Kelm selected Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service associate director of county operations

Donald Kelm, Ed.D., has been selected as associate director of county operations for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Kelm has a 35-year tenure with the agency and has served in numerous educational and leadership roles for AgriLife Extension. Kelm joins the AgriLife Extension leadership team, leaving his role as the district administrator for the agency’s Central District 8 based at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Stephenville.

“We are so pleased that Donald will bring his experience and expertise to serve our statewide network of county agents, specialists and professional educators across Texas,” said Rick Avery, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension director, Bryan-College Station. “He has been a longtime leader to hundreds of our agents as a district administrator in two of our districts and consistently demonstrated his ability to develop relationships with our local and state elected officials in counties across the state.”

Avery said he looks forward to working with Kelm to build a bright future for the agency and AgriLife Extension agent network, as well as its educational programs and service to Texans.

In his new capacity, Kelm assumes the critical role of providing statewide leadership for staffing, supervision, evaluation and funding for the 12 AgriLife Extension district administrative areas throughout the state.

His primary responsibilities include directing the recruitment, hiring and supervision of county staff, as well as serving as the administrative liaison for various county commissioners courts. Working closely with the commissioners courts, AgriLife Extension’s local funding partners, Kelm will also prioritize securing the necessary financial resources to sustain and grow county-based educational initiatives.

“It is exciting to have the opportunity to be on campus after having spent my entire AgriLife Extension career as a county agent for agriculture and natural resources and district administrator in District 8 and District 3,” Kelm said. “I hope to build on the success that my predecessor, Dr. Jeff Ripley, had as associate director of county operations and work with the county commissioners courts across the state.”

Ripley retired Aug. 31 as associate director for county operations after more than 34 years with the agency.

Kelm’s academic and AgriLife Extension career

Kelm earned a doctoral degree of education in agriculture education from Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University. He also earned a master’s degree in animal science from Sam Houston State University and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

He joined AgriLife Extension in 1987 and has served in numerous leadership roles since then. His most recent position was as district administrator for Central District 8, where he led strategic development and employee management for county agents. He has also worked with each of the district’s 21 county commissioners courts to interpret agency programs and to secure funding and resources in support of AgriLife Extension professionals and support staff.

Kelm also served 20 years as an AgriLife Extension county agent for agriculture and natural resources in five counties in Central Texas. He was selected as the district administrator for the agency’s Rolling Plains District 3 in 2007, where he served for five years before returning to Central District 8 and his most recent senior leadership role.

Helm’s committee, advisory contributions

As part of his prior experience in statewide leadership, Kelm served as president of the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association and has twice been honored with AgriLife Extension’s prestigious Superior Service award due to his exceptional contributions to the agency’s mission.

Kelm has also participated in dozens of internal committees to support the work of the agency in youth development and agricultural education programs. His extensive involvement in advisory boards and committees across the state has fostered valuable external relationships with partners and stakeholders who are crucial to the success of the agency’s educational mission.

“I am looking forward to working with AgriLife Extension’s district administrators, county directors and county agents to serve the residents of Texas,” Kelm said.