Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce Cheryl Wilen has agreed to lead the Endemic and Invasive Pests and Diseases (EIPD) Strategic Initiative, effective today (July 1). In this role, Cheryl will provide direction for the initiative, including shepherding the ANR Competitive Grants process, planning and conducting strategic initiative conferences, and identifying and initiating EIPD efforts such as development of policy briefs and other special projects. As the EIPD initiative leader, Cheryl will also serve on the ANR Program Council.
As she has since 1995, Cheryl will continue as the area integrated pest management advisor for Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties. She conducts applied research and extends information working with growers and pest control advisors in the turf, ornamental, and nursery industries, and serves as the IPM advisor coordinator to help develop successful IPM programs. In addition, until mid-September, she is serving as acting director for the UC Statewide IPM Program while Director Kassim Al-Khatib is on sabbatical leave. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in botany from UC Riverside and M.S. and B.S. in horticulture, from the University of Arizona and University of Maryland, respectively.
She succeeds Beth Grafton-Cardwell, who we thank for three years of steadfast leadership. As chair of the EIPD panel of experts, Beth worked to develop the EIPD strategic plan that focuses cutting-edge research and extension in three priority issue areas: exclusion of pests and pathogens, emerging problems with pests and diseases and integrated management.
For more information about the EIPD strategic initiative, visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/StrategicInitiatives/Endemic_and_Invasive_Pests_-_Diseases.
Barbara Allen-Diaz
Vice President
Bill Frost
Associate Vice President
View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments.
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.