AgriLife Extension names four new agents to West Central District

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu

Contact: Marty Gibbs, 325-653-4576, mj-gibbs@tamu.edu

           SAN ANGELO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has named four new county agents to posts in its West Central District.

           Marty Gibbs, AgriLife Extension administrator for the 23-county district headquartered in San Angelo, said the four and their respective posts are: Laci Kennedy, agriculture and natural resources, Irion County; Tait Cooper, agriculture and natural resources, Schleicher County; Shelley Amberg, family and consumer sciences agent for Irion/Schleicher counties to be headquartered in Eldorado and Courtney Grape, Extension assistant-agriculture and natural resources and 4-H, Llano County.

           “We are very pleased to be able to fill these positions with such competent applicants,” Gibbs said. “Courtney will serve a one-year assignment as an assistant before moving on to a county spot in the future. Laci, Tait and Shelley will complete AgriLife Extension’s First Step orientation program in neighboring counties during September before assuming their permanent county appointments on October 1.”

           Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree and has completed work toward a master’s degree from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces. She was a 4-H member for 13 years and most recently served three 4-H related internships with New Mexico State University and the New Mexico State 4-H office.

           Cooper graduated from Angelo State University with a degree in animal science with a split minor in wildlife management and agricultural economics. He previously worked as a sales agronomist for Dalhart Consumers Co-op in Dalhart.

           Grape is currently completing a master’s degree in agricultural development at Texas A&M University at College Station. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M. While attending Texas A&M, she served internships with AgriLife Extension, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the Brazos Valley Fair and Rodeo.

           Amberg earned a master’s in public health from Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, and a bachelor’s degree with dual majors in biology and psychology from Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts.

           Amberg previously served as a senior research coordinator and then as a program manager for the VA Medical Center at Boston.  

           For more information, contact Gibbs at 325-653-4576 or mj-gibbs@tamu.edu.