Breakout Sessions and Presenter Bios

2022 University of Maine Cooperative Extension All Organizational Conference
Tuesday, November 1-Thursday, November 3, 2022
Wells Conference Center, UMaine Campus, Orono, Maine

Roots to Blooms: Understanding Our History and Cultivating Our Future

Day 1: Tuesday, November 1, 2022

11:00 a.m.

Welcome

President’s Address

Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy became president of the University of Maine (UMaine) and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias (UMM) in July 2018. In 2021, she was appointed vice chancellor for research and innovation for the University of Maine System (UMS). In this role, she leads a formalized effort to make UMaine’s research infrastructure accessible to and supportive of all universities and faculty in the System.

Full Bio: Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy

1:00 p.m.

Roadmap Updates

Resources to Download from Dean Hannah Carter’s Roadmap Presentation:

Dean Hannah Carter is the chief executive officer of Cooperative Extension (UMaine Extension) and reports to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. She provides leadership for UMaine Extension’s education programs, applied research, and scholarship in service to the State of Maine and beyond, and is responsible for strategic, fiscal, staffing, personnel, and public service matters; staff development; commitment to diversity and inclusion; and compliance with university-wide policies. She helps to foster productive relationships with government, industry, and the public stakeholders in Maine; other units of UMaine and the University of Maine System; and other extension programs in the national Cooperative Extension network.

2:15 p.m.: Breakout Sessions

#1: Program Planning for Personal and Professional Productivity — Amy Harder

Time is one of our most precious resources so allocating it carefully is a critical part of being happy and effective in Extension. Needs assessments are tools that can be used to focus our work, preventing time from being wasted on work that is no longer a priority and identifying in which areas we should apply the most effort to make the greatest positive impact on Maine. Needs assessments can also be used to inform decisions about how we deliver programming, an especially important question as clients increasingly expect a variety of in-person and digital options to be available. In this workshop, we’ll discuss options for conducting needs assessments, practice at least one technique as a group, and identify strategies for clearly communicating programming priorities to internal and external stakeholders.

Dr. Amy Harder is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and communication at the University of Florida. She is also the Director for the Program Development and Evaluation Center, which provides statewide leadership for UF/IFAS Extension’s professional development programming and its reporting and accountability efforts. Her Extension programs focus building individual skills and abilities, including a focus on helping county agents excel in their roles as formal mentors and teaching program planning and evaluation to new Extension professionals at the semi-annual Extension Faculty Development Academy. Prior to joining UF state specialists in 2007, she worked for three years as a 4-H agent for Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Boulder County, Colorado.

Resources to Download from Amy Harder (both breakout sessions):

- Nominal Group Technique Facilitator Guide (Word)
- Presentation, Tuesday: Conducting Needs Assessments: An Introduction (PowerPoint)
- Presentation, Thursday: Practical Approaches to Program Evaluation (PowerPoint)

#2: Making the Most of Social Media — Melissa Arndt, and Lynne Holland

Melissa and Lynne will start the session with an overview of the role branding play in our social media communications. Following the brief overview, this breakout session will be focused on answering your burning questions about Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/LinkedIn, sharing best practices, finding ways to connect our programs, and sharing content to make an impact and increase online engagement.

Melissa Arndt, UMaine Extension Marketing and Communications Director,

Lynne Holland, who in addition to coordinating the Master Gardener Volunteers for two counties, is also responsible for the UMaine Cooperative Extension Facebook Page for the whole state.

Lynne’s education has been intertwined with work experience throughout her career. She has worked in most facets of Ornamental Horticulture from growing field flowers for a farm stand to managing a floral operations for the largest privately held grocery chain in Texas. The bulk of Lynne’s experience is in Mass Market floral operations, purchasing, and sales.

#3: County Conversations, Unconference-Style Session, Facilitated by Emily Collins and Tayla Mann

This breakout session is for county staff who are looking to connect with others, share ideas, and troubleshoot problems. How can we better engage with our executive boards? How are you dealing with office coverage? What awesome systems have you implemented that you think would work well for others? What else would you like another county office’s perspective on? Come join the County Conversation breakout session to collaborate on finding solutions to current county-specific challenges.

This will be an unconference-style session, where participants will teach and learn from each other. There is no agenda: You come up with ideas and topics you want to discuss or learn more about, and the facilitators will simply help guide the process.

