Orange County Extension Service (OCES) Faculty
Click on a link below for contact information
Felter, Liz Environmental Horticulture
Gonzalez, Barbara Sr. Neighborhood Coordinator Union
Park Neighborhood Center for Families
Kennington, Mary Sue Family and Consumer Sciences
Mayberry, Jonnali Family and Consumer Sciences
Mondelus, Cyndy Family and Consumer Sciences
Mudge, Dennis Agriculture
Negrón, Grisel Multi County Expanded Food & Nutrition
(EFNEP) Program
Parker, Lelan Multi-County Commercial Nursery Production
Pehlke, Timothy 4-H and Youth Development
Ramos, Jennifer Florida Yards and Neighborhoods
Program
Stephens, Glinder County Extension Director and
Family and Consumer Sciences
Thralls, Ed Residential Horticulture & Master Gardener
Program
White, Celeste Commerical Horticulture
County Extension Director - Family & Consumer Sciences
Orange County Extension Director, responsible for providing leadership and direction in the planning, organization, coordination, implementation and evaluation of the overall Extension program. This includes the program areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H and Youth Development, and Family and Consumer Sciences. She is also the Program Leader for Family and Consumer Sciences and conducts programs on Family Economics and Consumer Issues.
Education - M.S., University of Central Florida,
B.S., Florida A&M University.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Darla Wilkes, Office Manager (407) 254-9200
Agriculture Agent
Livestock, Animal Science, Agricultural Policy Education, Farm Assistance, Natural Resources, Water Quality and Quantity, Wildlife Enhancement and Nuisance, Toxic Plant and Venomous Animal Identification, Small Animal Husbandry.
Education - M.P.S. Animal Science/Agriculture - Cornell University, Ivy League,
B.S. - Natural Resources - Cornell University,
A.A.S. - Natural Resources - Morrisville College.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200 or (cell) (407) 466-3749
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Ruth Howard, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Multi-County Commercial Horticulture
Provides education and training for the Commercial Greenhouse and Nursery industries for Orange, Lake and Seminole counties.
Assists with the plant clinic at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center and the Production Times Newsletter.
Collaborates with other Commericial Horticulture Agents throughout the state to provide accurate and recent information to clients throughout the tri-county area.
Education - M.S. Plant Science/Viticulture-Biotechnology, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University,
B.S. Plant Science, Southern University & Mechanical College.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Yamira Donato, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Family and Consumer Sciences
Provides leadership for general education related to Housing and Home Environment with a focus on efforts to
empower individuals with knowledge about about healthy indoor environments including controlling
mold growth in the home, water and energy conservation, home safety and disaster prepardedness,
principles of universal design and lifecycle housing, keeping the home environment clean, and
living and building green. Teaches the Home Owner Post Purchase Counseling and Section VIII Tenant
workshops for the City of Orlando/Orange County Housing program participants.
Serves as agent advisor for the Orange County Association for Home and Community Education (HCE) --
an Extension volunteer organization dedicated to strengthening individuals and families through
education, leadership and action
Education - M.Ed., Community/Adult Education – Colorado State University,
B.S., Home Economics – Georgia Southern College.
Contact Information – (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff – Daisy Krzanik, Admin. Specialist, (407) 254-9200
Family and Consumer Sciences
Nutrition, Health, and Food Safety Agent. Serves as the Orange County Nutrition Agent providing education in the areas of food nutrition, wellness, and food safety. In service to the families and individuals of Orange County, workshops on healthy eating, meal planning, and prevention of illness due to proper nutrition are offered through out the year.
Provides youth workshops geared toward helping youth make healthy snack and meal choices to prevent overweight and/or obesity. Supervisor of Orange County Family Nutrition Program with the help of program assistant Lei Martin. Supervises the dissemination of nutrition education to children of schools with above average free/ reduced lunch recipients.
Acts as facilitator and test proctor for ServSafe Food Managers/Handlers Safety program. The program is designed to instruct food industry laborers on proper food handling, serving, and storing. The training is to ensure that laborers working in the food industry practice preventative measures to reduce food-borne illness incidences.
Education - M.S., International and Community Nutrition - Virginia Tech,
B.S., Human Nutrtition, Food and Exercises – Virginia Tech.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Ruth Howard, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Family and Consumer Sciences
Provides leadership in the area of Family Life and Parenting. Marriage preparation, parenting
skills, and strengthening blended families are the currently emphasized programs.
