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2026 National and Regional Award Recipients
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National Awards |
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National Distinguished Ruby Award |
Dr. Barbara Petty |
Idaho |
Western |
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Friend of Extension – Extension Professional / Business Leader |
Michael Risser |
Ohio |
North Central |
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Friend of Extension – Professional / Business Leader |
Charity Nebbe |
Iowa |
North Central |
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Friend of Extension – Business Organization |
Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) |
Georgia |
Southern |
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Friend of Extension – Business Organization |
4-H Mentoring |
Montana |
Western |
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North Central Region |
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| 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; Neil Linscheid, John Vreyens, Nicole Pokorney, Tobias Spanier, Anita Harris, Megan Slater, and Andrea Lorek | 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 |
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Northeast Region |
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| 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 |
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Southern Region |
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| 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 |
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Western Region |
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| 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 |