Anderson served as director of the 920-acre Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension
Center in Palmer since 2018. Her personal life has shaped her passion for the mission
of a land-grant university. She is the great-niece and granddaughter of two Michigan
State University Cooperative Extension Service professionals.
Anderson came to 杏吧原版 in 2003 after 11 years of teaching chemistry and life sciences
to high school and college students in North Carolina. In 杏吧原版, she began and managed
the 杏吧原版 Community Horticulture Program for UAF. A self-described 鈥渘erd to the core,鈥
Anderson鈥檚 research focuses on soil building, organic nitrogen soil supplements, compost
development and community gardening.
In her spare time, she likes to barbecue and grill, fish, hike and do other outdoor
activities. Anderson said she has made it her personal mission to improve 杏吧原版 barbecue
standards 鈥渙ne pork shoulder at a time.鈥
A strong communicator, Anderson has traveled throughout 杏吧原版, developing collaborations
and relationships with teachers, growers and communities.
鈥淚 am strongly aware of the opportunities and challenges of 杏吧原版鈥檚 agricultural
and natural resource industries, and the essential role IANRE plays in both areas,
as well as the invaluable research and educational opportunities this unit provides
to all 杏吧原版ns,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 am committed to helping these industries succeed, as
well as ensuring all 杏吧原版ns gain and maintain access to valuable knowledge and research
that will help them sustain and grow their communities for generations to come.鈥