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Faculty

The faculty of the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education at Virginia Tech are committed to preparing students for success in professions that include formal and non-formal teaching and learning in agriculture, as well as skills for leading agricultural organizations and communities. 

Thomas G. Archibald
Associate Professor; Executive Director, CIRED
Courtney Collins
Academic Advisor and Program Coordinator
Austin Council
Collegiate Assistant Professor
Coordinator Leadership and Social Change Minor
Loy Van Crowder
Professor
Tiffany Drape
Assistant Professor
Roberto Franco
AgrAbility Virginia Coordinator
Curtis R. Friedel
Associate Professor
Director and Co-Founder, Center for Cooperative Problem Solving (CCPS)
Smrutilipi Hota
Assistant Research Professor
Agricultural and Food Engineering

Eric K. Kaufman
Professor and Associate Department Head
Leadership Education
Lia Kelinsky-Jones
Research Assistant Professor
Christian Mariger
Instructor
Agricultural construction, and mechanics
Kate D. McCain
Collegiate Assistant Professor
Brett Milliken
Collegiate Assistant Professor
Director, Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture
Director, Teaching and Learning Minor
Olivia Moyer
Communications and Marketing Manager
Roshan Nayak
Assistant Professor
Kim L. Niewolny
Professor, Graduate Program Director
Director, Virginia Beginning Farmer & Rancher Program
Director, Center for Food Systems & Commuity Transformation
Jean Parrella
Assistant Professor, Life Sciences Communications
Rick D. Rudd
Professor and Community Viability Chair
Provost Residential Fellow
Tracy Rutherford
Professor and Department Head
Hannah Scherer
Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
STEM Education in Agriculture, Systems Thinking Pedagogy
Megan Seibel
Senior Extension Specialist
Director, Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results (VALOR)
Director and Co-Founder, Center for Cooperative Problem Solving (CCPS)
Hannah M. Sunderman
Assistant Professor
Community Leadership and Development
Katie Trozzo
Program Associate
Crystal Tyler-Mackey
Senior Extension Specialist and Leader
Jerald H. Walz
Collegiate Assistant Professor
Certified KAI Practitioner
Donna Westfall-Rudd
Professor
Undergraduate Director
Teaching and Learning
Educational program planning, collegiate faculty teaching preparation, and engagement with Tribal Nations