ANR Staff Assembly Council

Meet Your 2023-24 Staff Assembly Council

As donor relations officer on the Development Services team, Scott shares with donors and prospective donors how UC ANR is making a positive difference for communities in every county across the state.

“I enjoy our people, mission and purpose,” says Scott, who has been with ANR for over five years. “We have many dedicated employees who are making a difference for 40 million Californians on a daily basis – and I’m constantly inspired by their efforts.”

That’s just one reason why, as Staff Assembly Council Chair, Scott wants to help nurture the best possible working environment for his ANR colleagues, and he believes SAC can help unify and amplify the voices of ANR employees to realize that vision.

As Chair, Scott says he hopes to improve SAC processes, branding and communications systems to make more staff aware of Staff Assembly programs and provide better opportunities for participation and engagement.

“If you want to make a difference for others or improve the work culture at UC ANR, please let us know,” Scott says. “We encourage all staff to empower your voice and improve our staff experience by reaching out to us with your thoughts.”

Dohee, director of media outreach and advocacy liaison for UC Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles County, has been with ANR for 18-plus years. She is a strong believer in the mission and purpose of UC ANR Staff Assembly.

“It is a vehicle to voice staff concerns and issues,” Dohee says. “Without it, staff feel less empowered to participate in important conversations that can improve our work culture and employment policies.”

Currently the vice chair of ANR Staff Assembly Council, Dohee also has served as ANR’s delegate to the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA, which brings together Staff Assemblies from across the UC system).

“I enjoy participating in staff advocacy efforts,” she says. “Also, I feel it is important to support our Staff Assembly Council because it is an important resource for all staff members.”

Dohee says that she will seek to further elevate the visibility of Staff Assembly Council across ANR to increase participation in the programs that enhance professional development and work experiences for employees.

If you ask Shirley whether she has more passion for the mission of UC ANR or for the people, she will probably say they are both at the top.

“ANR encompasses who I am: nutrition, food preservation, 4-H and gardening,” says Shirley, a community education supervisor for UC Cooperative Extension in San Diego County. “I believe in the mission of ANR – this is who I am.”

Shirley, who has been with ANR for 12 years, says she has been impressed by the professionalism and quality of Staff Assembly Council members, and she hopes to help the team by making more employees aware of what Staff Assembly can offer.

“My goal is to ensure all staff know where to go to share what’s on their minds,” says Shirley, who served as an Ambassador at her local office before serving in the Ambassador Co-Chair position last year. “We all need a wing-person we can tell our concerns.”

This year, she serves as UC ANR's Senior Delegate to the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA, which brings together Staff Assemblies from across the UC system).

She says she will emphasize with staff that their voices and opinions do matter – in Staff Assembly and across ANR.

“In my current role, I want to continue to network and give all staff the opportunity to speak and be heard,” Shirley explains. “Happy employees, Happy UC ANR!”

As a former recipient of educational reimbursement funds, Christine has experienced first-hand the value of Staff Assembly programs. And, after seeing her colleagues benefit from SAC offerings, she has joined the Council to help even more staff across UC ANR take advantage of those opportunities.

“I want to continue supporting staff any way I can,” said Christine, EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program) program supervisor for San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Christine, who has been with UC ANR since 2005, looks forward to serving alongside fellow SAC members as a voice for staff.

“I hope we can help promote positive changes in morale, continued increases in staff salaries, and opportunities for growth and engagement at UC ANR,” she said.

Christine also believes Staff Assembly is uniquely positioned to inject some fun and togetherness into the workplace, citing the Wellness Committee’s UC Walks programming and the softball game outing during the Statewide Conference.

“Incentives are always a good morale booster,” she added. “I have seen coworkers rush out to start gardens after the announcement was made of the reimbursement.”

Sue started at UC ANR as a temp in San Luis Obispo County in 2007.

“I liked the people and the mission of UC Cooperative Extension,” she explained, “and it just stuck.”

She could say the same about her involvement with Staff Assembly Council. She was convinced to join by her former supervisor, Lori Renstrom, who was one of the founders of SAC at UC ANR. Since 2016, Sue has served as an Ambassador (and later Ambassador Chair), a member of the Educational Reimbursement Committee (and later Chair of that group), and also Treasurer.

After taking a break from SAC last year to tackle new responsibilities as an administrative officer with UCCE San Diego County, Sue returns as Treasurer for 2023-24.

She believes strongly in SAC programs that benefit staff – as well as the Council’s role as a voice to relay issues to leadership.

“I want to work with the Council to provide a safe place for staff to voice their concerns, and a place where opportunities for career and personal growth are supported and help people feel connected to ANR,” Sue said.

And while SAC has accomplished so much on behalf of staff, there is still more to do.

