AgriLife colleagues,
As discussed during the State of AgriLife address last month, we are committed to keeping you updated on the AgriLife-wide adaptive strategic planning process. You will recall that we announced several important initiatives to be spearheaded by champions and representatives from across the agencies and college. Today, I’m excited to let you know that we have named champions for each of the initiatives.
Working group 1: Communicating the Adaptive Strategic Plan
Champion: Holly Shive, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing & Communications
Goals: Implement internal communications for adaptive strategic planning; provide tools and collateral for AgriLife stakeholders; promote revised mission, vision and guiding principles to external stakeholders.
Working group 2: Matrix Management Structure
Champion: John Tracy, Director, Texas Water Resources Institute and Interim Head, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Goals: Implement the Matrix Management structure to enable experts from different functional areas to work together on identified projects and initiatives, while preserving functional supervisory structure and reporting lines.
Working group 3: Leadership and Professional Development
Champion: Caitlyn Calvert, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Digital Learning
Goals: Create a leadership and professional development plan; promote these development opportunities to AgriLife stakeholders.
Working group 4: AgriLife Ambassadorship
Champion: Rebecca O’Neal, Events Manager
Goals: Create an internal campaign to foster AgriLife Ambassadors; engage ambassadors to drive needs; identify specific resources to support ambassadors.
Working group 5: Responding to an Evolving Texas
Co-Champions: Holly Shive and Caitlyn Calvert
Goals: Promote science-based information and solutions for producers and consumers; define AgriLife’s requests for financial support; develop digital engagement.
Employees interested in serving on one or more of the working groups above should submit a half-page letter of interest by February 19. These working groups will guide implementation on broad organizational initiatives within AgriLife and foster a sense of collaboration among the four state agencies and the college as we move forward in the strategic planning process. Additional details on these working groups are available on the strategic plan webpage.
The overall process will be implemented and developed by the AgriLife Adaptive Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which I will chair. The steering committee will also include the five working groups’ champions and other members nominated by unit leadership across AgriLife. The steering committee members and I will compile nominations and update you on the strategic planning process at our first AgriLife Strategic Plan Town Hall slated for Thursday, March 4.
Please stay tuned for an email invitation, coming soon. In the meantime, please email feedback@ag.tamu.edu with any questions.
I look forward to working with you to advance AgriLife!
Susan Ballabina, Ph.D.
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Texas A&M AgriLife
Associate Deputy Dean for Administration, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences