Dr. Anna Ball is Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for undergraduate education across the college, overseeing curriculum innovation, recruitment and retention, accreditation, experiential learning, and student success initiatives. She has been instrumental in restructuring recruitment operations, expanding applied learning opportunities, and advancing inclusive leadership development for students and faculty alike.

A professor of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC), Dr. Ball brings more than two decades of experience as a scholar, teacher, and administrator. Her research and teaching center on leadership, educational innovation, and the land-grant mission, with a particular emphasis on servant leadership and inclusive intelligence as frameworks for developing future leaders. She is deeply engaged in preparing students to meet the complex challenges of food, agriculture, and environmental systems with integrity, creativity, and vision.

Dr. Ball has held numerous leadership appointments within ACES and the broader university, serving on key operational, academic, and strategic committees. Her work has strengthened faculty development, built pathways for innovative teaching, and positioned ACES as a leader in experiential education. Beyond her administrative portfolio, she is a sought-after speaker and facilitator on the evolving role of higher education, the history and philosophy of land-grant universities, and the future of learning and leadership in higher education.

Recognized for her commitment to student success and faculty empowerment, Dr. Ball is driven by a passion for connection, growth, and legacy. She views higher education as both a personal and collective calling: to build communities of learning that foster access, discovery, and service for the public good.

Dr. Lisa Washburn is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Extension and Engagement at the University of Missouri, where she provides statewide leadership for MU Extension’s programs, strategic initiatives, and organizational operations. She previously served as Senior Program Director of the Health and Human Sciences unit, providing leadership for programs in health, nutrition, and human development, and supporting the work of more than 150 faculty and staff across five colleges and ten departments.  

With more than two decades in the land-grant system, Dr. Washburn has served in Extension roles ranging from county agent to state administrator, giving her a broad perspective on the changing needs of communities and the evolving role of Extension. She began her Extension career in Arkansas in 2001 as a Family and Consumer Sciences agent and later served as a state health specialist. Before joining MU Extension in 2022, she was an Extension Community Health Specialist with the University of Tennessee.  

Dr. Washburn holds a Doctor of Public Health in leadership from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, a master’s degree in health studies from the University of Alabama, and a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences from Henderson State University. 

Dr. Kevin Carey serves as the Assistant Dean of 4-H Positive Youth Development at the University of Illinois Extension. He has been an active volunteer to Illinois4-H, most notably serving on the Illinois 4-H Foundation Board of Directors for 13 years. Dr. Carey has served in numerous higher education roles, predominately in student affairs, at Ball State University, Wittenberg University, and Illinois Wesleyan University. He has facilitated numerous workshops focused on retaining staff, conflict resolution, and building strategies and visions for small teams. His research area focuses on gender identity development of young men and adolescence and how masculinities programs enhance healthy outcomes for life.