UF/IFAS Office of the Senior Vice President

Meet the Team

J. Scott Angle

Senior Vice President of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Scott leads UF/IFAS, including more than 2,000 employees who work in all 67 Florida counties, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. He arrived at UF/IFAS in 2020.

Robert Gilbert

Dean for Research and Executive Director of Academic Affairs

Rob leads UF/IFAS, supporting faculty in Gainesville and at our research and education centers who address challenges facing agriculture, natural resources and human systems. He spent 7 years on cropping systems research in Africa before joining UF as a sugarcane agronomist in 2000.

Man standing in front of cattle and a field

Adegbola Adesogan

Associate Vice President

Gbola is the Director of the Global Food Systems Institute, which supports transdisciplinary faculty engagement in areas related to food systems and natural resource conservation. He is a professor in the Animal Sciences department and the E.T and V.C. York professor of international agriculture.

Meena Thiyagarajah

Associate Vice President of Finance and Administration

Meena leads financial management, fiscal and sponsored program administration for IFAS. The units ensure robust financial oversight, management of sponsored programs, and compliance with federal, state, and university regulations and policies, thereby safeguarding the integrity and effectiveness of IFAS’ financial and research operations.

Chris Vivian

Associate Vice President of Communications

Chris leads the UF/IFAS Communications team, specializing in communications strategy. She is a graduate of UF’s College of Journalism and Communications and sings with the Gainesville Master Chorale.

Andra Johnson

Dean of Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service

Andra leads the UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Cooperative Extension. He is responsible for advancing extension and ensuring that research-based information is made accessible to all Floridians.

Kati Migliaccio

Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Kati has responsibility and oversight for anything related to students and teaching, helping more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students earn their degrees. She is a tenured professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and has provided leadership for the university’s AI initiative.

Dana Zimmel

Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Zimmel is the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a graduate of UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a specialist in Equine Internal Medicine.

Cody Helmer

Executive Director of Development

Cody leads the UF/IFAS Office of Advancement, focusing on major and principal gifts. He is a graduate of UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and has worked for UF in the field of advancement since receiving his degree in 2000.

Melissa Long

Executive Director of Human Resources

Melissa has been employed with UF since 2003 and currently leads the UF/IFAS Human Resources team. She has served in similar roles beginning at UF HR, College of Dentistry and UF Advancement. Melissa is a Gator grad and avid sports fan, so you’ll find her at various Gator fields throughout the year.

Benita Bannis

Director of Workforce Development

Benita creates and leads strategies to widen access, deepen experiences and welcome all students, staff, and faculty to thrive within the UF/IFAS community. She is a triple gator devoted to developing people and the communities, competencies and connections that make them great.

Andrew Carey

Director of Information Technology

Andrew leads the IFAS Information Technology team, and focuses on ensuring that IFAS faculty, staff and students have access to the IT tools they need to fulfill the IFAS mission. Since starting at UF in 2004, Andrew has held various IT roles in Business Affairs, UFIT, and the IFAS Information Technology Server Administration and Helpdesk Teams. In his free time, Andrew enjoys traveling and being outdoors with his family.

Mary Ann Hooks

Director of Government Affairs

Mary Ann educates state and federal legislators about UF/IFAS while also monitoring and affecting legislation and liaising with IFAS stakeholders. She grew up in the cattle industry in Lorida, Florida.

Chris Moran

Chief of Staff

Chris is a communications strategist who helps the senior vice president find his voice as communicator-in-chief. He is a graduate of Georgetown University. He once spent a summer going to games in every Major League Baseball park.

Linda Smith

Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President

Linda is the assistant to the Interim Senior Vice President for UF/IFAS. She has been with UF for 30 years and 29 of those years have been with UF/IFAS. Linda is a native Washingtonian, an avid reader of historical novels and loves to travel internationally.

Goldie King

Executive Assistant to the Senior Associate Vice President

Goldie is the assistant to the senior associate vice president for UF/IFAS. Goldie has had the pleasure of serving eight senior vice presidents in her over 30 years with UF/IFAS. Goldie loves the water and spends considerable time with her four grandsons in St. Petersburg.

Marie Thomas

Administrative Specialist

Marie is the assistant to the Director of IFAS Workforce Development and assists the Senior Vice President’s office. Marie has been with UF/IFAS for 10 years. She enjoys her enlarged family and genealogy.