She also helps with management and administration of the Union Park Neighborhood Center for Families and works in collaboration with
local agencies.
Serves as the coordinator for the annual Teen Force Academy, a 10-day educational experience for
school-age youth during the summer to provide information on healthy living, good decision-making,
and possible career choices.
Education - M.S., Family, Youth and Community Sciences - University of Florida,
B.S., Family, Youth and Community Sciences - University of Florida.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Daisy Krzanik, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Commercial Horticulture
Provides education and training for the landscape maintenance industry and commercial pesticide applicators in the areas of planting, pruning, fertilization, irrigation and pesticide safety and use.
Education - B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Maryland.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Yamira Donato, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program Assistant
Provides education in Florida friendly landscaping, irrigation, pollution control, pesticide use, Integrated Pest Management, recycling, composting and resource conservation. Teaches educational and motivating workshops to Florida homeowners on creating and maintaining "Florida-friendly" yards that are attractive and almost carefree with "earth-smart" practices.
Education - B.S., Environmental Science and Growth Management - Rollins College,
with an emphasis in Florida Ecology and water systems.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Multi-County Expanded Food & Nutrition Program (EFNEP)
Oversees the Orange County's Expanded and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) as a team effort between the USDA, University of Florida Extension Services and Orange County Board of County Commissioners. She helps families and children (5-18) to have a healthier diet. She offers programs to County schools with 51% or more of students receiving free or reduced school lunches and to children and youth attending after school programs. She provides nutrition information to parents for their awareness and education. She instructs EFNEP Educators how to teach students lessons about food groups, the benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, the importance of milk and water, smart snacking, food safety, and physical activity according to their grade level.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Ruth Howard, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Residential Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator
General education related to urban horticulture, including landscaping, home crop production, lawn management, ornamental landscape plants, indoor foliage and flowers and plant problem diagnosis. Coordinator for the Orange County Master Gardener Program. FNGLA Florida Certified Horticulture Professional (FCHP). ASHS Associate Horticulture Professional (AHP).
Education - M.S., Systems Management - Naval Postgraduate School,
B.S., Landscape Nursery Management - University of Florida,
B.E., Electrical Engineering
- Vanderbilt University,
A.S., Environmental Horticulture - Valencia Community College.
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Frances Simoneaux, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
4-H Youth Development
Recruits, trains, and supervises adult volunteers. Provides informal educational programs for a youth audience. Utilizes the expertise of advisory groups, community leaders, public officials and representatives of intended audiences to analyze data, identify needs, and assist in developing educational programs. Collaborates with other agencies and community groups to plan and implement programs. Conducts promotional efforts that increase public awareness of youth development programming. Utilizes current research and information to develop interventions that address real world problems. Demonstrates personal interest and involvement in community by participating in and supporting civic/community activities/organizations and networking with community leaders.
Education - M.P.A., Nonprofit Management – University of Missouri,
M.S., Family and Child Studies – Miami University (OH),
B.A., Psychology- Greenville College (IL)
Contact Information - (407) 254-9213
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Ruth Stokes, Admin. Specialist (407) 254-9200
Horticulture Agent
Coordinate installation of Memorial Garden; implement demonstration garden plots for educational programs. Recruit and co-ordinate volunteers; provide on-site horticultural tours, programs and information to the community.
Education - M.A. Agricultural & Extension Education, University of Florida
B.S. Horticulture/Agriculture Communications, The Ohio State University
Contact Information - (407) 254-9200
Click here to send email
Sr. Neighborhood Coordinator
Union Park Neighborhood Center for Families
This Neighborhood Center Coordinator position is a grant funded staff position with Cooperative Extension through the Orange County Citizens’ Commission for Children.
Provides leadership for operational oversight and coordination of the Union Park Neighborhood Center for Families (UPNCF), including supervision and training of funded personnel by the Orange County Citizens’ Commission for Children. Maintains Agency staff schedules and other administrative tasks. Coordinates Union Park NCF marketing efforts and NCF events.
Monitors and evaluates NCF progress toward contract outcomes and coordinates NCF case staffing and case management. Liaison between citizens, NCF stakeholders (internal and external) including member agencies and key community leaders.
Education - B.A., Psychology and Sociology – Florida International University
Contact Information - (407) 207-1684 ; (407) 482-4486 (fax)
Click here to send email
Support Staff - Michelle Abisada, Admin. Assistant (407) 207-1684