Turner appointed Chair of Northeast Extension Directors

Andrew Turner '88, M.P.S. '93, director of Cornell Cooperative Extension and associate dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Human Ecology, has been named Chair of the Northeast Extension Directors (NEED) network. He succeeds Dr. Roy Beckford of the University of New Hampshire in this role.

NEED is a collaborative network of Extension leaders across the Northeast region. The group works to align priorities, strengthen partnerships with federal and state agencies, and advance the land-grant mission through shared initiatives that benefit communities across the region.

In this role, Turner will help set strategic priorities for the Northeast region, foster multi-state collaborations, and ensure the region's voice is represented in national conversations on research, education, and community impact. His leadership will help strengthen connections across the land-grant system and highlight New York state's contributions to innovation in agriculture, youth development, and community vitality.

Known for his leadership in 4-H youth innovation, his work advancing food systems across rural and urban communities, and his commitment to workforce development partnerships that bridge education and industry, Turner has built a career spanning nearly every level of Extension, from county educator and director to statewide specialist and administrator. In his "Letter from the Chair," he outlines a vision for collaborative leadership and shared priorities across the Northeast, emphasizing the power of collective Extension work to strengthen communities and advance the land-grant mission.

"This organization increases collaboration at a critical time for core aspects of the extension and land-grant mission, such as food system sustainability, youth development, and health and wellness efforts," said Turner. "Working together, we can position Cooperative Extension as a mechanism for addressing critical community needs and creating spaces for dialogue across perceived differences and divides, re-building the civic infrastructure that has become so fractured."