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.
By-Laws
Dean's Advisory Council By-Laws (PDF | 26KB)
Executive Committee Members
| Robert Mills, Jr., chair |
| Katie Frazier, vice chair |
| John Rowsell, academic partners committee chair |
| Steven Critchfield, advancement partners committee chair |
| Robert Reinhard, industry partners committee chair |
| Alan Grant, dean |
| Vernon Meacham, assistant dean of advancement |
| Jamie Lucero, director of alumni relations |
Academic Partners Committee
Address opportunities related to the student experience
| Chair: John Rowsell |
| Rose Mary Cornett, '95, '13, Dairy Inspector, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services |
| Bernie Engel, Professor and Associate Dean of Agriculture Research and Graduate Education, Purdue University |
| Eric Fitzgerald, ’83, ’02, Director, Career and Technical Education, Rockingham County Public Schools |
| Rachel Kohl, ’00, ’02, Senior Instructor and Advising Lead, Assistant Director for Applied Ag Mgt, Agricultural Technology Program, VT CALS |
| John Rowsell, '87, '91, Partner, Sendero Partners |
| Winston Samuels, '81, '83, Founder, President, and CEO, Maxx Performance |
| Hunter Hilbert, Graduate Student Representative |
| Baker White, Undergraduate Student Representative |
Advancement Partners Committee
Address opportunities related to the capital campaign
| Chair: Steven Critchfield |
| Corey Berends, '96, SVP Research and Development, Conagra Brands |
| Brad Copenhaver, '12, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Commonwealth of Virginia |
| Steven Critchfield, '80, CEO/President, MOVA Technologies |
| William Hayter, '76, President, First Bank and Trust Company |
| Mike Hildebrand, '74, President-Owner, James River Nurseries Inc. |
| Daniel Riddick, '06, Director of Marketing and Communications, Ukrop's Homestyle Foods |
Industry Partners Committee
Address opportunities related to basic and applied research and extension
| Chair: Robert Reinhard |
| Richard Bagley, Jr., '79, Senior Vice President, Branch Manager, Wells Fargo Advisors |
| Steven Brown, Proprietor, Indian Spring Farm and Vineyard, Ltd, Brown Bear Vineyards |
| John Epling, Jr., Medical Director of Research, Medical Director of Employee Health and Wellness, Carilion Clinic |
| 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 |
| Kenneth Opengart, ’85, ’89, ’91, VP, Animal Welfare & International Sustainability, Tyson Foods |
| Robert Reinhard, '94, '95, Vice President Food Safety and Quality, Tyson Foods |
| Kyle Shreve, Executive Director, Virginia Agribusiness Council |
| Steve Sturgis, '82, Owner, Tri-S Farms |
Ex-officio
| Alan Grant, Dean, VT CALS |
| Zeke Barlow, '18, Director of Communications and Marketing, VT CALS |
| Ed Jones, '79, '83, Associate Dean and Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, VT CALS |
| Jamie Lucero, '21, Director of Alumni Relations, VT CALS |
| Ray McKinnie, Dean of Agriculture, College of Agriculture, Virginia State University |
| Vernon Meacham, '83, '87, Assistant Dean, Advancement, VT CALS |
| Saied Mostaghimi, Associate Dean and Director, Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, 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 Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, VT CALS |