UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Brent Hales, director of Penn State Extension and associate dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences, will leave Penn State in June to join the University of California as its new associate vice president of the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Katherine Cason, associate director of Penn State Extension, will assume the role of interim director.
Hales said he has grown professionally and personally since joining Penn State in 2019.
“I will forever be a proud Nittany Lion and a champion for Penn State,” he said. “I am grateful for every opportunity and consider myself a better man for my time in Pennsylvania. I express my sincerest gratitude to the administration, faculty, educators and staff in the College of Agricultural Sciences.”
Hales noted that Penn State Extension, as the premier organization dedicated to providing research-based education to all Pennsylvanians, is highly regarded for its forward-thinking strategy, most notably the development of Atlas, a historic and comprehensive business model launched in 2017.
The Atlas digital platform gives people access to education — when they want it, where they want it, and how they want it — to help them address problems and take advantage of opportunities for improvement and innovation.
Atlas laid the groundwork for Penn State Extension’s quick response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a seamless transition to online learning, resulting in an increased number of program registrants from just over 30,000 in 2019 to 613,000 in 2020.
“These efforts have been lauded as aspirational by our colleagues in the land-grant system,” said Hales, adding that Penn State Extension continues to foster stakeholder engagement opportunities resulting in increased competitive funding for research and extension.
The organization also has undertaken strategic initiatives to increase its diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging activities, resulting in a more diverse team of employees, program participants and volunteers. In 2022, the organization successfully completed a civil rights review by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institutes for Food and Agriculture.
Rick Roush, dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, said Hales has been a valued member of the leadership team.
“We thank him for his hard work, enthusiasm and dedication to ensuring that Penn State Extension remains prosperous and positioned for the future,” Roush said. “We wish him all the best for what’s next.”
Penn State Extension, with offices in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties and a robust and growing portfolio of online resources, transfers research-based information to individuals, families, businesses and communities to promote a vibrant food and fiber system, a clean environment and a healthier population.
With support from federal, state and county governments, the organization offers programs in agronomy and natural resources; animal systems; 4-H youth development; food, families and health; food safety and quality; horticulture; and energy, business and community vitality.