LARAMIE, Wyo. — The University of Wyoming recently named Mandy Marney the new director of UW Extension and associate dean of the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.
Marney joined UW Extension in 2020 as associate director and was named senior associate director in 2022. She will assume her new role on April 29.
“I am pleased that Dr. Mandy Marney will join the leadership team of our college as an associate dean and the director of UW Extension,” Interim Dean Kelly Crane said. “In her prior roles at UW, Mandy has clearly demonstrated her leadership capacity through innovation, collaboration and a dedication to ensuring UW Extension is responsive to the needs of Wyoming communities.”
As senior associate director, Marney has helped oversee extension programming across the state, with an emphasis on 4-H and community vitality and health. Throughout her tenure at UW, she has supported county and statewide initiatives addressing community well-being, mental and physical health and youth leadership.
“I am deeply honored to accept the position of associate dean and director,” Marney said. “I am excited about serving the organization in this new role, working with college leadership, the extension administration team and our field faculty to make positive differences in the lives of Wyoming residents.”
Marney also looks forward to building relationships with stakeholders and partners on a regional scale. In 2023, she helped launch the Western Region Mental Health and Nutrition Network, bringing together researchers and professionals to address widespread challenges related to nutrition, food security and mental health.
Marney’s interdisciplinary approach to community outreach stems both from her academic background and her experience as an educator and administrator at several land-grant universities.
Prior to joining UW Extension, Marney served as district director at Kansas State University Research and Extension. She also held several positions at the University of Missouri Extension, including extension associate in bioengineering, agriculture preparedness specialist and community development specialist.
As a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Marney earned a BS in agricultural journalism, followed by a master’s in environment and behavior and a PhD in human environmental sciences. From 2007 to 2016, she served as a program director for the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station.
