Welcome from your New Director!

Nora Rhoades, District Director

Greetings Post Rock District! 2020 is here and I am pleased to bring in the new year as the Extension Director for K-State Research and Extension’s Post Rock District.

First, I want to take a moment and let you get to know me. I grew up near North Bend, NE with my parents and three sisters. I developed a passion for rural communities through involvement in my church, VFW Jr. Girls, 4-H, FFA and athletics. While I didn’t mind the classroom, you can probably tell from my list of activities that I thrived in non-formal educational environments. I am forever grateful for many caring adults in my village which helped shape me into the person I am today.

 I went to college at the University of Nebraska earning a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education-leadership in Lincoln and a master’s degree in education-school counseling in Kearney. Throughout these adventures, I gained a range of experiences which molded my passion to serve people through empowering people. While I was exposed to extension in my adolescent years, attending college at Nebraska’s land-grant university helped me realize how amazing the cooperative extension system is and how I longed to find a place within the system for my dream career.

I have been serving the Post Rock District since 2012, and what a joyful journey it has been thus far. First, I was a 4-H Program Coordinator. I served in that capacity while completing graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. In that time, I married my husband Wyatt and we planted our roots in Smith County where he is a hay farmer and manages a cattle operation.

In 2014, my dream of finding a full-time position in extension came true when I was afforded the opportunity to serve the Post Rock District as a Family and Youth Development Extension Agent. I have enjoyed developing strong collaborations in Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne and Smith counties over the years. Together we are doing great things to improve the health and wellness of our community environments, support the growth of positive relationships and family systems, and sustain the message that rural communities are strong, vibrant places to make a difference.

So, here I am, now leaping into the next chapter of my career with cooperative extension. I am blessed to be part of the K-State Research and Extension family. My husband and I, now accompanied by our three young sons, proudly boast that we are rural by choice, and we love calling Kansas home.

As the Post Rock District Director, I look forward to continuing to make a difference in North Central Kansas. Through this role, I will be serving as the administrative leader for the five-county extension unit, working closely with our elected District Board, our skilled staff, and passionate local partners to extend the land-grant mission of Kansas State University to our communities and citizens.

Another part of my new chapter is serving as the Youth Development Extension Agent. I believe in the power of youth, and I am inspired to be part of the village that will be developing tomorrow’s leaders. Making a lasting difference in the lives of our youngest learners and as they grow into our beloved high school graduates is a passion of mine, and I look forward to extending my passion into the schools, communities and extra-curricular programs committed to positive growth and development. I’ll work alongside many stakeholders in our communities with this shared passion. Together with volunteers, teachers, parents, coaches, and mentors we can shape a positive future for many generations!

2020 is here, and I am excited for the year to unfold. I want to invite you to learn and grow with me on a new venture of mine… a PODCAST! As 2019 came to a close, I started a podcast as a way to openly express my passion for extension with each of you. The content is growing… the fun just beginning! You can find my podcast, Purple Sunrise, on your device’s streaming app. Topics will be inspirational and grounded in the research that makes extension a trusted and relevant source. At the same time the conversations will be laid-back, as I share my passion for people and rural living, my ongoing adventure to better understand the world around us, and my commitment to utilize wellness as a tool to reach one’s full potential. I can’t wait to meet you where the sky is purple!

Wishing you the best in the New Year and beyond!