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.
Organizational Charts
- Robert Mills, Jr., Chair
- Katie Frazier, Vice Chair
- John Rowsell, Academic Partners Committee Chair
- Steven Critchfield, Advancement Partners Committee Chair
- TBD, Industry Partners Committee Chair
- Alan Grant, Dean
- Vernon Meacham, Assistant Dean of Advancement
- Jamie Lucero, Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations
Address opportunities related to the student experience
CHAIR: JOHN ROWSELL
- Rose Mary Cornett, '95, '13, Dairy Inspector, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- 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
- Michael Marciano, Undergraduate Student Representative
- Krisangel Lopez, Graduate Student Representative
Address opportunities related to the capital campaign
CHAIR: STEVEN CRITCHFIELD
- Corey Berends, '96
- 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
- Daniel Riddick
- Neena O'Mara, Undergraduate Student Representative
- Katie Wardinski, '21, Graduate Student Representative
Address opportunities related to basic and applied research and extension
CHAIR: TBD
- Richard Bagley, Jr., '79, Senior Vice President, Branch Manager, Wells Fargo Advisors
- 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
- Cliff Williamson, Executive Director, Virginia Agribusiness Council
ALAN GRANT, DEAN, VT CALS
- Zeke Barlow, '18, Director of Communications and Marketing, VT CALS
- Mike Gutter, Associate Dean and Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, VT CALS
- Jamie Lucero, '21, Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations, VT CALS
- TBD, 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
- Hunter Hilbert, '21, '22 Assistant Director, Career Development and College Relations