“I’d like to see SAC continue to work for wage adjustments, and educate all on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Principles of Community, so we can have a place where people can work safely and are paid a living wage,” she said.

A community education specialist at UC Cooperative Extension Yolo County in Woodland, Monica says she enjoys her work in community development and appreciates the team around her – including her supportive supervisors.

She decided to get involved with Staff Assembly Council because she wants to help ensure all ANR employees have a positive work environment. She sees potential areas of improvement in the working conditions for county-based staff, and seeks to be a part of the conversation.

“It is important to know you have a voice,” says Monica, who has been with ANR for over four years. “SAC helps connect all staff members around the state and binds the connection to UC ANR.”

Monica would also like to see more employees take advantage of the opportunities afforded by Staff Assembly.

“The UC ANR Grow and Wellness reimbursement programs are such fun programs and I hope we can expand these offerings and include more,” Monica explains.

As senior public information representative, Mike says he is fortunate to get to know ANR employees across the state. And although he has only been with ANR for about two years, he already has met many phenomenal people throughout the organization.

“There are just so many amazing people at ANR who are passionate about everything they do to fulfill our mission,” Mike explains. “Even with all the challenges that California is facing right now, it gives me great hope to know that incredibly smart and genuinely kind people are working every day on sensible solutions.”

In addition to telling and sharing the story of that work, Mike says that serving on Staff Assembly Council is another way he hopes to support his colleagues. As Communications Chair, Mike wants to ensure that all staff at ANR are aware of the programs and opportunities SAC helps make possible.

“Just as UC ANR does for Californians, these Staff Assembly Council programs can make your life better – at work, in your career and on the home front,” Mike says.

And because SAC aims to represent and advocate on behalf of staff, Mike encourages any employee to contact him or other SAC members with their thoughts, suggestions and concerns.

Although Andrea started with UC ANR only a few months ago in February 2023, she already recognizes the importance of Staff Assembly Council as a driver of positive change.

“It’s important for employees to have a space where their voices are heard, supported and acted upon,” said Andrea, a staff research associate at Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center in Browns Valley. “As an employee-led council, SAC does that and more by providing a positive workplace community through various programs and local ambassadors.”

As a relatively new employee, Andrea is excited to connect with colleagues across the state, as well as learn from and collaborate with staff leaders at UC ANR.

“I enjoy belonging to a leadership group within an organization and the opportunity that it provides to make a positive difference within the workplace,” she explained.

In her role as Program Chair, Andrea plans to continue supporting established programs, discuss the creation of new programs based on staff needs and coordinate an in-person meeting of the Staff Assembly Council.

“I hope that members of the SAC team will each use their professional strengths to come together and best use our resources to continue developing and improving programs based on collective input from UC ANR employees,” she said.

For Brooke, a major draw for coming to UC ANR was the opportunity to work in a tight-knit community with an atmosphere of close collaboration. As Program Co-Vice Chair on SAC, Brooke will have the chance to make that culture even stronger and more supportive.

“I want to connect with my colleagues and help in any way I can with staff appreciation,” said Brooke, who has been with UC ANR for less than a year as business manager for the UC Statewide IPM Program, based in Davis.

In addition to developing work-life balance initiatives in the post-pandemic environment, Brooke is also interested in advocating for the interests of fellow staff members.

“Staff may not have a true voice without peer representatives,” Brooke said. “SAC helps embody the rights and privileges of staff and conduct the wishes to upper management.”

Brooke said she is excited to learn the mechanics of SAC and meet and hear from UC ANR staff in the months ahead.

“I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to serving the term to the best of my ability,” she said.

Returning to Staff Assembly Council after previously serving as Scribe and Vice Chair, Kathryn sees great potential in this Council’s ability to affect positive change in the coming year.

“I am excited that SAC has so many members this year,” said Kathryn, a project policy analyst based at the UCOP office in Oakland. “I know that with so many voices at the table we will come up with innovative solutions to staff issues, while strengthening SAC’s influence in UC ANR.”

Kathryn said SAC is uniquely positioned to make a real difference on behalf of employees.

“SAC has a direct line to UC ANR leadership,” Kathryn explained. “When staff communicate what they need to SAC, we have the power to make their voices heard and address their concerns.”

In her role as program co-vice chair, Kathryn hopes to plan and produce exciting and relevant programming, while also improving the staff experience and supporting her peers. An employee of UC ANR since 2016, Kathryn said her colleagues make the organization a great place to work.

“The people I get to work with are kind, dedicated and talented and UC ANR’s mission is incredibly motivating to me,” she said.

Great colleagues and opportunities to grow are two reasons Jodi has enjoyed her 22 years with UC ANR. And in keeping with her role as Learning and Development coordinator, Jodi joins SAC with the goal of fostering personal and professional staff growth at UC ANR.

