West Lafayette, Ind, January 31, 2025 – North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) is pleased to announce the addition of three members to the Center’s Advisory Committee. The new members’ three-year appointment began January 15, 2025, and continues through December 31, 2028.
NCRCRD Director, Maria Marshall shared, “All of the new members bring exceptional experience and demonstrated commitment to rural development, which make them outstanding additions to our team. We look forward to their contributions as we continue to strengthen rural communities across the North Central Region.”
NCRCRD welcomes new Advisory Committee members:
- Rial Carver, Kansas State University – Rural Grocery Store Initiative Program Leader, K-State Research and Extension
- Himar Hernandez, Iowa State University– Community and Economic Development Extension, Assistant Program Director, Community Development Specialist
- Corinne Valdivia, University of Missouri– Doane Professor, Agricultural & Applied Economics; Development, Resources & Sustainability
They join current NCRCRD Advisory Committee members:
- Zach Kennedy, University of Illinois – Extension State Specialist, Community and Economic Development
- Thomas Krumel, North Dakota State University – Assistant Professor, Agribusiness and Applied Economics
- Xinyi Qian, University of Minnesota– Tourism Center Director & Extension State Specialist Tourism Center
- 4-H Program Leader Liaison: Tim Tanner, South Dakota State University – Director of 4-H Programs
- Community Development Program Leader Liaison: Dave Ivan, Michigan State University – Director of Community, Food, and Environment Institute
- FCS Program Leader Liaison: Pat Bebo, The Ohio State University– Assistant Dean O&E Assistant Director FC
NCRCRD’s nine-member Advisory Committee represents various backgrounds and expertise on rural issues and contribute to the Center’s regional impact and effectiveness. They play a crucial role in providing strategic guidance on NCRCRD’s programs and initiatives, reviewing grant proposals, identifying emerging rural development challenges and opportunities, and fostering connections between the Center and key rural stakeholders.
Openings on the Advisory Committee came available when two committee members completed their three-year terms in 2024. NCRCRD would like to thank former Advisory Committee members, John P. Beck, Associate Professor, Michigan State University, and Andrea Bjornestad, Associate Professor & Extension Mental Health Specialist, South Dakota State University, for their outstanding contributions and service to the North Central Region.
Additional information:
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The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) is one of four Regional Rural Development Centers in the United States. NCRCRD’s work links the research and educational outreach capacity of our region’s 34 land-grant universities with rural communities to help address a wide range of development issues unique to our 12-state region.
The Center’s work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.