Extension Faculty

Extension faculty within the Department of Horticulture work in Athens, Tifton and Griffin. Faculty are located at these sites to be in close proximity to the industries and commodity groups with which they work.

Extension Coordinator

Timothy Coolong Interim ANR Leader, Assistant Dean for Extension | Professor, Extension Specialist, Emphasis: Vegetable

Horticulture Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program - Southern Region

tcoolong@uga.edu

Fruit/Nut Crops

Dario Chavez Associate Professor - Peach and Citrus Breeding

Horticulture Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics (IPBGG) Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture

dchavez@uga.edu 770-229-3369

Rachel Itle Assistant Research Scientist; Emphasis: Fruit production & genetics

Horticulture

ritle@uga.edu 770-233-6113

Lenny Wells Professor & Pecan Extension Specialist; Emphasis: Pecans

Horticulture

lwells@uga.edu 229-386-7495

Sarah Lowder Assistant Professor, Viticulture Extension Specialist; Emphasis: Viticulture

Horticulture

sarah.lowder@uga.edu

Vegetables

Timothy Coolong Interim ANR Leader, Assistant Dean for Extension | Professor, Extension Specialist, Emphasis: Vegetable

Horticulture Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program - Southern Region

tcoolong@uga.edu

Angelos Deltsidis Assistant Professor & Post-harvest Extension Specialist; Emphasis: Post-harvest fruit & vegetables physiology

Horticulture

adeltsidis@uga.edu 229-386-7495

Ted McAvoy Assistant Professor & Vegetable Production Extension Specialist; Emphasis: Vegetable production

Horticulture

ted.mcavoy@uga.edu 229-386-3806

Ornamentals

Mark Czarnota Associate Professor

Horticulture

mac30@uga.edu 770-228-7398

Bodie V. Pennisi Vincent J. Dooley Professorship in Horticulture; Emphasis: Commercial & sustainable landscape; pollinators

Horticulture

bpennisi@uga.edu 770-228-7243

John M. Ruter Allan M. Armitage Professor & UGA Trial Gardens Director; Emphasis: Ornamental breeding & production

Horticulture Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics (IPBGG)

ruter@uga.edu 706-542-9059

Ping Yu Assistant Professor; Ornamental Extension Specialist; GGIA & CANR Faculty Liaison

Horticulture

pingyu@uga.edu 770-233-5558

Master Gardener and Consumer Horticulture Programs

Sheri Dorn Senior Public Service Associate & State Master Gardener Coordinator

Horticulture

sdorn@uga.edu 770-228-7243

Bob Westerfield Senior Public Service Associate

Horticulture

bwesterf@uga.edu 770-228-7243

From Other Institutions

Dr. Tom Kon

Assistant Professor - Fruit Crops
80% Research; 20% Extension
Commodity Assignment: Apples

Dr. David Lockwood

Extension Horticulturist - Fruit Crops
25% Extension
Commodity Assignment: Apple production, wine grape production and Peach production (shared position with Tennessee and South Carolina)

Wayne Mitchem

Extension Horticulturist - Fruit Crops
25% Extension
Commodity Assignment: Orchard floor weed management; apples, peaches, pecans, grapes