Donna Wells
BLACKSBURG, Va., Oct. 27, 2010 – Donna Wells, Northern District director for Virginia Cooperative Extension, has been conferred the “district director emerita” title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emerita may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of Virginia Cooperative Extension since 1985, Wells served the commonwealth in the area of 4-H youth development as Extension Agent, 4-H and unit coordinator of Stafford County Virginia Cooperative Extension until becoming district director in 2005.
As the Northern District director, she provided administrative leadership for 19 counties and cities in Northern Virginia, which included direct supervision of 50 district and field extension faculty and staff, fiscal administration, leadership for local and state government relations and support, and district program and volunteer development.
She served as a member of the Southern Region Program Leadership Network, the Southern Region Middle Managers Nominating Committee, Epsilon Sigma Phi, and Virginia Extension Service Association.
Wells has been honored with the Epsilon Sigma Phi’s State Mid-Career Award, Stafford County Public Schools’ Partners in Education Award, and National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Distinguished Service Award.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Longwood College and a master’s degree from Virginia Tech.
Virginia Cooperative Extension brings the resources of Virginia's land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based educators, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 11 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.