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Program Staff

Dr. Kerry Hoffman-Richards

Photograph of Dr. Kerry Hoffman-Richards      Kerry is currently serving as the Acting Director of the Pesticide Education Program. She has been with the program for twenty years with diverse responsibilities including applicator certification and recertification training and consumer and youth education.

Eric Lorenz

Photograph of Eric Lorenz      Eric is the Pesticide Education Program's coordinator. He coordinates the development of test preparation materials, provides pesticide safety training for certification, and develops and presents update training seminars for pesticide applicators. Eric will also organize pesticide safety in-service trainings for technical service employees, faculty, and extension agents.

Christina Becker

Photograph of Christina Becker      Christina is the Pesticide Education Program's Extension Associate. Her responsibilities include outreach education for pesticide applicators and consumer and youth. She is the programs contact person for events such as Ag. Progress Days, Farm Show and other requested consumer and youth outreach.

Sharon Gripp

Photograph of Sharon Gripp      Sharon is the database administrator/webmaster. She provides writing support such as editing of the joint pesticide newsletter with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, maintains the content on the web site, and provides programming and statistical support for the Pest Management Information Center. Sharon also has also become the program's West Nile Virus contact person.

Julie Watson

Photograph of Julie Watson      Julie is the program's Administrative Assistant. She assists with word processing, graphics, updating the web page, maintaining calendars, and other relevant tasks. She also assists Dr. Ayers with the Northeastern Region Integrated Pest Management Competitive Grants Program.

James Gingerich

Photograph of James Gingerich      James is the program's Information Technology Specialist. He develops and integrates information systems to promote pesticide education.

Brandi Snook

Photograph of Brandi Snook      Brandi is the Staff Assistant for Pesticide Education and is the main contact for the Program. She is also responsible for helping with budgets, supporting the staff in the office, and managing the office supplies.

Kelly Over

Photograph of Kelly Over      Kelly serves as support staff in Penn State Pesticide Education. Her main focus is as an Education Specialist who assists with various consumer and youth education events. She also does research, administrative work, and other relevant tasks.