North Dakota State University Extension faculty and staff were honored for their years of service at the NDSU Extension Spring Conference, held April 7-9 in Fargo, North Dakota.

The following were recognized:

Five Years

• Bethany Gates, agriculture and natural resources agent – Renville County
• Rebecca Hager, 4-H youth development agent – Fort Berthold
• Brenden Klebe, agriculture and natural resources agent – Bottineau County
• Adam Marx, associate professor of agricultural education
• Elise Meyer, Aging in Community volunteer coordinator, Human Development and Family Science
• Katie Thompson, family and community wellness agent – Walsh County

10 Years

• Vicky Arvidson, nutrition educator, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
• Emily Burkett, 4-H youth development agent – Ward County
• Anitha Chirumamilla, cropping systems specialist, Langdon Research Extension Center
• Sara Clemens, 4-H youth development specialist – outdoor education and shooting sports
• Elizabeth Cronin, director, Agriculture Communication
• Meagan Hoffman, associate professor and 4-H youth development specialist
• Travis Hoffman, associate professor and sheep specialist, Department of Animal Sciences
• Clair Keene, assistant professor and agronomist, Department of Plant Sciences
• Don Kinzler, agriculture and natural resources (horticulture) agent – Cass County
• Samantha Lahman, 4-H youth development specialist – animal sciences
• Chris Schauer, director, Hettinger Research Extension Center
• Jeff Stachler, cropping systems specialist, Carrington Research Extension Center

15 Years

• Diane Hahn, 4-H youth development program coordinator
• Penny Nester, agriculture and natural resources agent – Bowman County
• Divya Saxena, program coordinator, Human Development and Family Science
• Stacy Wang, social media specialist, Agriculture Communication

20 Years

• Sara Laite, family and community wellness agent – Ramsey County
• Ashley Ueckert, agriculture and natural resources agent – Golden Valley/Billings County

25 Years

• Brian Jenks, weed scientist, North Central Research Extension Center

30 Years

• Luella Morehouse, nutrition educator, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program

35 Years

• Ron Haugen, farm management specialist, Agribusiness and Applied Economics
• Dena Kemmet, Central District director

40 Years

• Kurt Froelich, agriculture and natural resources agent – Stark/Billings County

*Photos of all spring conference award honorees can be found at bit.ly/NDSUspringconference-26. Recipients are pictured with Greg Lardy (left), Joe and Norma Peltier Vice President for Agriculture at NDSU.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – April 21, 2026

Source: Greg Lardy, 701-231-7660, gregory.lardy@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu