Farm Family Health and Wellness Speakers | Family and Consumer Sciences

January 19th

Charlie Hatcher

Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. was sworn in as Tennessee’s 38th Commissioner of Agriculture on Jan. 19, 2019. He was appointed by Governor Bill Lee. He is a tenth generation American farmer and a fifth generation Tennessee farmer. Prior to becoming Commissioner, he served for ten years as the State Veterinarian for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. In that role, he protected the health and welfare of animals within the state and promoted the marketability of animals and animal products.
In 1993, Dr. Hatcher founded Rock-N-Country Veterinary Services in College Grove, Tennessee, specializing in livestock. The veterinary practice is now managed by his daughter, Jennifer, who is also a veterinarian. The Hatchers are well-known in the dairy and agritourism industries, too. In 2007, Hatcher Family Dairy began bottling its own milk and today provides milk and milk products to customers in Middle Tennessee. Hatcher’s son, Charles, serves as president of the business.
Dr. Hatcher earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (1984) and a B.S. in Animal Science from Middle Tennessee State University (1980). He lives on the family farm in College Grove (est. 1831) with his wife of forty years, Sharon. His daughter and son also live on the farm with their families.

Joe Beeler

Joe Beeler is a Research Associate, Weed Science, in the University of Tennesee’s Department of Plant Sciences. Joe grew up on a small East Tennessee farm. He earned a degree at the University of Tennessee (UT) in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, and then worked for five years in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park conducting fisheries and air quality research.
Joe returned to UT in 2000 to complete a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences. He has worked in the university system since then, first as a county extension agent, then returning to the Plant Sciences department where he has worked as an extension educator and researcher in forages and then tobacco production.
Joe currently conducts research in the area of herbicide environmental fate and efficacy, which he also teaches at the university level.

Brian Robinson

Brian Robinson is an experienced Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and Commission certified firefighter who has vast knowledge and experience with farm equipment and machinery. He is a graduate of Carson Newman University and also Walters State Community College where he works as an adjunct faculty instructor in the EMT and paramedic programs delivering technical rescue lectures. Brian works for The Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads Rescue College as the State Training Coordinator where he develops and instructs basic and advanced vehicle extrication, structural collapse rescue, farm rescue, machinery rescue, Bloodborne Pathogens, Emergency Vehicle Driving, and train the trainer programs on these topics. He also serves as the Rescue Squad representative on the State of TN EMS Regulatory Board. When not working, he volunteers for the Morristown Emergency Rescue Squad where he has served for the past 30 years. Brian was born and raised on a family farm in Morristown, TN where they grew corn, hay, tobacco, and beef cattle. He has been married to his wife Joni for 25 years and they have two children.

February 2nd

Heather Sedges

Heather Sedges, PhD, CFLE is an Associate Professor and Human Development Specialist with UT Extension’s Family and Consumer Sciences department. Dr. Sedges’ work focuses on stress in farming, ranching, and rural settings. She is a nationally recognized and award-winning expert who is also serving as the lead for the USDA/NIFA-funded Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network: Southern Region.

Chad Reznicek

Chad Reznicek is a behavioral health specialist with the Colorado AgrAbility Project and is committed to helping expand and improve behavioral health support and resources in rural communities. Prior to joining the AgrAbility team, Chad spent 20 years as a licensed therapist, providing behavioral health services in diverse settings with special focus areas in suicide prevention, trauma, mood disorders, adolescent issues, and substance abuse. He grew up in a small town in central Nebraska with a deep respect for agriculture as the heart of our rural communities.

February 16th

Margie Stafford

Margie Stafford, BSN, MSN, graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and from Belmont University with a Masters of Science in Nursing and a certification in Otorhinolarngology. She has worked at various levels in health care from ICU at Vanderbilt to David Lipscomb School as a nurse/director to Director of Nursing at a hospital. After running a rural health clinic, Margie became a specialist in Head and Neck (ear, nose & throat). She has over 10 years of experience as an ear/nose/throat practitioner including caring for head/neck cancers, laryngeal/oral diseases, nasal and sinus disease, obstructive sleep apnea as well as ear and hearing issues w/ balance/dizzy disorders. Margie currently practices at the Department of Health for the state of Tennessee at the Jackson County Health Department in primary care.

Laura Miller

Dr. Laura Miller is an Associate Professor at the School of Communication Studies at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Dr. Miller received her PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joined the University of Tennessee faculty in 2009. She teaches courses in health communication, interpersonal communication, and qualitative research methods. Dr. Miller grew up on her family’s farm in Illinois.

March 2nd

Matt Niswander

Bio Coming Soon!

Chris Sneed

Dr. Christopher Sneed is an Assistant Professor and Consumer Economics Specialist in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences with UT Extension. Dr. Sneed has been talking money for over two decades empowering individuals and families with information, skills, and tools for financial success. Dr. Sneed has published numerous research articles, Extension publications, and has been the guest on television, radio, and podcasts sharing his passion for empowering individuals to gain control of their finances and manage their household resources effectively.

March 16th

Kevin Thompson

Kevin Thompson is the Director of the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center since 2010. His programs include beef cattle, agronomic studies, equine nutrition and grazing studies, reproductive training program, UT Bull Evaluation program and Tennessee Beef Heifer Development Center. He develops and leads instructional seminars on cattle behavior, low-stress livestock practices and safe livestock handling practices. Kevin was previously with Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and Tennessee Livestock Producer, Inc. where he developed, implemented and managed a genetic improvement program (Producer Genetics); developed and provided oversight of a beef cattle marketing alliance marketing group (Tennessee Beef Producer Alliance); and created and managed a bull leasing program and replacement heifer development and marketing program to support the Tennessee Beef Producer Alliance.

Kevin Ferguson

Kevin Ferguson has been employed with The University of Tennessee Extension since 1986 as a Farm Management Specialist. Headquartered in Murfreesboro, Ferguson is responsible for farm financial management and marketing educational programs in a multi-county area. As a member of Tennessee Extension’s MANAGE Program, he provides farm families and agribusinesses with assistance in developing record-keeping systems, evaluating management and marketing decisions, and developing whole farm/business plans. He makes numerous one-on-one visits and presentations to producers and agricultural industry representatives that span a wide range of topics including beef and forage economics, farm transition planning, agriculture industry trends, and beef cattle management, genetics, and marketing. He maintains a program focused on beef cattle management and marketing. In 2019, he began serving in the role of Coordinator of the University of Tennessee Extension’s MANAGE Program. In this position, he provides programmatic support to a team of nine Extension Farm Management Specialists throughout the state. In addition, he is charged with promoting and documenting the impact and successes of the MANAGE Program.