Communication in a pandemic: Concerns of agricultural and natural resources opinion leaders during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As media coordinator for the PIE Center, Sydney is responsible for all external communications. She manages the PIE Center’s social media accounts, web media, print design and news writing. Sydney graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in agricultural education and communication in 2020 and a M.S. in family, youth and community sciences in 2022. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in agricultural communication. Sydney began working with the PIE Center as an undergraduate media assistant during the fall of 2018. Her research interests include agricultural extension, international development and policy communication.

Angela B. Lindsey is an associate professor in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences working within the PIE Center. She received her Ph.D. from the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida in May 2013. Prior to her current position, Lindsey was a post-doctoral associate with the PIE Center, serving as the community outreach and dissemination core manager for the Healthy Gulf, Healthy Communities project. She currently serves as a point of contact for the Florida Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN).

Research projects:

• Disaster Response and Recovery Mental Health Workshops
• Ecological and Economic Impacts of Land Use and Climate Change on Coastal Food Webs and Fisheries
• Assessment of the Short- and Long-Term Socioeconomic Impacts of Florida’s 2017-2019 Red Tide Event
• Public Opinions of Community Resilience & Disaster Preparedness
• Healthy Gulf, Healthy Communities

Caroline is a Ph.D. student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. At the PIE Center, she works on projects in outreach and education.

Karlibeth is a master’s student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. At the PIE Center, she works on projects in outreach and extension.

Naik is a visiting scholar from Pakistan. He works on quantitative and qualitative research projects with the PIE Center.

Cheng-xian is a PhD student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. He is a student researcher with the PIE Center.

Meredith is a master’s student in the University of Florida Department of Agricultural Education and Communication. She is a student researcher with the PIE Center.

Michaela is responsible for the communication efforts of the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement, and contributes to the center’s podcast, Science by the Slice. Michaela is a recent double gator, holding a BS in Food and Resource Economics, and a MS in Agricultural Education and Communication. Michaela first joined the PIE Center as a student worker in 2018 and has gained many valuable skills and experiences

As a communications specialist for the PIE Center, Aly Morrison focuses on transforming our research into digital media content using visual communication methods. She also assists with social media strategy, research projects, and internal and external communication. Aly is a recent double gator with a background in animal sciences, agricultural communications, and graphic design. Aly joined the PIE Center in May 2021 as a student intern and has since gained invaluable experience in the field of science communications.

Valentina Castano joined the PIE Center team as a student worker in September 2019 is currently a second-year master’s student majoring in agricultural communication. She serves as a graduate assistant for the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) and the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center), assisting with communication efforts for both centers.

Ashley is responsible for the communication efforts of the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, a multi-institutional center with several members of the outreach team located in the PIE Center. Ashley graduated from the University of Florida with a M.S. in agricultural education and communication and recently earned a PhD specializing in agricultural communication. Ashley joined the PIE Center as a full-time staff member in May 2016, but gained valuable experience at the PIE Center while working as a media assistant during her undergraduate experience.

Anissa Zagonel is a PIE Center research coordinator and supports the data analyst and report-writing functions of the PIE Center. Additionally, she assists with data collection, instrument development, program evaluation, and academic writing. Anissa received her master’s degree from the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education from Kansas State University in May 2019 and joined the PIE Center in April 2021. Before joining the PIE Center, Anissa worked as the research and marketing specialist for the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement.

Ricky Telg is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication and the Director of the Center for Public Issues Education. He previously worked as a television reporter, newspaper reporter and editor, and video producer for Texas A&M University’s Department of Agricultural Communications. He also taught journalism and broadcast production at Texas A&M. Ricky is faculty adviser for the UF/Agricultural Communicators and Leaders of Tomorrow and served as the faculty adviser for the National ACT organization for five years. He received Teacher of the Year honors in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 1997 and 2011, and CALS Advisor of the Year in 2000 and 2014. Ricky is also an active member of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences.

His research interests include agricultural communication (television/video production, print media, and media relations) and distance education (instructional design, instructional media).

Research projects:

• Consumer awareness & opinions of technologies to combat citrus greening
• Florida Cattlewomen’s Association membership survey
• Public opinions of endangered & invasive species

Sandra is a PIE Center research coordinator and heavily supports the data analysis and report-writing functions of the center. She also assists with instrument design, data collection, program evaluation and academic writing. Sandra received her B.S. in Food and Resource Economics with a concentration in Agricultural Business Management and her M.S. in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics both from IFAS at the University of Florida. Sandra joined the PIE Center in summer 2014. Prior to her current position Sandra gained 20 years of experience with social, economic and market research in her position as a Market Research Director at a marketing research firm.

Research projects:

• Public opinions of community resilience & disaster preparedness
• Public opinions of endangered & invasive species
• Public perceptions of Kansas State University research, extension
• Public opinions of animal welfare

Lauri M. Baker is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication with a research appointment (65%) with the Center for Public Issues Education. She previously worked at Kansas State University for eight years where she earned tenure and co-founded the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement (CREE). She continues her work with CREE and integrates her research and extension work with both PIE Center and CREE. Baker earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech University in 2003. Following her graduation, she served as Vice President and Director of Communication for the Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association. After four years in the industry, Baker returned to school to pursue her master’s and Ph.D. in agricultural communication from the University of Florida in 2009 and 2011, respectively.

Her research interests include new-media technologies, communication preferences and impact on local economies, online technology for economic development, marketing through new and social media, strategic communication and audience analysis, Extension communication, and climate change and disaster communication.

As education specialist for the PIE Center, Phillip designs and supports many of the outreach and education programs for the center. He facilitates virtual and in person trainings, as well as develops and evaluates curriculum and outreach material. Phillip received his B.S. in Biology from the University of Central Florida and his M.S. in Geography, Global Environmental Change from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. He conducted his graduate research in Indonesia, studying tropical peat swamp forests. Phillip joined the PIE Center in December of 2015. Prior to his current position, Phillip led education and research programs with Disney’s Animal Programs and SeaWorld’s Education Department, and worked with an orphan empowerment non-profit in Naivasha, Kenya.

As a Marketing Assistant, Poulin provides support on various projects for the PIE Center, assisting with graphic design, event planning and content creation.  She also manages all social media accounts for the UF/IFAS Florida Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN). Alena received her B.S. in Journalism and her B.A. in Anthropology in December 2018 and joined the PIE Center in January 2019. During her time as an undergraduate student, Poulin was a reporter for WUFT News and gained valuable experience in event management and customer service through her work at the Hippodrome Theatre.