“I hope the Wellness Committee is able to provide engaging and fun activities to help colleagues find their happy space on the job, while improving their work-life balance,” said Jodi, who had been serving as interim Wellness Chair.

“Wellness is an area of my life that takes precedence and focus. As chair, I hope to keep the Wellness Committee moving toward bringing wellness engagement to the greater UC ANR community,” Jodi said.

Over the years, she has been impressed with SAC’s efforts on salary increases, communicating needs to UC leadership, and implementing the wellness and educational reimbursement programs.

“Without SAC advocating for staff, our voices would remain unheard,” she said.

Jodi hopes SAC will continue to push for salary increases, support for required supervisor trainings, and relevant tools for staff to use to help them advocate for themselves, their professional development and peer-to-peer coaching UC systemwide.

For Rosa, serving as Educational Reimbursement Chair is a way to give back to the community that has enriched her own path of learning over her four-plus years with UC ANR.

“ANR has offered so many professional development opportunities to support the advancement in my career with ANR,” says Rosa, who is a regional community education manager for CalFresh Healthy Living UC, serving San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

Jerry Harris, her former colleague at the UC Cooperative Extension office in SLO and former Educational Reimbursement Chair, shared with Rosa the details about Staff Assembly Council and this chair position, which sparked Rosa’s interest in getting involved.

Rosa says she hopes to make more ANR employees aware of the educational reimbursement opportunities available to them.

“I encourage all ANR staff to take advantage of programs provided by Staff Assembly,” she says.

Rosa is currently on leave. If you have Educational Reimbursement questions, please contact Mishelle Costa at mpetit@ucanr.edu. 

For Saoi, the opportunity to connect with her UC ANR colleagues near and far was a strong enticement to join Staff Assembly Council. And she wants to help other staff across the organization build those connections, as well.

“I believe SAC is important for UC ANR because it provides a central hub for staff members to learn about needs and problem-solve across different counties and programs,” said Saoi, who began with UC ANR as a digital communications specialist in 2022.

Although she is based at South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, many of her Strategic Communications colleagues are in Davis and Riverside. She knows the challenges many staff feel in ANR’s dispersed environment and culture.

“We already feel the disadvantages of being physically distant from one another, so it’s important that we have spaces like this, where we can focus on supporting one another,” she said.

As chair of the SAC Ambassadors program, Saoi aims to facilitate an even greater level of support for colleagues across UC ANR. She would like to increase the number of ambassadors and develop an inventory of skills that ambassadors want to learn so that they can contribute even more to the group.

“As a Staff Assembly Council, I hope we develop more programs that boost morale, increase engagement and promote inclusion within the workplace,” she added.

Staff Assembly Council

Scott Brayton
Chair

Major Gifts Officer
Davis
sabrayton@ucanr.edu
530-979-1739

Dohee Kim
Vice Chair

Director of Media Outreach and Advocacy Liaison
Alhambra
deekim@ucanr.edu

Shirley Salado
Sr. CUCSA Delegate

Community Education Supervisor
San Diego
scsalado@ucanr.edu
858-822-7724

Christine Davidson
Jr. CUCSA Delegate

EFNEP Program Supervisor
Riverside/San Bernardino counties
cdavidson@ucanr.edu
909-387-2193

Sue Lake
Treasurer

Administrative Officer
San Diego
slake@ucanr.edu 
480-650-1957

Monica Drazba
Scribe

Nutrition Educator
Woodland
mcdrazba@ucanr.edu
530-666-8702

Mike Hsu
Communications Chair

Senior Public Information Representative
Davis
mjhsu@ucanr.edu 
530-304-0923

Andrea Warner
Program Chair

Staff Research Associate, Sierra Foothill REC
Browns Valley
alnwarner@ucanr.edu
530-639-8807

Brooke Haley-Herevia
Program Co-Vice Chair

Business Manager, UC Statewide IPM Program
Davis
bherevia@ucanr.edu 
530-761-5205

Kathryn Stein
Program Co-Vice Chair

Project Policy Analyst
Oakland
Kathryn.Stein@ucop.edu
510-587-6240


Jodi Azulai
Wellness Committee Chair

Learning and Development Coordinator
Davis
jlazulai@ucanr.edu
530-750-1239

Rosa Vargas
Educational Reimbursement Chair

Regional Community Education Manager
San Luis Obispo
rivargas@ucanr.edu

Rosa is currently on leave. If you have Educational Reimbursement questions, please contact Mishelle Costa at mpetit@ucanr.edu. 

Saoimanu Sope
Ambassador Chair

Digital Communications Specialist
Irvine
ssope@ucanr.edu
424-366-0897