Andrea Rice

Andrea is a Marketing Strategy Specialist at Penn State, where she utilizes her 10 years of program development and marketing experience to support the Pennsylvania 4-H program. Product and program development are the primary focus of Andrea's work. This includes developing needs assessments, working in partnership with 4-H leadership and stakeholders, and identifying areas of growth for the state 4-H program. Developing and implementing marketing strategies to increase 4-H youth membership, volunteers, and visibility of the program are key priorities.

Prior to Penn State, Andrea was the education specialist for the state Master Gardener program with University of Minnesota Extension. 

Originally from Frederick, MD, Andrea received her M.S. in Agriculture, Forestry, and Consumer Sciences from West Virginia University in 2011.

Additional Information

• Learned about and rode horses as a youth in 4-H.
  • Competed at the national level in horse judging, horse bowl, hippology, and public speaking.
• Was active in the Walkersville High School FFA Chapter.
  • Served as the 2006-2007 Maryland State FFA President.
  • Competed at the national level in horse judging, meat judging, and agricultural communications.
• Started college as a graphic design major but later switched to agriculture and extension education.
  • B.A. in Agriculture and Extension Education, WVU.
  • M.S. in Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Science with an emphasis on Curriculum Development, WVU.
• Previous jobs include:
  • 4-H educator, Baltimore City, Maryland
    • Focused on club development, youth and volunteer recruitment, volunteer training, and program development.
  • Coordinator - Beginning Farmer Success Project, University of Maryland
    • Focused on video production, web development, and data management.
  • Education Specialist - State Master Gardener Program, University of Minnesota Extension
    • Focused on video production, distance education, marketing, project management.
  • Videographer - Pennsylvania 4-H
    • Focused on video production.
  • Team Marketing Coordinator - Pennsylvania 4-H
    • Focused on project management, social media management and content creation, general marketing tasks.
• Life outside of work:
  
  • Mom to my son, Hayden.
  • Riding my paint horse, Dakota (ranch riding and western dressage).
  • Sketching and painting.
  • Coaching youth horse judging and conducting clinics.