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Staff

Administrative/Business/Academic/Facilities Staff

We're here to help you! Please feel free to contact one of our staff members for assistance.

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Staff Member Contact Information Services
 

 

 

Chris Behnke

Chris Behnke

IT Support Associate
301-405-7463
cbehnke@umd.edu

Diana Cortez

Diana Cortez

Lecturer & Academic Advisor
301-405-4359
dcortez@umd.edu

  • Prospective student inquiries and tours
  • Academic Programs Support
  • Course design
  • Course scheduling
  • Academic reports
  • Academic website updates
Shaun Faulkner Shaun Faulkner
Facilities Manager
301-405-6913
ssfaulkn@umd.edu
  • PSLA Facilities Manager
  • Departmental liaison with University of Maryland Facilities Management
  • Departmental Fleet Coordinator
  • Space inventory control officer for PSLA offices, laboratories,research support rooms, and common rooms
Meghan Fisher-Holbert

Meghan Fisher-Holbert

Agricultural Technician Supervisor

301-405-1656
mfisher2@umd.edu

  • Supervise Greenhouse Personnel
  • Support Research Activities
  • Setting and Monitoring Environmental Controls
  • Implement IPM Program and Nutrient Management
  • WPS Compliance
 

Vacant

Executive Administrative Assistant

301-405-4356

 

  • Assistant to Chair (Internal Relations)
  • Liaison w/ external stakeholders
  • Coordinator for Plant Science
  • Committees- scheduling, membership, correspondence
  • Support for Merit and Awards Committee, Third Year Review and APT processes
  • Governance Documents
  • Calendars, internal 
  • Staff Hiring Coordination with Business Office
  • Parking Coordinator; Search Committee Coordinator
 

Vacant
Executive Administrative Assistant (C-1)

301-405-6244

 

  • Assistant to the Chair-External Relations
  • Departmental and Extension support for related events, calendars, and travel coordination
  • Seminar (travel coordination)
  • External-related event scheduling for Agricultural Education and Extension Program 
  • Alumni records management
  • Departmental reflectors
  • Social media and website editing  
  • Website management
  • Assistant to Chair's Office (Internal Relations)
  • Liaison w/ external stakeholders
  • Backup Coordinator for Plant Science
  • Backup Committees- scheduling, membership, correspondence
  • Support for Merit and Awards Committee, Third Year Review and APT processes
  • Governance Documents
  • Calendars, internal 
  • Staff Hiring Coordination with Business Office
  • Parking Coordinator; Search Committee Coordinator
Wennett Jones Johnson

Wennett Jones-Johnson

Business Manager

301-405-4361

wjones1@umd.edu   

  • Account management-Unrestricted Research
  • Contractual hires (ex: C1, C2, PostDoc)
  • Travel (primary POC)
  • J1-OPT, H-1B, F1 Visa processing; Visiting scholar requests
  • NRA payroll forms
  • Pre-Award review and main point of contact with
  • AgPAS for proposals
  • Monitors expiring appointments
  • Departmental Purchasing and Travel Card holder
  • Payroll processing
  • Departmental telephone and cellular representative

 

Ruth Miller

Ruth Miller

Business Service Specialist
301-405-8511
rmille15@umd.edu

  • Account management-Start-up accounts
  • Account management-Cost-share accounts
  • Foundation and Scholarship accounts
  • Student Award disbursement
  • Greenhouse bench and growth chamber billing
  • Undergraduate and hourly graduate student hiring
  • Key and swipe card requests
  • Payroll processing
  • Miscellaneous accounting and business projects as necessary
Michelle Neff

Michelle Neff

Director of Financial Services
301-405-4374
mneff1@umd.edu

  • Account management-State accounts
  • Departmental budgeting
  • Graduate assistants
  • Lecturer agreements
  • Tenure-track hires (coordinate with Office of the Chair)
  • Staff hires
  • Course budgeting
  • Purchasing card/Travel card review and management
  • Federal Work-Study contact for the department
  • Summer Salary
  • Oversee Payroll for department
  • Assist Chair with departmental strategic planning
  • Travel (backup)
Wanderley Rubin

Wanderley Rubin

Program Coordinator

301-405-4336

wrubin@umd.edu 

  • Prospective student inquiries and tours for the Fermentation Science program at Shady Grove
  • Student recruitment and administrative assistance for the FERM program at USG
  • Academic advising 
Saratu Samaila

Saratu Samaila

Administrative Assistant II

301-405-4367

ssaratu2@umd.edu

  • Agricultural Science and Technology (AGST), including Agricultural Education administrative support
  • Undergraduate student/alumni records management
  • Undergraduate student reflectors, room, and computer access
  • Social media and website editing  
  • AGST events, calendar, and faculty travel coordination
Kara Thompson Kara Thompson

Program Management Specialist

kthomps9@umd.edu

301 405-1317

  • Sponsored Research-post award management
  • Process requisitions for P.O.s for Sponsored Research projects
  • Administrative assistance with FERM program

 
Sydney Wallace

Sydney Wallace

Greenhouse Manager,

Plant Growth Facilities Manager
301-405-4375 
swallac1@umd.edu

  • Plant Growth Facilities Operations and Maintenance
  • Plant Care Supervision
  • Space Allocation
Office

Business Office

Wennett Jones-Johnson

Business Manager
301-405-6138

wjones1@umd.edu 

Ruth Miller
Business Serv Spec
301-405-8511
rmille15@umd.edu

Michelle Neff

Director of Financial Services
301-405-4374
mneff1@umd.edu

Kara Thompson

Program Management Specialist

301 405-1317

kthomps9@umd.edu

 

Chair's Office

Michael Patterson
Executive Administrative Assistant
301-405-4356

mpatte10@umd.edu

 

IT Support

Chris Behnke

IT Support Associate
301-405-7463
cbehnke@umd.edu

Facilities 

Shaun Faulkner
Facilities Manager
301-405-6913
ssfaulkn@umd.edu

Research Greenhouse

Meghan Fisher-Holbert

Agricultural Technician Supervisor

301-405-1656
mfisher2@umd.edu

Sydney Wallace

Greenhouse Manager,

Plant Growth Facilities Manager
301-405-4375 
swallac1@umd.edu

Instructional Programs

Saratu Samaila

Administrative Assistant II
301-405-4367

ssaratu2@umd.edu

Diana Cortez

Lecturer & Academic Advisor
301-405-4359
dcortez@umd.edu

AGNR Academic Programs

UMD Academic Advising FAQs

Research Staff

Name Title Contact
Audra Bissett Laboratory Research Technician Assistant abissett@umd.edu

Kevin Moore

Laboratory Research Technician Assistant kmoore20@terpmail.umd.edu
Anita Shoeneberg Agricultural Technician Lead aschoen2@umd.edu