Wendy Powers named associate vice president of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR)
Following a national search, Wendy Powers has been named the new associate vice president of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR). Powers, who has been a Michigan State University professor in the departments of Animal Science and Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering since 2006, began her new position in Oakland on Monday, June 20. She succeeds Bill Frost, who is retiring at the end of June.
“Dr. Powers brings excellent executive skills from a different land grant college so she will be a great addition to ANR’s leadership team,” said ANR Vice President Glenda Humiston in announcing the appointment. “She knows Cooperative Extension and has experience in helping programs grow, which will be very valuable as we expand the CE footprint in California. An accomplished researcher and administrator, Dr. Powers has the leadership qualities to help us take UC ANR to new heights.”
From 2010 to 2014, Powers directed statewide agriculture extension programs in Michigan. As MSU’s first director of environmental stewardship for animal agriculture, she represented MSU on a number of state technical committees and did an impressive job of leading efforts to minimize the environmental impact of animal agriculture. Her extension efforts focused on policy and implementation of management practices to reduce environmental impact. In addition to her research and extension program, she oversaw construction of the Animal Air Quality Research Facility and then managed the facility. Prior to joining Michigan State University, she was an assistant and associate professor with an extension appointment at Iowa State University for 10 years.
“There is no better place to be involved in extension and agriculture than California, and no place better positioned to impactfully address the challenges of tomorrow than UC Ag and Natural Resources,” Powers said about her new position.
Powers has a Ph.D. in animal science and M.S. in dairy science from the University of Florida and a B.S. in animal science from Cornell University.