Emily Collins, Administrative Specialist, UMaine Extension in Somerset County

Tayla Mann, Administrative Specialist, Oxford County

#4: Google Sheets and Docs and Slides… Oh My! — Mari Glatter and Friends

Do you sometimes feel like “I’m not in Kansas anymore” when you enter the land of Google Workspaces? Maybe you are already the Google Munchkin Mayor and can happily give tours through Google Docs or Gmail. Maybe you are the Cowardly Lion when faced with a Google Sheet or can wave Glinda’s magic wand over your Slides. Whatever your level of comfort, please join us in this unconference-style session where everyone can contribute. Feel free to wander around Oz (the multiple tables in this breakout space) and discover the many aspects of Google Workspaces. Bring your own electronic device or share one with a friend!

Mari Glatter, UMaine Extension Instructional Designer, uses knowledge of curriculum design, learning theory, and educational technologies to assist Extension staff in the design of digitally enhanced programs and courses. She is responsible for supporting Extension staff in the instructional design of online, hybrid, web-enhanced, and live programs and courses and providing expertise and guidance in the use of a variety of educational instructional technology applications.

Day 2: Wednesday, November 2, 2022

8:30 a.m. — Keynote Address: “Preparing the Soil for Magical Growth and the vital ingredient: Inclusivity”

In this Keynote Address, veteran facilitator and author Craig Freshley will share with us how to make fertile soil for creativity. When groups gather to collaborate, innovate, and create new things, it usually happens with deliberate effort. What gathers a group together? What holds a group together? What attitudes and behaviors support innovation and collaboration? With inspirational stories and practical tips, Craig’s keynote plans to unlock answers to these and other fun questions.

Craig Freshley, is a professional meeting facilitator, speaker, trainer, and author with an inspiring attitude and a well-earned reputation for helping groups be efficient, harmonious, and productive. Craig has professionally facilitated over 3,000 meetings where he has helped groups make good decisions. Craig’s insights and skills help groups achieve new and unimagined levels of efficiency, peace, and productivity.”

9:30 a.m. — Innovation Engineering (IE) System: Tools for Proactive Problem-Solving

The IE process provides tools for identifying problems, creating meaningful unique solutions, clearly communicating solutions to pertinent stakeholders, and bringing solutions to life while reducing the risk of failure.

Attendees will be trained to use a “futuring” process and work in small groups to apply that “futuring” process on compelling topics generated by staff members.

Dr. Jason Bolton, Extension Professor, and Food Safety Specialist, Program Administrator for Aquaculture, Food, Innovation, and Nutrition, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Area Coordinator of the Innovation Program, University of Maine Business School.

12:45 p.m. — IE System/Tools… continued

5:00 p.m. — Program Sharing | Poster Session Participants

4-H Aquaponics Program and Beyond – M. Scarlett Tudor
4-H Camp and Learning Centers – Jessica Decke and Eri Martin
NorthStar 4-H Youth Mentoring – Lyndsey Smith
4-H Learning Ecosystems Northeast – Gabrielle Brodek and Sarah Sparks
Dairy Extension Programs – Glenda Pereira
Diagnostic Research Lab – Griffin Dill and Tom Rounsville
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program – Kate Yerxa
Extension Homemakers – Cathy Bartlett Gray and Tayla Mann
Home Food Preservation: Dial Gauge Testing Refresher – Kathy Savoie
Maine Climate Office and Climate Services – Sean Birkel
Maine New Farmers Project and AgrAbility – Chris Howard
Maple Syrup – Jason Lilley
Master Gardener, Maine Gardener, MHAT – Lynne Holland
Resilience and Wellness in Agriculture – Leslie Forstadt
SeaGrant – SeaGrant Team
So You Want to Farm in Maine? Using Brightspace – Donna Coffin and Tori Jackson
Sunbeam Team – Laura Personette
Workforce Development – Andrew Hudacs

Day 3: Thursday, November 3, 2022

8:00 a.m.: Everyday Inclusion: Harnessing the Power of Diversity to Build Stronger Teams and Organizations

In this session, we’ll explore the difference between diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), take a deep dive into the research that demonstrates how DEIB impacts teamwork and innovation, and learn simple ways you can build a culture of inclusion and belonging in your day-to-day work.

a portrait of Cara Pelletier, MA ORGL — Cara Pelletier

Cara Pelletier, Senior Director DEI&B at 15Five, is passionate about helping leaders connect their heads with their hearts to create inclusive, high-performing teams. She holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University and a Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School and has built and delivered leadership development and DEIB programs at companies including 15Five, Ultimate Software, and Moderna.

