Linda Burgard introduced as new cooperative extension agent

One could make a strong argument that becoming the newest family and consumer sciences education extension agent at the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Office was something Linda Burgard was meant to do, but it just took her a little while to get here.

Letha Taylor talks with new Whitley County Extension Office family and consumer sciences education extension agent Linda Burgard during an Aug. 5 reception to welcome Burgard to the community.

She was born and raised in northern Michigan, where she began her extension experience early in life with a father, who was the extension agriculture agent, and a mother, who was her 4-H Sewing Club leader.

After graduating from Michigan State University with a bachelor of science degree in food systems, economics and management, she lived and worked all over, including New York, San Francisco, France and Chicago.

“I have kind of traveled a little bit,” she noted.

After working in various food system and education related fields, she relocated to Kentucky with her husband, George, and two daughters, Charlotte and Emilie, in 2003 in part to be closer to her family.

This includes her father, who relocated here because he prefers the “green” of Kentucky to the “snowy white” of Michigan, Burgard said with a smile.

In 2012, her husband was transferred to London, and she became a working part of the family and consumer sciences team at the Laurel County Extension Office in London where she was highly focused on working with extension homemakers and coordinating the Jabez Quilt Seminar.

With her move to Whitley County as the family and consumer sciences extension agent, she plans to continue working with and expanding the extension homemaker clubs as well as working within the community to improve the quality of individual and family life through education, research, and outreach.

“I am really interested in working directly with the community. I have a real interest in aging and the struggles with the people, who are aging. It is what my focus is in for my master’s degree,” she added. “I wanted to get more active; less doing paperwork and more working with the people.”

A reception was held late Friday afternoon at the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Office in Goldbug to introduce Burgard to the community.

Burgard will be offering programming focused on human development, parenting, resource management, nutrition, health and aesthetics.

“I am currently working on my master of science degree on science, translation and outreach through the University of Kentucky and look forward to using the knowledge learned through my studies along with that gained through my work and life experiences,” she said.

“Some of the classes that are in the works include financial management, learn to sew, food preservation, quilting, needlework, managing diabetes and preschool development. Long term, I hope to put in place programming that addresses issues related to social isolation especially as it relates to our senior population.”

The extension homemaker year is just getting started and several clubs will be meeting monthly for educational lessons, recreation and fellowship.

Current and prospective members are invited to attend the kick-off meeting, which will be held on Aug. 18, where she will be discussing the year ahead and distributing club information.

“I look forward to meeting those in the community and encourage people to reach out if they have questions or suggestions for programming,” Burgard said.