EDEN Receives USDA/CSREES Partnership Award

EDEN earned the award for the collaboration of land-grant university professionals that provide exemplary resources through Cooperative Extension to reduce the impact of disasters through education.

EDEN is a network that was built on a shoestring with little external support.  In the 15 years since it was established the organization has developed into a dynamic, diverse, effective, national Extension organization that reaches to the 3,000 counties and parishes in the nation and territories.  Representing 50 states and three U.S. territories, EDEN has over 240 delegates from 67 member land-grant institutions, representing 75 areas of expertise in Extension disaster education.  These delegates in each member institution serve as a liaison to the network and, as disasters emerge, these points of contact facilitate the exchange of resources.

 The award indicated that in a most efficient and effective manner, EDEN: 

• Continues to provide opportunities, such as regional conferences, that encourage multi-agency coordination and an understanding of Extension’s role in a disaster. 
• Continues to provide curriculum/training events. 
• Promotes discussion among EDEN members via various media (i.e. Webinars and teleconferences). 
• Provides guidance in the development of competencies for Extension professionals in disaster education. 
• Is proactive in enhancing relationships between and among various agencies. 
• Partners with other agencies to facilitate multi-agency jurisdictional training opportunities.

The EDEN leadership team provides strategic direction, support, partnership expansion, and programmatic and financial management to the network.  Over the years, this team has expanded to fully represent the needs of the network as Extension develops a better understanding of roles and capabilities to meet local needs.  Many individuals have done a tremendous job guiding the network to this point.  The current EDEN leadership team that is recognized in this year’s award: 

• Chair – Dave Filson, Penn State 
• Chair Elect – Virginia Morgan, Auburn Univ. 
• Secretary – Rick Atterberry, Univ. of Illinois 
• Past Chair – Becky Koch, NDSU 
• Professional Development – Andy Vestal, TAMU 
• Marketing – Linda Williams, Univ. of Montana 
• Info Clearinghouse – Andrea Husband, Univ. of KY 
• Financial Development – Ed Jones, NCSU 
• 1890 Liaison – Dawn Mellion-Patin, Southern Univ. 
• Sea Grant Liaison – Bob Bacon, Clemson 
• Youth Development – Howard Van Dijk, Clemson 
• Agrosecurity – Billy Dictson, NMSU 
• FCS – Carolyn Washburn, Utah State Univ. 
• Community Development – Ed Jones, NCSU 
• Homeland Security Project Director – Steve Cain, Purdue 
• Communication Specialist – Abigail Borron, Purdue 
• Webmaster – Summer Prisock, LSU 
• Web Manager – Pat Skinner, LSU 
• eXtension Coordinator – Virginia Morgan, Auburn

CSREES (the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, which has since been renamed the National Institutes of Food and Agriculture, or NIFA) presented the award to EDEN Chair Dave Filson (PA) at a ceremony in Washington, DC, on October 6, 200