This year we have been fortunate to welcome four accomplished Kellogg Fellows to our board of directors. Bob, Betty, Rose, and Michael bring a diverse array of talents to the table and will be instrumental in helping KFLA deliver an ambitious slate of programs planned for the next three years.

 You can find out more about the rest of our board of directors on the KFLA website — and if you have nominations for Fellows who might join the board in the future, send me an email at mlee@kfla.org.

 Here is a little more about our new members:

 Dr. Robert “Bob” Flores (KNFP-13)

 Dr. Flores joined the Agricultural Education & Communication Department in 1983. He is serving as the Department Head. He teaches undergraduate courses and supervises graduate students in the credential program. He also serves as a core faculty member for the California Agricultural Leadership Program.

 Dr. Flores comes from a family of eight children who were born and raised in Bakersfield, California. His family’s move to a rural area of Bakersfield opened “the doors” of agriculture for him. He was a member of the Casa Loma 4-H and the South High School FFA Chapter.

Dr. Flores attended Bakersfield College for one year before transferring to Cal Poly, where he received a degree in Animal Science. He completed student teaching at Hanford High School, followed by five years of teaching at San Benito High School in Hollister. He earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Flores worked in Costa Rica in the development of EARTH University (Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda). EARTH is now in its 25th year of operation.

Dr. Flores serves as a co-advisor to Latinos in Agriculture, and he served as a national officer of the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS)

Dr. Flores and Sheryl have been married for 35 years, and they have 3 sons — two are Cal Poly graduates, and the youngest will soon be a Cal Poly graduate.

Dr. Rose Hayden-Smith (FSPF-06)

Rose Hayden-Smith is a U.S. historian, food systems expert, writer and social technologist. She focuses on policy and practice. You can learn more about her work by following her on Twitter: @victorygrower or @ucfoodobserver

Hayden-Smith advocates for school, home and community gardens...and for public policies that support a healthy, affordable, sustainable and accessible food system. You can find her work under her personal brand “VictoryGrower” and her UC brand, which is “UC Food Observer.” Hayden-Smith holds Masters degrees in Education and U.S. history, and a doctorate in U.S. history from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

She is currently assigned to the University of California’s Office of the President (UCOP). At UCOP, Hayden-Smith serves as an academic and editor of a new effort called “The UC Food Observer.” The UC Food Observer was conceptualized as part of UC’s Global Food Initiative. UC Food Observer is a blog and multi-platform social media effort providing information and perspectives on food systems and agriculture. Hayden-Smith serves as editor, writer and social technologist for the brand. Prior to serving in this role, Hayden-Smith led the University of California’s strategic initiative in sustainable food systems for more than four years. This initiative operates under UC’s division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

She has also served as a UC Cooperative Extension advisor in youth, family and community development in Ventura County, where she worked on community food systems projects, including school, home and community gardening efforts. Her work in Ventura County included serving as director of the local 4-H and Master Garden programs for many years and working as a garden educator.

Hayden-Smith received UC Davis’ Bradford-Rominger award for her work in agricultural sustainability in 2013. In 2011, she was named one of the thirty most influential women in sustainable food systems by the White House Project. She is also a former W.K. Kellogg Foundation Food and Society Policy Fellow (2008–2009). Her book, “Sowing the Seeds of Victory: American Gardening Programs of World War I,” was published in 2014.

Hayden-Smith is married to Bill Smith, an attorney and civic volunteer, and lives in Ventura, California. They are parents to Natalie, a college student. Hayden-Smith is a member of the Willamette University Parents Council, and is active in a range of church and community activities that focus on food, health and social justice.

Dr. Betty Overton (KNFP-09)

Dr. Betty Overton-Adkins is a Professor of Clinical Practice in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE) and the Director of the National Forum. Betty received her Ph.D. in educational leadership from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Her undergraduate and master’s degrees in English are from Tennessee State University and she has done further study at Harvard University.In the CSHPE, Betty teaches courses in the history of higher education, race and ethnicity, access and equity, and other areas.

Betty is active in higher education, serving on the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities (NCA), the board of the American Association of Higher Education & Accreditation (AAHEA), and the editorial board of Liberal Education, published by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). She has been a member of the Board of the Council of Graduate Schools, the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), and the Advisory Board of the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Pennsylvania State University. Betty served as Provost at Spring Arbor University for a decade, where she was responsible for all aspects of the academic program.

She is the mother of two sons and the proud grandmother of four grandchildren.

J. Michael Treviño (KNFP-06)

J. Michael Trevino has more than thirty years of experience in legislative and regulatory advocacy, communications, outreach strategies, image development, reputation management and coalition building.

He is the Managing Partner of the two consulting services known as Reputation Management Associates and Trevino & Company.

Past work experience includes:

Marathon Oil Company as General Manager, Corporate Public Affairs, on November 1, 2001. For nearly six years Michael directed Marathon’s public and media relations; internal and external communications; and community and philanthropic programs. Michael has a wide range of domestic and international public and government affairs experience.

Prior to joining Marathon, Michael was General Manager of Texaco Inc.’s Global Communications and Government Affairs Division, where he was the senior advisor to executive management on corporate positioning before foreign governments. Michael had primary responsibility for the administration, strategic planning, fiscal management and human resources needs for the Division’s more than 104 employees plus contractors. Michael directed campaigns targeted to U.S. federal, state and local government authorities, joint venture partners, media and key constituents including shareholders. In addition, he had oversight responsibility for public and government affairs in the U.S., the Americas and Asia/Pacific regions.

Prior to joining Texaco, Michael held various public and government affairs positions in Washington, D.C., and served as a Vice President with Fleishman-Hillard, an international public relations consulting firm based in St. Louis, MO. Prior to joining Fleishman-Hillard, Michael practiced law in the District of Columbia and served as the National Executive Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens or LULAC, the nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization.

Michael specializes in developing business-to-business outreach strategies, establishing third-party networks and building public-private coalitions of corporate, community and minority organizations to educate and advocate.

Michael is active and has been supportive of numerous civic organizations including: Children’s Defense Fund, Chairman, Southwest Region Advisory Board; Mickey Leland Kibbutzim Foundation Board; The Mexican Institute of Greater Houston; member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Holocaust Museum Houston; Vice Chair, Southwest Region UNICEF Board; member Houston Public Library Board; member Memorial Hermann Hospital Continuing Care Corporation Board*; member Board, Pan American Development Foundation; member Board, World Affairs Council Houston; Chairman, Houston International Festival; founding member, Advisory Board, Smithsonian Office of Latino Initiatives; founding member, National Hispanic Council of State Legislators; the Houston Arts Alliance and is a member Washington, D.C., Bar Association.

He is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and is married to Ileana V. Trevino, a Washington, DC native who is CEO of the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System Foundation. Michael and Ileana have three children: Margot, a graduate of Boston College and practicing attorney; Maria Alexa, a graduate of University of Texas, Austin and Development Manager for the Fund for Teachers; and Miguel, a graduate of St. Edwards University, Austin and commercial analyst with Enterprise Products Company. The Trevino’s have resided in Houston since 1997.