Dean's Advisory Council
The purpose of the Council shall be to advise the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences on all aspects of teaching, research, and extension programs and to advance and promote the programs of the College. This includes matters pertaining to review current and future plans of the college; provide information and recommendations concerning these plans; assist in the dissemination of information with constituent groups; public relations and image/reputation; and fundraising and engagement efforts.
Members
Executive Committee Members
- Katie Frazier, Chair
- Brad Copenhaver, Vice Chair
- John Rowsell, Academic Partners Committee Chair
- Steven Critchfield, Advancement Partners Committee Chair
- Steve Grigg, Industry Partners Committee Chair
Academic Partners Committee
Address opportunities related to the student experience
CHAIR: JOHN ROWSELL
- John Rowsell, '87, '91, Partner, Sendero Partners
- Winston Samuels, '81, '83, Founder, President and CEO, Maxx Performance
- Rusty Unterzuber, '72, Project Manager, John Deere Company
- Cathie Woteki, '72, '75, Professor - Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University
Advancement Partners Committee
Address opportunities related to the capital campaign
CHAIR: STEVEN CRITCHFIELD
- Shelly Butler-Barlow, '82, Cotton Plains Farm, Inc.
- Brad Copenhaver, '12, Principal, Meadowview Strategies
- Steven Critchfield, '80, CEO/President, MOVA Technologies
- Mike Hildebrand, '74, President-Owner, James River Nurseries Inc.
- Keith Phillips, '76 First Bank and Trust Company
- Neena O'Mara, Undergraduate Student Representative
- Katie Wardinski, '21, Graduate Student Representative
Industry Partners Committee
Address opportunities related to basic and applied research and extension
CHAIR: Steve Grigg
- Richard Bagley, Jr., '79, Senior Vice President, Branch Manager, Wells Fargo Advisors
- Michael Carter, Jr., Small Farm Resource Center Coordinator, Small Farm Outreach Program
- Katie Frazier, '04, Chief Marketing and External Affairs Officer, Farm Credit of the Virginias
- Steve Grigg, '77, President, Grigg Design, Inc.
- Robert Mills Jr., '94, President, Briar View Farms, Inc.
- Martha Moore, '91, Vice President Governmental Relations, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation
- Whit Morris, '91, '93, Principal Scientist II, Agronomist, Altria Client Services
- John Newby, Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Bio
- Kenneth Opengart, ’85, ’89, ’91, VP, Animal Welfare & International Sustainability, Tyson Foods
- Dennis Pearson,'83, Owner, Soldiers' Hill Angus Farm
- Ben Rowe, National Affairs Coordinator, Virginia Farm Bureau
- Jim Saunders, '85, Partner, Saunders Brothers, Inc.
- Cliff Williamson, Executive Director, Virginia Agribusiness Council
Ex-officio
MARIO FERRUZZI, DEAN, VT CALS
- Mary Burrows, Associate Dean and Director, Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, VT CALS
- Derrick Scott, Interim Dean and Director of Land-Grant Programs, Virginia State University
- Ben Grove, '01, Director of Development, VT CALS
- Mike Gutter, Associate Dean and Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, VT CALS
- Vernon Meacham, '83, '87, Assistant Dean, Advancement, VT CALS
- Tom Soladay, Director of Marketing and Communications, VT CALS
- Robyn Stuart, Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations, VT CALS
- Susan Sumner, Associate Dean and Director, Academic Programs, VT CALS
- Tom Thompson, Associate Dean and Director, CALS Global
- Chevon Thorpe, '12, Assistant Dean of Strategic Engagement and Opportunity, VT CALS