June 26, 2007

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DUMAS – Membership in 4-H and involvement with Texas Cooperative Extension as a youth prompted Karen Russell to get a college degree in home economics, she said. Now she's returning to give back.

Russell has been named as the Extension family and consumer science agent in Moore County, said Donna Brauchi, Extension district administrator in Amarillo. Russell will begin her First Step program on July 2 in Potter County, where she will train among her peers before assuming her new duties in Dumas on Aug. 1.

A native of Amarillo, Russell grew up in the 4-H program while attending River Road schools. When she went to Texas Tech University, she sought a general home economics degree, with the idea one day she'd be an Extension home economics agent.

Upon graduating from Texas Tech in 1991, Russell served as home economist for Southwestern Public Service for five years. She then worked in educational services for Baptist St. Anthony's Health Services and Texas Panhandle Mental Health Mental Retardation. For the past five years has been the coordinator of Amarillo College's Panhandle Geriatric Education Program.

"Karen has been working with our county Extension agents across the district over the past five years through the geriatric health education program," Brauchi said. "Her expertise in that area, along with her 4-H background and enthusiasm and passion for helping people and communities, will make her a great addition to a strong Moore County Extension team."

"I feel like I got sidelined for 18 years and it just took me a longer path to get where I always wanted to be," Russell said. "I look forward to working with the 4-H'ers, volunteers and the community as a whole in Moore County. I want to show them what Extension has to offer and what impact it can have, whether they are an adult or a child."