AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — The Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s human sciences team recently earned national and regional recognition at the 90th annual session of the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) in Tucson, Arizona.

The team received top honors for its work in financial stress, money management, communications and professional development. Alabama Extension was awarded the first-place Communications Educational Publications award for the WISE Money Management Calendar: Guide to Managing Your Weekly Income, Saving & Expenses. This tool helps individuals monitor their income and savings, manage debt and keep financial records for taxes.

Laura Downey, Alabama Extension’s assistant director for human sciences programming, is proud of the team’s efforts to better the lives of families across Alabama.

“I am incredibly proud of this team’s dedication and hard work in developing and disseminating high-quality products and communication efforts,” Downey said. “It is truly an honor to be recognized by peers regionally and nationally for their exceptional work.”

National and Regional Awards

The education and publications team included Regional Extension Agents Theresa Jones, Patricia Smith, Renee Vines, Cynthia White and Angela Taylor; Extension Specialists Portia Johnson and Janice Hall; and Executive Support Assistant Catundra Walton.

In addition to the national award, White and Johnson won third place in the Communications Radio or Podcast category for the Alabama Money Podcast, which offers financial wellness advice, mortgage management, utilities, medical debt and money saving tips.

Sharon Haynes, assistant director for field operations at Alabama Extension, received the NEAFCS’ Continued Excellence Award for her contributions to professional improvement and leadership development within NEAFCS.

The Alabama Extension team also earned several regional awards, including the following:

• First Place, Communications Radio or Podcast: Alabama Money Podcast – Cynthia White and Portia Johnson
• Second Place, Communications Educational Publications: WISE Money Management Calendar – Theresa Jones, Portia Johnson, Patricia Smith, Renee Vines, Cynthia White, Angela Taylor, Janice Hall and Catundra Walton
• Second Place, Excellence in Multistate Collaboration: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Training and Listening Session – Theresa Jones, Portia Johnson, Patricia Smith, Renee Vines, Cynthia White and Angela Taylor, in collaboration with other land-grant institutions.

The regional multistate collaboration award recognized a fall 2023 listening session hosted Fall 2023 at the CFPB in Washington, DC.

“It was inspiring to bring extension leaders together in the nation’s capital to offer their community-level insights and engage in capacity-building and professional development,” Johnson said.

More Information

NEAFCS is the national professional organization for Extension family and consumer sciences programs, which aim to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

The Alabama Extension human sciences team offers practical, research-driven knowledge and skills to help Alabama families make informed choices. To discover more about their programs, visit the Home & Family section of the Alabama Extension website, www.aces.edu.