News Articles

• Building on our access mission: The role of UW Colleges and UW-Extension
• UW Colleges and UW-Extension to host April UW Regents meeting
• Appointments
• Update on searches and screens in process

Currently Viewing: Winter 2008

News

Appointments

See the organizational chart for further information about the UW Colleges and UW-Extension institutional structure.

UW Colleges and UW-Extension

Rosemary Potter
Director of Government Relations
UW Colleges and UW-Extension
(608) 263-7678
Email Rosemary

Photo by Jim Gill

Rosemary Potter—Director, Government Relations

Rosemary Potter joined the UW Colleges and UW-Extension Office of the Chancellor on Dec. 1, 2007.

As director of government relations, Potter will provide leadership in the development and implementation of institutional, campus and divisional strategies related to building and maintaining effective relationships with local, county, state and federal governments. She will also work with Chancellor David Wilson and the campus and divisional leaders in developing and advocating for the UW Colleges and UW-Extension budgets.

Potter brings a wealth of varied professional experience to her new position, including serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1989 through 1998. Prior to her new position, Potter headed Rosemary Potter & Associates Inc., which provided communication and public affairs consulting, facilitation, strategic planning and leadership development training. In addition, she has worked as a lobbyist and policy advisor; college-level teacher in Wisconsin, Italy and India; and theatrical performer in Italy.

Potter received her master's degree in political science and bachelor's degree in fine arts from UW-Milwaukee. She has also participated in seminars on leadership, management and future thinking. In 1995 Potter received a prestigious Japan Society Local Government and Public Policy Fellowship, the second Wisconsinite to receive the honor. The first was Donna Shalala, who served as chancellor of UW-Madison (1988-93) and, subsequently, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

UW-Extension

Robin Shepard
Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor
UW-Extension
(608) 262-6151
robin.shepard@uwex.edu

Photo by Jim Gill

Robin Shepard—Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor

Robin Shepard began serving as the interim provost and vice chancellor of UW-Extension on Feb. 1, 2008, and will serve approximately six months in that capacity. He replaces Marv Van Kekerix who took a position as UW-Madison interim vice provost for lifelong learning and dean of the Division of Continuing Studies.

As interim provost and vice chancellor Shepard will serve as UW-Extension's chief academic and operating officer. He will oversee the educational programming in the institution's four divisions: Broadcasting and Media Innovations; Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning; Cooperative Extension; and Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.

During his interim appointment, Shepard will temporarily step aside as the assistant dean/director and state program leader/director for the Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development (CNRED) Program within Cooperative Extension.

Shepard is also an associate professor in the UW-Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences where he has contributed to numerous academic publications focused on the human and social science dimensions of natural resource management. His other areas of contribution have involved program evaluation and impact assessment of Extension programs.

He received his bachelor's degree in botany with additional certification in secondary education and his master's degree in mass communications from Iowa State University. His doctorate in land resources is from the UW-Madison Institute for Environmental Studies (now known as the Gaylord Nelson Institute).

James Steinbach
Director
Wisconsin Public Television
UW-Extension
(608) 263-1232
james.steinbach@wpt.org

Photo by Jim Gill

James Steinbach—Director, Wisconsin Public Television

On Nov. 1, 2007, James Steinbach became director of Wisconsin Public Television (WPT), a unit of UW-Extension's Broadcasting and Media Innovations division and partnership of UW-Extension and the Educational Communications Board.

Steinbach had been serving as interim director of WPT, and for the 16 previous years was director of programming and production for WPT.

As WPT director Steinbach will oversee daily management of the six-station network including high-definition (HD) and multicast channels, local and national production, online services and community outreach.

During Steinbach's appointment as director of programming and production, WPT received numerous honors, including three Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Awards, multiple Emmy Awards and awards from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Association of Broadcasters and others. He also served as a principal architect for WPT's conversion to digital media production and distribution.

Before coming to Wisconsin, Steinbach was senior executive producer for KTCA-TV, Twin Cities Public Television in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He also was a field director for South Carolina ETV. Steinbach received his bachelor's degree in urban media from Antioch College.

Deb Jones
Western District Director
Cooperative Extension
UW-Extension
(715) 743-5420
deborah.jones@ces.uwex.edu

Deborah A. (Deb) Jones—Western District Director, Cooperative Extension

On Jan. 1, 2008, longtime UW-Extension faculty member Deborah A. (Deb) Jones became director of Cooperative Extension's Western District.

Jones will provide administrative leadership of Cooperative Extension in 14 counties, including Barron, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix and Trempealeau. She will oversee the district's educational programs, human resources, financial resources and external relations.

Jones began her work with UW-Extension in 1988 as a 4-H youth development agent in the Jackson County Cooperative Extension office, where, from July 1992 until her new appointment, she concurrently served as department head and 4-H agent. Among her other major accomplishments during her tenure at Cooperative Extension are serving as Central District administrative intern for two years and leading the internal liaison team for the statewide Community Partner Advisory Group (CPAG) initiative, which brings together Cooperative Extension staff and community members to strengthen local relationships and educational programming. In addition, Jones helped increase diversity programming through her work with the Hmong Task Force Web site.

Jones also has served an administrator for student residence life on the campuses of UW-Eau Claire, UW-Madison and the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minn. Her master's degree in counseling and guidance and her bachelor's degree in health education and coaching certification are from Mankato State University.