Douglass Recognized for Outstanding Service

Wendy Douglass, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension program marketing and evaluation specialist, was recognized Thursday, Nov. 15 with the F. A. Anderson Distinguished Service Award, which is given each year to a Colorado State Cooperative Extension professional who works on Colorado State’s campus for outstanding service.

Douglass, a Cheyenne, Wyo. resident, is beginning her 30th year of service to the organization. For the past nine years, Douglass has provided statewide marketing guidance to Cooperative Extension professionals. In addition, she helps plan, market and evaluate programs that are implemented on the community level in Cooperative Extension’s offices in 54 Colorado counties.

Douglass recently led efforts to update the computer system that reports the organization’s impacts to the federal government. The system replaced an outdated, paper-based accountability system with a streamlined computer-based system that coordinates thousands of documents that outline the programs and impacts of 350 Cooperative Extension professionals around the state.

During her tenure, Douglass has helped Cooperative Extension address public food safety, consumer and agricultural-related crises, including Colorado’s response to the national alar issue. Alar is a chemical plant growth regulator formerly used to increase the storage life of fruit. Douglass also helped address pesticides in the food chain and selenium contamination of water and soil.

She has coordinated Colorado State involvement in statewide special events including All About Kids Expo, Colorado Garden and Home Show, Colorado State Fair, National Western Stock Show, Colorado Farm Show, Always Buy Colorado Expo, Colorado State Ag Day, Channel 9 Health Fair and News 4 Educational Expo.

Douglass has been or is a member of many internal Cooperative Extension committees and boards including the Diversity Catalyst Team, Diversity Task Force, Colorado State Cooperative Extension Joint Board, Specialists Association, Program Evaluation Team, Marketing Committee, Computer Applications Committee, Publications Committee, Technology Review Committee and the Community Development Review Committee.

She also has served nationally or regionally in multiple ways, including the National Extension Image Enhancement Accountability Team, National 4-H Name and Emblem Working Group, National 4-H Marketing and Communications Discovery Team, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Agricultural Communicators in Education and the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture.

Past recognition includes the Colorado Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Community Service Award in 1999; Wyoming School Principals’ Association Excellence in Volunteer Services Award in 1995; first place in the Agricultural Communicators in Education video production contest and direct mail campaign in 1990; Epsilon Sigma Phi (the Cooperative Extension fraternity) Western Regional Mid-Career Excellence Award in 1990; and Colorado Home Economist of the Year in 1987.