Cara was named one of North America’s Most Influential D&I Leaders 2020 by Hive Learning and has appeared in the New York Times, Forbes, and Fast Company, among other publications. She has served on the Board of Directors for EqualityMaine and Equality Federation as well as the City of Bangor Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights.

She never says no to karaoke or 8-bit video games. Cara and her wife live in Bangor, Maine with two dogs and four cats.

Resources to Download from Cara Pelletier’s Presentation:

9:30 a.m.: Breakout Sessions

#1: Practical Approaches to Program Evaluation — Amy Harder

In Extension, we work very hard to deliver high-quality programs that create positive impacts for individuals, families, and communities. Spending so much time planning and delivering programming can mean evaluation gets short-changed, rushed, or overlooked, preventing us from really knowing what’s working best and what can be improved. Fitting evaluation into a busy schedule can feel difficult and sometimes it’s hard to know how to do an evaluation correctly. In this workshop, we’ll cover practical approaches to evaluation using local-level examples that can be adapted or replicated to assess in-person and online educational efforts.

Resources to Download from Amy Harder (both breakout sessions):

- Nominal Group Technique Facilitator Guide (Word)
- Presentation, Tuesday: Conducting Needs Assessments: An Introduction (PowerPoint)
- Presentation, Thursday: Practical Approaches to Program Evaluation (PowerPoint)

#2: Skills Learned: Badges Earned, Micro-Credentialing — Laura Wilson and Mari Glatter

For Maine to thrive, our residents need skills. Cooperative Extension has been providing opportunities to Mainers to learn new and higher-level skills for generations. Now is the time for those skills to get recognized – by employers, educational institutions, and our audiences! Come learn about the UMaine System’s Micro-Credential Initiative, the new Course Merchant digital storefront, and leave with a plan for creating verified credentials (badges) for your programs!

Laura Wilson, 4-H Science Professional, creates links between youth and researchers/faculty at the University of Maine, to increase opportunities for youth to connect (in person or virtually) with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics resources. She also manages the 4-H STEM Ambassadors program for UMaine and UMaine Augusta, and co-coordinates the Follow a Researcher program.

#3: Exploring Wellness in Thoughtful Ways — Alisha Targonski, Laura Personette, and Leslie Forstadt

This session will include a guided segment on how to identify personal values with Alisha Targonski, a guided segment on exploring our creativity with Laura Personette, and will also offer tips and best practices for finding work/life balance. We’ll discuss recommendations for ensuring personal sustainability and a broad sense of overall wellness.

Alisha Targonski, 4-H Youth Development Professional

Laura Personette, Program Coordinator, Maine 4-H Community Central. As Program Coordinator for Maine 4-H Community Central, Laura works to empower teens through workforce development programming in public housing/community sites in Lewiston and Portland. She is based out of the working space at Lewiston Public Housing and works with community partners to provide internship opportunities for teens.

Laura’s areas of interest are youth leadership development, youth empowerment and mentoring, and fostering creativity within groups and Youth-Adult Partnerships.

Leslie Forstadt, UMaine Extension Human Development Specialist. Dr. Leslie Forstadt’s current work has two closely related programming areas in human development: farm teams and resilience building. Leslie’s work includes: Member of the Maine Farmer Resource Network; Grant Administrator, Maine Agricultural Mediation Program Farm Coach; Presentations and workshops supporting farmer work/life balance; and co-producing a video series, “Growing Maine.“

With resilience building, Leslie’s work includes Grant Administrator, Maine Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network; Member of Cultivemos; A founder and current Board member of the Maine Resilience Building Network Presentations and workshops supporting resilience in individuals and groups through stress-reduction training; and working with UMaine Cooperative Extension in staff development to address needs around personal sustainability.

#4: Furthering Conversations

This is a breakout session to discuss questions and topics generated from the first two days of the conference. If you feel there was a topic not covered in enough detail, this breakout session may be the perfect time to talk about it more in-depth. Specifics for this breakout session will not be determined until the third day of the conference. This will be an unconference-style session, where participants will teach and learn from each other. There is no agenda: You come up with ideas and topics you want to discuss or learn more about, and the facilitator will simply guide the process.

10:45 a.m. — Telling the Extension Story: How Communications, Brand, and Storytelling Can Help Achieve Our Mission

Melissa Arndt, UMaine Extension Marketing and Communications Director, with the UMaine Extension Communications and Marketing Team

Plugged In: For UMaine Extension Staff and Volunteers