U of M Extension Dean Bev Durgan honors 2026 distinguished friend, teams and individuals

State Representative Paul Torkelson, District 15B

Distinguished Friend of Extension

Representative Paul Torkelson’s support for Extension spans his 18 years at the state capitol as well as his career as a family farmer, Farm Bureau leader and 4-H alumnus.

Before he was elected, Rep. Torkelson was a participant in one of the first classes of the Minnesota Agricultural and Rural Leadership program (MARL), and he became the first MARL graduate in the legislature. He is retiring from the legislature in January after nine terms in the House, where he was assistant leader and chairman of the Capital Investment; Transportation Finance; and Ways and Means committees. In those roles, he was a consistent champion for ideas and legislation that benefit agriculture and rural communities. He was a co-sponsor of the legislation that created AGREETT, which has helped fund significant Extension educational programming. 

Rep. Torkelson is a former Minnesota Farm Bureau vice president and has been a member of the Governor’s Clean Water Council as well as the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in instrumental music education from Gustavus Adolphus College, and his family is the fourth generation on their Watonwan County family farm. 

Vasudha Sharma, Extension Specialist, Irrigation

Distinguished Extension Faculty

Minnesota treasures its water quality, and Vasu Sharma is helping our state ensure that water is used safely and efficiently in agricultural production. 

Since beginning her role in 2018, her expertise in irrigation management has been in high demand. One of her most significant accomplishments is the development of the Minnesota Irrigator Program (MIP), an in-depth course for agricultural professionals and irrigators. 

The science behind irrigation and water management can be complicated. Participants almost uniformly report that they better understand the issues and will consider changing their practices as a result of the program. Her collaborations and effective networking have led to collaborations with a large group of stakeholders across sectors of government, industry, ag advisors, commodity groups, and farmers. 

Sharma’s Extension programming is complemented by her effective communications with the public – more than 30 blog posts and 10 podcasts about irrigation – as well as an impressive applied research program that combines water management and nutrient management. 

In Sharma’s relatively short time at the University, her research projects have generated more than $2 million in grants, and she has published more than 19 peer-reviewed journal articles. She is already considered a national expert on topics related to irrigation management and water quality, and her collaborative style along with research and Extension excellence have made her a leader among the faculty in the department of Soil, Water and Climate.  

Megan Weber, Extension Educator, Aquatic Invasive Species

Distinguished Extension Educator

Megan Weber’s work on aquatic invasive species (AIS) programming exemplifies how Extension brings Minnesotans together to pursue a better future through science-based knowledge, expertise and training.

Weber leads the AIS Detectors volunteer program where she works with people from all backgrounds including academia, local units of government, and state agencies. Most importantly, Weber has a great ability to connect with the public. An outstanding example of her Extension work began during the 2020 Starry Trek event, when a child volunteering with her family to search for invasive starry stonewort found a specimen of the rare but invasive “golden clam.” Weber realized the importance of the find and applied her expertise about mollusks to understand how the clam, previously not seen in unheated Minnesota waters, could overwinter in a central Minnesota lake. 

As a result of her collaborative research and follow-up, global predictions of spread risk from this globally destructive invasive species have been updated and are being used to guide response efforts. 

Weber also is committed to making AIS Detectors programs more inclusive. She has led efforts to make registration payments on a sliding scale so that money would not stand in the way of participation. Most recently she developed a system that allows volunteers to borrow equipment needed to monitor priority lakes and species from the program, using Extension’s network of regional and county offices to create a lending library. As a member of a very small team, Weber is the only Extension educator driving AIS Detectors programming, and she is responsible for much of its considerable success.

Stephanie Rosenthal, Administrative Associate and Supervisor

Distinguished Staff

Stephanie Rosenthal is an innovative and inclusive colleague who demonstrates leadership, solves problems and goes above and beyond on behalf of Extension. 

As the administrative supervisor in the dean’s office, Rosenthal has reimagined processes and built connections across support teams throughout Extension. For example, she redesigned the processes for academic promotion to make them simpler and more effective for applicants, supervisors and college leaders. She manages all the behind-the-scenes details of large events so that everyone has a good experience. As a supervisor, Rosenthal advocates for her team members to ensure that they have the resources they need to do their work, and opportunities for professional development. 

Rosenthal’s commitment to administrative innovation, inclusivity, and supervisory excellence keeps Extension operations running smoothly while ensuring that our college is a supportive, dynamic and fulfilling workplace. 

Anna Stockstad, Regional Educator, Forestry

Distinguished Leadership

Anna Stockstad’s visionary leadership, collaborative spirit, and dedication to excellence have profoundly strengthened the Extension Forestry program and forestry in Minnesota. 

