TAVARES — The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently announced the promotion of Juanita Popenoe to the Director of the Lake County Extension.

POPENOE

Popenoe has worked for the UF/IFAS extension service since September 2003 and most recently as a commercial horticulture extension agent III for the Lake County Extension. Originally from South Florida, she obtained a doctorate’s degree in horticulture from Washington State University, a master’s degree in horticulture from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech. Her previous experience includes working in New Zealand for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on kiwifruit and apple research and at West Virginia University as the small fruit extension specialist.

As County Extension Director, she is responsible for the management of the Lake County Extension Office and the Horticulture Learning Center & Discovery Gardens, which includes eight staff and six extension agents. She replaces longtime County Extension Director Deborah Boulware, who retired in June 2009.

The Lake County Extension provides research-based information and educational programs cooperatively with the Lake County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida for all aspects of horticulture, agriculture, food safety, the home environment, financial management and 4-H youth programs.

The Extension’s mission is to make knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources accessible to people to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. The Lake County Extension provides a free master gardener plant clinic and free consultations as well as educational programs on a variety of subjects.

For more information about UF/IFAS, log on to http://solutionsforyourlife.com. For more information about the Lake County Extension, located at the Lake County Agricultural Center, 1951 Woodlea Road in Tavares, call (352) 343-4101 or log on to http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/.