UNIVERSITY PARK — Chris Houser, Penn State Extension assistant director for agronomy and natural resources programs, has been named the organization’s associate director for programs. He has been serving in the associate director role on an interim basis since June 2024.

As associate director for programs, Houser will provide leadership for the development and delivery of high-quality, relevant and impactful extension educational programs, products and services through a variety of formats.

“Throughout his time in Penn State Extension, Chris Houser has proven to work effectively with staff, faculty, administrators and our external partners,” said Jeffrey Hyde, director of Penn State Extension and associate dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences. “He embodies the traits described in Lencioni’s ‘The Ideal Team Player,’ and we are delighted that his knowledge and expertise will continue to help drive our progress in addressing the issues facing Pennsylvania’s farms, businesses and communities.”

Houser will oversee assistant directors for programs and statewide program teams across all five of Extension’s program units, which include agronomy and natural resources; animal systems; food, families and communities; horticulture; and 4-H youth development. He will guide the planning, prioritizing, budgeting, development, delivery and evaluation of programs, products and services, and he will lead the effort to integrate research with extension programming.

“Working across the full program spectrum, Chris will identify areas of overlap and gaps that may not be evident from a single team’s perspective,” Hyde said. “He will also lead toward a balanced portfolio of programs that maximize our reach and accessibility.”

Houser began his Penn State career in 2005 as a research technologist in what was then the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. In 2013, he became a county-based field-crop extension educator, developing and delivering educational programming and performing on-farm research trials.