Posted: January 9, 2018

Meet extension's new leadership team.

As part of restructuring to better meet customer and stakeholder needs, extension established three strategic leadership positions in 2017. These leaders are helping the organization reach its goals and extend its expertise and resources in Pennsylvania and beyond.

Stephen Buchholz

Stephen BuchholzStephen Buchholz is associate director for business operations. He oversees business operations managers in extension's 10 cross-county areas, working to standardize systems and procedures to increase effectiveness in financial and risk management, human resources, information technology, and other areas.

Formerly vice president for institutional effectiveness and advancement at Western Dakota Technical Institute in South Dakota, Buchholz has experience in business operations, marketing, public relations, accreditation, program development, fundraising, institutional effectiveness, and strategic planning.

He earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication/journalism from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania before working for seven years as a newspaper reporter. He also holds a master's degree in administrative studies/human resources from the University of South Dakota and is pursuing a doctorate in business administration.

Tara Mondock

Tara MondockAs associate director for client relations, Tara Mondock develops long-term relationships with customers and stakeholders to match their needs with products and services. She communicates the value of the organization to clients, maximizes revenue, grows the customer base, works with key stakeholders to secure funding, and oversees client relations managers in 10 cross-county areas.

Mondock has a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing from Western Carolina University. She has held sales and management positions with companies providing data and network services to the health-care and insurance industries, and was chief revenue officer and senior vice president for strategic partner sales at Solutions Inc., a company that delivers workflow automation, data analytics, and clearinghouse services to home health and hospice agencies, hospitals, and more.

Jeffrey Hyde

Jeff HydeAs associate director for programs, Jeffrey Hyde supervises the development and delivery of high-quality, relevant, and far-reaching products and services. He oversees assistant directors of programs and statewide program teams in the planning, prioritizing, budgeting, development, delivery, and evaluation of programs, products, and services to meet changing educational needs while enhancing the organization's agility, lowering costs, improving performance, and focusing resources on strategic priorities.

Hyde previously served as associate head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education and as assistant to the director for special program initiatives for Penn State Extension. He is an professor of agricultural economics and has led extension's statewide agricultural entrepreneurship and economic and community development programs.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Frostburg State University in Maryland and master's and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics from Purdue University.

--Chuck Gill

Latest Issue

Features

The Interview

The Last Word

Snapshot