The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

I am catching my breath from an exhilarating and energizing week, as we wrap up the first UC ANR Statewide Conference since 2018. From April 24 to 27, more than 800 academics, staff, Presidential Advisory Commission volunteers and community members came together in Fresno to share knowledge and make connections. The theme was “UC ANR 2040: Growing Our Future Together, Aligning Strengths for California’s Success” and we began brainstorming to draft our new Strategic Vision.

At the conference, we heard from inspiring keynote speakers State Sen. John Laird, California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and UC Regent (and astronaut and winemaker) Jose Hernandez. During a panel discussion, UC President Michael Drake and other guests shared their perspectives on future opportunities for UC research and extension.

I also was thrilled to meet and welcome, in-person, many of our new academics and staff; about half of the conference attendees were hired within the past five years. Through the support of Gov. Newsom, Sen. Laird and the state Legislature, more UC ANR experts are bringing practical, science-based solutions to more communities on more subjects in every corner of our state. 

Their knowledge and fresh perspectives are helping to inform our 2025-2040 Strategic Vision, which will guide UC ANR’s work in the coming years. Another personal highlight of the conference was kicking off the collaborative process to shape this document identifying California’s most pressing challenges – and how UC ANR is uniquely positioned to address those concerns and improve the lives of Californians. Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas and insights, and I would love to hear more from you in the weeks and months ahead as we refine our Strategic Vision.

Many, many thanks to Sherry Cooper and the entire Program Support Unit, the IT team, UC ANR Staff Assembly, Kathy Eftekhari, Kathryn Stein, and the many volunteers and colleagues across UC ANR for organizing such an outstanding conference, which included hands-on workshops, informative tours, fantastic poster sessions, and a team-building baseball game! 

Just prior to the conference, we had our UC ANR Advocacy Day on April 18, where I had the pleasure of joining colleagues at the Capitol in Sacramento to highlight how UC ANR is making a difference across California. Our elected representatives and their staffs heard firsthand how UC ANR is advancing innovations in ag tech, sustainable food systems, youth leadership, workforce development, and organic waste management and composting. My thanks to the team for representing us so well: Hanif Houston, Susie Kocher, Stephanie Mar, Anne Megaro, Deanne Meyer, Amira Resnick, Lara Schroder, Sheron Violini, Zheng Wang, and 4-H ambassadors Megna and Sruthi.

Lastly, I am very pleased that Brent Hales will be joining us as UC ANR’s new associate vice president for research and cooperative extension. Deanne Meyer has done a phenomenal job as interim AVP since August and is helping with the transition. Brent, who currently serves as the associate dean of Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and director of Penn State Extension, brings over 20 years of higher education research and leadership experience at land-grant institutions. With Brent coming aboard in July, our 2040 visioning process off to a strong start, and leaders from many of our key stakeholder groups working to establish a new UC ANR Foundation, I have never been more excited about our future!