UCCE Staff Profiles
Get to know your UCCE neighbors who live and work in the communities they serve, bringing new knowledge, targeted research and local education to help solve complex problems.
Rachel Surls
Sustainable Food Systems Advisor, UCCE Los Angeles County
I work on farm-to-fork food issues, focusing particularly on urban agriculture education, research and policy. My day includes anything from a visit to a farm to a trip to City Hall. A big part of what I do is translating information on agriculture into a format that's easy to read and understand. For example, people who operate urban farms, school gardens or community gardens need to understand, in basic terms, how and why to test their soil, but soil science is very technical and confusing.
Staff Highlights by Location
Butte County
- Alisha Rouland - Nutrition Education Coordinator
- Alyssa Rilinger - UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Coordinator
- Gail Bertagna - Nutrition Educator
- Marisol Andrade - Nutrition Educator
- MaryAnn Mills - CalFresh Nutrition Education Coordinator
- Nancy Munoz - Nutrition Educator
- Nick Bertagna - Program Representative II – 4-H Youth Development
- Sonia C. Rodriguez - Nutrition Educator
- Suzie Lawry-Hall - Nutrition Education Coordinator
- Tracy Yang - Program Representative I
- Rosario Clerici - Program Representative / Nutrition Educator
Colusa County
- Rosario Clerici - Program Representative / Nutrition Educator
- Liz Dawley - CalFresh and 4-H Youth Development Program Representative
- Luis Espino - Advisor
- Mark Lundy - Agronomy Advisor
Del Norte County
- Deborah Giraud - Farm and Community Development Advisor
- Jeffery W. Stackhouse - Livestock/Natural Resources Advisor
- Yana Valachovic - County Director and Forest Advisor
- Dorina M. Espinoza - Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
Fresno County
- Alisha Byrd - Nutrition Program Coordinator
- Brittanny Zweigle - Program Representative II
- DeAnna R. Molinar - Nutrition Program Coordinator
- Elizabeth Villalobos, M.A. - 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator
- Lily Phanthachack - Program Representative II
- Richard Molinar - Small Farm Advisor Emeritus
- Shawna Rogers - UC CalFresh Nutrition Program Coordinator
- Stephanie Sharp - Program Representative III
- Janet Cangemi - Master Gardener Program Manager
- Shannon Mueller - Director
Glenn County
- Rosario Clerici - Program Representative / Nutrition Educator
- Luis Espino - Advisor
Humboldt County
- Deborah Giraud - Farm and Community Development Advisor
- Jeffery W. Stackhouse - Livestock/Natural Resources Advisor
- Yana Valachovic - County Director and Forest Advisor
- Dorina M. Espinoza - Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
- Sandy Sathrum - 4-H Program Representative
Imperial County
- Eric Natwick - Farm Advisor
Inyo County
- Dustin Blakey - County Director and Farm Advisor
Lake County
- Dorina M. Espinoza - Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
Lassen County
- David Lile - Livestock Natural Resources Advisor and County Director
Los Angeles County
- Donald R. Hodel - Environmental Horticulture Advisor
- George Rendell (retired) - County Director (1989–1997)
- Rachel Surls - Sustainable Food Systems Advisor
Madera County
- Janet Cangemi - Master Gardener Program Manager
- Shannon Mueller - Director
Marin County
- Allison Keaney - 4-H Program Representative
- Janice Alexander - Forest Health Educator
- Julia Van Soelen Kim - Food Systems Advisor
- David Lewis - Director/Watershed Management Advisor
- Steven Swain - Environmental Horticulture Advisor
Mendocino County
- Dorina M. Espinoza - Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor
Mono County
- Dustin Blakey - County Director and Farm Advisor
Monterey County
- Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty - County Director/4-H Youth Development Advisor
