Osbourn retires after 35 years of AgriLife Extension service
Regional program leader spent career impacting lives, communities
Jana Osbourn, Regents Fellow and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service regional program leader for Family and Community Health in the South Region, will retire Jan. 31 after 35 years of service.
Serving District 10, headquartered in Uvalde, and District 12, headquartered in Weslaco, Osbourn has provided leadership to approximately 120 county agents and 50 program assistants for the past nine years.
Recognized as an innovative leader in her current role, Osbourn focused on employee onboarding, program development, volunteer engagement and fostering collaboration among educators in the region.
Osbourn spent the first 27 years of her career with AgriLife Extension as a county agent, beginning in Lamar County from 1990-1994 and later serving in Bandera County from 1994-2012 and Kendall County from 2012-2017, before becoming the regional program leader.
Making a difference in the lives of others
When reflecting on her career, Osbourn said the opportunity to impact people stands out.
“When I think about my time as an agent, my proudest moments are seeing the impact you have as an agent on kids’ lives in 4-H and on people in the community,” she said. “As a regional program leader, I truly enjoyed being an agent’s advocate to propel them to success. I’ve seen a lot of great success and growth in our agents.”
Over the years, Osbourn said she believes the two areas where AgriLife Extension is making the biggest difference in her region are Healthy South Texas and the 4-H program.
The Healthy South Texas initiative operates in 27 counties, 13 of which are in the South Region.
“The program has come a long way,” Osbourn said. “When I moved into this role, we were figuring out how to make the greatest impact with the initiative. It’s rewarding to see the connections the agents have built in their communities and the results they are having.”
4-H is also thriving in both districts, with growing enrollment, due to the county agents and the investments they are making in those kids, she said.
“People want to be a part of a successful program, and our agents are very invested in their programs,” she said. “Parents and kids see the value in that, and they want to be a part of it.”
Education and accolades
Osbourn earned her bachelor’s in home economics from Tarleton State University and her master’s in agriculture leadership science with an emphasis in adult education at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Her leadership has earned recognition from local to national levels, including the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Services team award, the Texas A&M University Regents Fellow title and AgriLife Extension’s Superior Service Award for leadership.
