National Recognition Program
Flower Order
2026 National and Regional Award Recipients
National Awards | |||
National Distinguished Ruby Award | Dr. Barbara Petty | Idaho | Western |
Friend of Extension – Extension Professional / Business Leader | Michael Risser | Ohio | North Central |
Friend of Extension – Professional / Business Leader | Charity Nebbe | Iowa | North Central |
Friend of Extension – Business Organization | Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) | Georgia | Southern |
Friend of Extension – Business Organization | 4-H Mentoring | Montana | Western |
North Central Region | ||
Distinguished Service Award | Julie Garden-Robinson | North Dakota - Upsilon |
Continued Excellence Award | Patrick Nehring | Wisconsin - Alpha Sigma |
Mid-Career Service Award | Bradley Starbuck | Minnesota - Pi |
Early Career Service Award | Luisa Gerasimo | Wisconsin - Alpha Sigma |
Visionary Leadership Award | David Brown | Iowa - Alpha Mu |
Administrative Leadership Award | Patrick Robinson | Wisconsin - Alpha Sigma |
International Service Award | Holli Arp | Minnesota - Pi |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Individual Award | Melissa Kono | Wisconsin - Alpha Sigma |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Team Award | International Professional Development Program; | Minnesota - Pi |
Distinguished Team Award | A Day in the Woods; Jim Downs, Jessica Burns, Carrie Brown, Amanda Perkins, Ryan Slaughter, Jenny Stoneking, Josh Winters, Tracy Winters, and team | Ohio - Alpha Eta |
Northeast Region | ||
Distinguished Service Award | Kelly Hicks | West Virginia - Phi |
Mid-Career Service Award | Michelle Tietsma | New Jersey - Alpha |
Early Career Service Award | Sara Grogan | Pennsylvania - Alpha Omicron |
Visionary Leadership Award - TIE | Kerry Gabbert | West Virginia - Phi |
Visionary Leadership Award - TIE | Alex Armstrong | Pennsylvania - Alpha Omicron |
Administrative Leadership Award | Tony Michael | West Virginia - Phi |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Individual Award | Nila Cobb | West Virginia - Phi |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Team Award | WVU STEM Ambassador Program; Suzanne McDonald, Emma Gardner, Megan Kruger, and Team | West Virginia - Phi |
Distinguished Team Award | Farm Family Finance Initiative; Catherine Sorenson, Jesse Ketterman, Elizabeth Kiss, Melissa Rupp, Kayla Wells-Yoakum, and Team | Maryland - Tau |
Southern Region | ||
Distinguished Service Award | Tonya Price | Virginia - Alpha Gamma |
Continued Excellence Award | Jennifer Bridge | Kentucky - Alpha Kappa |
Mid-Career Service Award | Chad Proudfoot | Virginia - Alpha Gamma |
Early Career Service Award | Dr. Christina Garner | Georgia - Alpha Beta |
Visionary Leadership Award | Johnny Barnes | Tennessee - Omega |
Administrative Leadership Award | Dr. Mark Blevins | North Carolina - Xi |
International Service Award | Brigitte Passman | Tennessee - Omega |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Individual Award | Sonya Jones | Georgia - Alpha Beta |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Team Award - TIE | Tennessee Extension Leadership Academy (TELA), Brigitte Passman, Amy Kirk, Brandi Berven, Jim Todd, John Toman, Laura Clark, Nancy Rucker, and Team | Tennessee - Omega |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Team Award - TIE | Stronger Together: 4-H Expands Opportunities for Youth with Special Needs; Jennifer Bowen, Malyka Walton, and Team | Virginia - Alpha Gamma |
Distinguished Team Award | Strengthening Extension Impact through Multi-State Collaboration; Lorrie Coop, Jenny Aviles Rodriguez, Carla Farrand, Sonia Coyle, Ines Beltran, Liz Brunscheen-Cartegena, and Team | Texas - Alpha Zeta |
Western Region | ||
Distinguished Service Award | Glenda Wentworth | Colorado - Zeta |
Continued Excellence Award | Shannon Cromwell | Utah - Iota |
Mid-Career Service Award - TIE | Lisa Terry | Montana - Alpha |
Mid-Career Service Award - TIE | Merrill Kingsbury | Colorado - Zeta |
Early Career Service Award | Dani Wesolowski | Colorado - Zeta |
Visionary Leadership Award | Katie Weaver | Montana - Alpha |
Administrative Leadership Award | Jane Wolery | Montana - Alpha |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Individual Award | Brenda Richey | Montana - Alpha |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Team Award - TIE | University of Idaho Extension Farm Stress Team Breaking the Silence in Rural Idaho; Kathee Tifft, Lance Hansen, Tasha Howard, and Team | Idaho - Theta |
Excellence in Outreach & Engagement Team Award - TIE | Libraries of Things - Food Preservation Equipment Libraries Help Oregonians Preserve their Harvest; Deb Warnock, Barb Brody, Lauren Kramer, Maureen Quinn, Danita Macy, and Team | Oregon - Gamma |
Distinguished Team Award | Reducing Barriers and Increasing Engagement: A Culturally Responsive Spanish-Language Adaptation of BEPA 2.0; Barbara Brody, Katie Ahern, and Team | Oregon - Gamma |