Stockstad is a regional educator based in the Cloquet office, where she exemplifies the highest standard of Extension leadership through her contributions to forest climate adaptation, stakeholder engagement, curriculum development, and forest stewardship. Her exceptional ability to translate complex research into actionable, statewide programming has meaningfully advanced Extension Forestry’s reach, elevated partner collaboration, and significantly improved natural resource outcomes across Minnesota.

Stockstad has revitalized flagship educational offerings across the state including the Minnesota Family Woodlands Conference and improved programming in the Minnesota Woodlands Stewardship program. She also is committed to internal organizational alignment, bringing together local and regional educators along with program team members to integrate planning and organizing for the strategic future of the program. 

Because of Stockstad’s work, the Extension Forestry program is stronger and well-positioned to leave a legacy in Minnesota’s forest resources. 

Extension Communications

Distinguished Leadership Team

Team members: Becky Beyers, Catherine Dehdashti, Sarah Jackson, Michael Donahue, Sam Wisneski, Stanton Charlton, Anna Wagner Schliep, Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke, JoAnne Makela, Maggie Frazier, Jack Wilcox, Paul McDivitt, Kelly Petersen, Jolene Brink, Elyse Paxton, Elise Hawkins, Britta Greene, Rebecca Froehlich, Gigi Otten

Extension Communications lives by a set of principles that emphasize collaboration,

professionalism and a strategic focus on helping the organization reach its goals. Extension must continually demonstrate its public value to our stakeholders, and this team is laser-focused on that goal. 

The communications team serves all of Extension and works in a culture where all team members, many of whom are relatively new to Extension, strive to learn from each other and to share their specialized skills and knowledge. These communicators strive for professional communications excellence while allowing space for joy and creativity.

A recent example of the team’s outstanding work is the Minnesota 87 print and online project that was published early in 2026. The 33,000-word, 100+ photos project was a true team effort and it showed Extension’s breadth and depth through an engaging digital and print production. In all of their work, this team uses excellent storytelling techniques, compelling design and best practices in audience engagement to connect the public with Extension. 

COMET (Changing Our Mental & Emotional Trajectory) Minnesota team

Distinguished Team

Team members: 
Extension - Mary Jo Katras, Cari Michaels, Nikki Crowe, Sara R. Croymans, Aubree Derksen, Ellie McCann, Silvia Alvarez de Davila, Tonia Brinston, Sharon Powell, Samantha Roth, Emily Krekelberg, Becca Golden, Aly Kloeckner. 
Minnesota Department of Health - Anna Lynn
Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Meg Moynihan

Over 1 million adults in Minnesota live with a mental health condition but reside in areas without enough mental health professionals to support them. Isolation and stress drive the suicide rate among male farmers to roughly three times that of other men in the state. 

The COMET (Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory) team helps build early awareness and mental health literacy before challenges escalate. COMET uses a train-the-trainer model to equip community members with practical, evidence-based tools to navigate conversations in the vulnerable space before a mental health crisis occurs.

This team incorporates multiple Extension departments and external partners to create an accessible, engaging program. They have reached communities across Minnesota and delivered measurable, real-world impact in just over two years. Participants report they are much more willing to reach out to acquaintances or co-workers after taking this training. Through dedicated teamwork, cross-departmental and community collaboration, and an innovative approach, this multidisciplinary Minnesota COMET team has helped to normalize mental health conversations across Minnesota.

Hennepin County Master Gardeners

Distinguished Inclusion

Extension Educator Terry Straub, Program Coordinator Rachel Kimpton, DEI Committee Leader and Volunteer Chidi Chidozie, and Hennepin County Master Gardener volunteers

This dedicated group has made outstanding strides in advancing inclusion across multiple facets of their work. Through strategic organizational change, innovative recruitment and retention, volunteer support, and culturally responsive programming, they have created meaningful change in the communities they serve. Their work reaches underserved audiences, builds connections across cultural lines, and ensures that the Master Gardener Volunteer Program is truly inclusive.

One example among the many ways this team fosters inclusion is in how it recruits new volunteers. A revamped application removes barriers such as horticultural knowledge prerequisite and financial ability, while encouraging outreach sessions in both in-person and virtual formats to ensure accessibility. For many volunteers, time is an issue, so Hennepin County Master Gardeners now have an option for a two-year internship program rather than the traditional one year. 

Inclusivity continues when volunteers complete their training. This team encourages at-home projects for those with transportation, health, caregiving, or property access limitations as well as accommodations for child care. Educational programming is designed for diverse audiences and to address needs for knowledge and access to fresh, nutritious food in communities. In everything they do, the Hennepin County Master Gardener team strives to reach underserved audiences, build connections across cultural lines, and ensure that the Master Gardener Volunteer Program is truly inclusive.