Napa County
- David Lewis - Director/Watershed Management Advisor
- Monica Cooper - Farm Advisor–Viticulture
- Virginia Peeples - Office Assistant II
- Yvonne Rasmussen - Master Gardener Volunteer Program Coordinator
Plumas County
- Michael De Lasaux - Natural Resources Advisor
Riverside County
- Etaferahu Takele - County Director/Agricultural Economist
- Vonny M. Barlow - Entomology/IPM/Crop Production Advisor
- Dona Jenkins - Master Gardener Program Coordinator (Program Expansion)
Sacramento County
- Debbie S. Garcia - Youth Nutrition Coordinator
- Lisa Kong - 4-H Program Representative
- Gene Miyao - Farm Advisor
San Benito County
- Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty - County Director/4-H Youth Development Advisor
- William Coates - Farm Advisor Emeritus
San Bernardino County
- Dona Jenkins - Master Gardener Program Coordinator (Program Expansion)
- Paula (Jan) Johnson - Master Gardener - volunteer
San Diego County
- Lorin Lilikoi Lima - SRA II
- Paul Olin - Aquaculture Specialist
- Quang "Hogan" Tong - Administrative Assistant
- Ryan Krason - Digital Media Specialist
San Francisco County
- Mary Vollinger - Calfresh Program Manager
San Luis Obispo County
- Bill Weitkamp - Farm Advisor Emeritus
- Bill Weitkamp - Farm Advisor Emeritus
- Katherine Soule - Youth, Families, & Communities Advisor
San Mateo County
- Mary Vollinger - Calfresh Program Manager
- Bill Weitkamp - Farm Advisor Emeritus
Santa Barbara County
- Katherine Soule - Youth, Families, & Communities Advisor
Santa Clara County
- Mary Vollinger - Calfresh Program Manager
- Aziz Baameur - Farm Advisor
- Elaine Taylor - Program Representative II
- Jeff Tibayan - Program Rep 1
- Sheila Barry - Bay Area Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor/Santa Clara County Director
Santa Cruz County
- Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty - County Director/4-H Youth Development Advisor
Sierra County
- Michael De Lasaux - Natural Resources Advisor
Siskiyou County
- Jacki Zediker - 4-H Youth Development Program Representative
Solano County
- Gene Miyao - Farm Advisor
Sonoma County
- Steven Swain - Environmental Horticulture Advisor
- Deborah Curle - Office Manager
- Judy Ludovise - 4-H Youth Development Program Representative
- Karen Giovannini - Agriculture Ombudsman
- Linda Peterson - Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program Coordinator
- Lisa Bell - Sudden Oak Death Education Program Coordinator
- Lucia Varela - North Coast Integrated Pest Management Advisor
- Michael Lennox - Staff Research Associate III
- Mimi Enright - Sonoma County Master Gardener Program Coordinator
- Nicolas Bauer - Staff Research Associate (Fish Biologist)
- Rhonda Smith - Viticulture Farm Advisor
- Sarah Nossaman Pierce - Staff Research Associate
- Stephanie Larson - County Director and Livestock and Range Management Advisor
Sutter County
- Rosario Clerici - Program Representative / Nutrition Educator
- Mark Lundy - Agronomy Advisor
- Chelsey Slattery - Nutrition Educator
- Glenn Nader - Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor
- Rene McCrory - 4-H Secretary
Tehama County
- Richard P. Buchner - Pomology Advisor/County Director
Tulare County
- Alex Souza - Dairy Advisor
- Julie Cates - Nutrition Program Coordinator (Program Representative II)
UC Davis
- Brad Hanson - Cooperative Extension Weed Specialist
- Samuel Sandoval Solis - Cooperative Extension Specialist in Water Resources
Ventura County
- Gwyn Vanoni - Program Representative II – 4-H Youth Development
Yolo County
- Luis Espino - Advisor
- Gene Miyao - Farm Advisor
- Rachael Long - Farm Advisor and County Director
Yuba County
- Rosario Clerici - Program Representative / Nutrition Educator
- Mark Lundy - Agronomy Advisor
- Chelsey Slattery - Nutrition Educator
- Glenn Nader - Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor
- Rene McCrory - 4-H Secretary