| Brandy Brabham, a WVU Extension Agent working with Agriculture and Natural Resources in Calhoun and Roane Counties received an Achievement Award in recognition of excellence in Extension Service educational programs by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents at their Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 13, 2010.
The achievement award honor is presented to an outstanding educator in each state who has worked for the Cooperative Extension Service for less than ten years. Brabham's peers in the West Virginia Association of County Agricultural Agents selected her to receive this honor because of her dedication to the development of significant educational and service programs in communities across Calhoun and Roane Counties and throughout West Virginia. Brabham's media outreach efforts have strengthened Extension education through radio broadcasts, television appearances and news releases.
The educator was praised for building partnerships and securing grants to help fund her programming efforts. She revitalized WVU Extension's Master Gardener Program in Roane and Calhoun counties, helped the local USDA office develop a local Woman in Agriculture Day, and continues to introduce youth to agriculture through field days, camp classes, classroom visits, and local fairs & festival involvement. Other achievements included the development of a local beekeepers association, a new farmers market and a community garden.
Brabham has a bachelor's degree in agriculture and natural resources from Berea College and a master's degree in communication studies from West Virginia University. Prior to beginning her work for Extension in 2007, Brabham worked at the Department of Agriculture in statistics and marketing and development where she helped farmers report crop and livestock information and West Virginia agribusinesses develop and promote their products to increase their business success.
Brabham is a member of the Gilboa Baptist Church. She enjoys helping others, camping and spending time with family and friends. She resides in Gay with her husband Terry and their two sons, Garrett and Wyatt.
Rodney Wallbrown, WVU Extension Agent in Mason County and former resident of Roane County, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award for West Virginia during the same conference in Tulsa.
Wallbrown was selected by his peers in the West Virginia Association of County Agricultural Agents as the outstanding educator with more than ten years of experience in the Cooperative Extension Service.
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