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2025 ESP National Conference
Dr. Jeffrey W. Savell
Dr. Jeffrey W. Savell
VICE CHANCELLOR AND DEAN FOR AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES
Texas A & M University
Dr. Jeff Savell began serving as the vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences at The Texas A&M University System in June 2022.
As vice chancellor and dean, he serves on the Texas A&M University System Executive Committee, which provides the chancellor assessment, advice and recommendations on issues within the A&M System and the System Offices. The 16-person committee also aids the Board of Regents in implementing and overseeing strategic plans and policies.
He has been part of Texas A&M for more than 50 years — as an undergraduate student, graduate student, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist, faculty member at Texas A&M, and finally as vice chancellor and dean. He is a University Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor and E.M. “Manny” Rosenthal Chairholder in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Savell finds inspiration in advancing the next generation and continues to teach. He has taught more than 13,000 undergraduates and mentored more than 170 graduate students in their research. In his time as vice chancellor and dean, freshman enrollment in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has grown by 40%. He also established the largest scholarship campaign in the College’s history, the Dean’s Excellence Scholars.
Dr. Savell’s research on key issues in the livestock and meat industries has earned numerous awards. He is a member of the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, and in 2024,he was shown to be among his fields’ top 2% of most-cited researchers in the world.
His extension work includes enormously popular programs such as the “Camp Brisket” and “Barbecue Summer Camp” workshops, which teach the art and science behind barbecue to people from all over the world.
Dr. Douglas L. Steele, Ph.D.
Douglas L Steele, Ph.D.
Vice President for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources
Association of Pulbic and Land-Grant Universities
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities. Dr. Douglas Steele was appointed as Vice President for the Office of Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources on January 2, 2019. He strongly believes in the power of the Land-Grant University to provide access and affordability to higher education, increase the profitability of agricultural enterprises and transform families, youth and communities. His prior positions and appointments include Director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (2012-2018) and Vice President for External Relations and Director of Extension for Montana State University (2004-2012). Dr. Steele previously held Extension and faculty positions at Colorado State University, where he was assistant director and State 4‐H Program leader, and at Purdue University, where he served as an Extension specialist and assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
On the national level, Dr. Steele has served as chair of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP), the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee, national BAA Policy Board of Directors, and the National 4-H Congress Board of Directors. He’s also served as Trustee for National 4-H Council, officer of the eXtension Foundation Executive Committee, and Co-chair of the ECOP Marketing and Communications Task Force.
Dr. Steele has received several awards of distinction including the Visionary Leadership Award, Montana State University Extension; the F. A. Anderson Distinguished Service Award, Colorado State University; Texans Caring for Texans honoree; and the National Friend of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Superior Service Award for Excellence, United States Department of Agriculture. Throughout his career he has received over 10 million dollars in funding to support curriculum development, rural development work and engagement activities.
Dr. Steele has a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science/Agri Business from Panhandle State University, Goodwell, OK; a Master of Agriculture degree in agronomy from West Texas State University, Canyon, TX; and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. He currently resides in Bowie, MD with his wife, Lori, and has four grown children and four grandchildren.
