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    Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

    Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

    Office of the Senior Vice President


    Office of the Senior Vice President


    Meet the Leadership Team

    Dr. Angle

    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.

    • jangle@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-1971
    Dr. Gilbert

    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.

    • ragilber@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-1784
    Dr. Adesogan

    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.

    • adesogan@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-7527
    Meena Thiyagarajah

    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.

    • tmeena@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-4878
    Chris Vivian

    Chris Vivian

    Associate Vice President of Communications

    Chris manages the UF/IFAS communications team to tell the UF/IFAS story to audiences all over Florida and beyond, highlighting the value and impact of science and research for all.

    • cvivian@ufl.edu
    • (727) 644-5791
    Andra Johnson

    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.

    • andra.johnson@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-1761
    Kati Migliaccio

    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.

    • klwhite@ufl.edu
    • (352) 273-3574
    Dana Zimmel

    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.

    • zimmeld@ufl.edu
    • (352) 294-4201
    Cody Helmer

    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.

    • chelmer@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-5457
    Melissa Long

    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.

    • melong@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-4777
    Benita Bannis

    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.

    • bbannis@ufl.edu
    • (352) 273-3491
    Andrew Carey

    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.

    • agcarey@ufl.edu
    • (352) 273-2541
    Damian Adams

    Damian Adams

    Executive Director Strategic Partnerships & Innovation

    Damian provides leadership on strategic partnerships, corporate engagement, and faculty entrepreneurship and innovation across UF/IFAS. As the organization’s innovation lead, he champions faculty innovation and entrepreneurship, fosters collaborations with industry and investors, and supports an innovation ecosystem that expands the impact of UF/IFAS research, teaching, and Extension programs throughout Florida and beyond.

    • dcadams@ufl.edu
    Chris Moran

    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.

    • chrismoran@ufl.edu
    • (352) 273-3457
    Linda Smith

    Linda Smith

    Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President

    Linda is the assistant to the 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.

    • lasm@ufl.edu
    • (352) 392-1971
    Marie Thomas

    Marie Thomas

    Administrative Specialist

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

    • mcthomas@ufl.edu
    • (352) 273-3452

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    P.O. Box 110180 Gainesville, FL 32611-0180
    (352) 392-1971

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