8th, 2021

Category: Memos

J. Scott Angle, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources

I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Andra (pronounced like André) Johnson will serve as the next UF/IFAS Dean of Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service starting on November 1, 2021.

He arrives at an opportune moment to help guide the development of a 10-year roadmap to continue the modernization of Extension. He brings the sensibility of a new generation to bear on building the talent, technology, communications, diversity and relationships necessary to deliver solutions-oriented science to Florida.

His emergence as a national leader is built on a wide variety of Extension, teaching, research, administrative and service experience that includes helping lead strategic planning at The Pennsylvania State University Extension, launching four institutes at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge and reaching underrepresented audiences at both 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions.

Dr. Johnson has personal as well as professional agriculture bona fides. He grew up in rural Louisiana in a family that raised cattle and grew cotton, corn and wheat. An aunt who worked for the USDA Forest Service for more than three decades influenced his decision to study forestry.

I’m impressed by Dr. Johnson’s keen sense for integrating Extension with teaching and research. His commitment to strong industry relationships elicited strong support for his candidacy from commodity leaders and from within UF/IFAS, and it will serve him well as we tour the state together to introduce him to stakeholders.

He joins a great leadership team. Thanks go to Dr. Thomas Obreza for leading, not just managing Extension through Dr. Johnson’s arrival. I’m also grateful to Dr. Elaine Turner for leading the search that led to us hiring Dr. Johnson.

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