Lisa Whittlesey
National Junior Master Gardener Program Coordinator
Department of Horticulture
Horticultural Extension
HFSB 217
Email: l-whittlesey@tamu.edu
Phone: (979) 845-8268
Fax: (979) 845-8976
Education
- Texas A&M University - Master of Agriculture, Horticulture, December 1990
- Texas A&M University - B.S. Horticulture, Specialization: Education - Ag Education, May 1989
Professional Experience
Extension Program Specialist/ National Program Coordinator - 1997 to present
National program coordinator for the Junior Master Gardener program including presentations at numerous national conferences, training programs, and media projects. Other responsibilities include grant writing (over $2,000,000 external grant funds awarded), management of personnel and resources related to project, coordinate development of curriculum, training modules, and all promotional materials. Secure national JMG program partners including Borlaug Institute, State Cooperative Extension Partnerships, Weekly Reader, National Wildlife Federation, and numerous corporate sponsors. Coordinate with state Education Agencies with regard to correlation of JMG curricula to state academic standards. Designated JMG speaker/program presenter for Professional Workshop Accreditation through Texas Education Agency. Invited speaker to over 119 national meetings/conferences.
Extension Associate/Horticulture - Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Dec. 1997
Provided creative leadership to the development, implementation, management, and overall evaluation of the horticulture technician certification program within the Federal Prison System. Developed teaching curriculum for the four month program and designed and implemented 6 week short course programs. Managed and developed operating budget for greenhouse and garden facilities, supervised, trained and provided classroom instruction to over 950 inmates, supervised and provided professional development for graduate assistants and interns, initiated volunteer outreach vocational programs at Texas A&M University for inmate Master Gardener graduates.
Publications and Books
- Seagraves, R., L. Whittlesey, et.al. 2007. Operation WATER: Dr. Thistle Goes Underground. Texas Cooperative Extension. 2007.
- Seagraves, R., L. Whittlesey, et al. 2005. Literature in the Garden: A Junior Master Gardener Golden Ray Series. Texas Cooperative Extension. 2005
- Seagraves, R.,L. Whittlesey, et.al. 2004. Wildlife Gardener: A Junior Master Gardener Golden Ray Series. JMGKids. 2004
- Seagraves, R., L. Whittlesey, et.al. 2002. JMG Level 2 Operation Thistle: Seeds of Despair. JMGKids. 2002
- Whittlesey, L. and R. Hayden-Smith. Fall 2002. The Junior Master Gardener Program. National Publication of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. Vol. 55, Number 4:12-15.
- Genzer, S., L. Whittlesey, et.al. 2000. JMG Golden Ray Series Health and Nutrition from the Garden. Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
- Seagraves, R., L. Whittlesey, et.al. 1999. JMG Junior Master Gardener Youth Handbook. Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
- Seagraves, R., L. Whittlesey, et.al. 1999., JMG Level One Teacher/Leader Guide. Texas Agricultural Extension.
- Whittlesey, L. and R. Howard. 1995. Investigate Water Curriculum Grades 4-6. Texas Agricultural Extension.
- Whittlesey, L. 1998. Horticulture in Prisons. In: Simpson, S. and M. Straus 1998. Horticulture As Therapy, Principles and Practice. The Haworth Press, Inc.
- Welsh, D., L. Whittlesey, et.al. 1999. Junior Master Gardeners Program Addresses Youth Needs. Journal of Extension. June, Volume 37, Number 2.
Interviews, citations, and reference to specialist's work through personal quote/attribution:
Lisa's expertise has been cited through personal quotations and attributions in 116 state and national publications notably including: Weekly Reader (2006), Better Homes and Gardens (2006), National Science Teachers Association Magazine ( 2006), Reader's Digest (2004), Progressive Farmer (1992), Southern Living (2003), Saturday Evening Post (2003), Cosmopolitan (1994), Houston Chronicle (1999, 2006), Family Life (2001), Fort Worth Star Telegram (2001), Martha Stewart Home (2001), Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Austin American Statesman (2002,2005), Home and Garden Television (2003) and the following national children's magazines and publications: Turtle, Humpty Dumpty, Children's Playmate, Children's Digest, Jack & Jill, U.S. Kids, and Child Life (2002 & 2003).
Honors and Professional Affiliations
- Member, Texas Association of Extension Specialists
- Member & Registered Therapist, Texas Horticultural Therapy Association
- 1998 Recipient - Superior Service Award Texas Agricultural Extension Service/Texas A&M University