Marnocha named Vice Provost for Research and Program Integration 

Erin Marnocha will join UC ANR on Sept. 2 as Vice Provost for Research and Program Integration. In this position, she will oversee the program areas, program teams, and statewide programs and institutes. 

“We are excited to have her join our leadership team, and I have no doubt that she will bring her vast experience and commitment to excellence to this role,” said Brent D. Hales, associate vice president for research and Cooperative Extension.

Marnocha brings over 15 years of experience in research administration, program development and education, with an emphasis on environmental science and natural resource management. She joins UC ANR from the University of California Office of the President’s Research Grants Program Office, where, as senior program officer, she has guided a portfolio of research funding programs designed to foster collaboration across the UC system, spark new discoveries and generate solutions to critical challenges facing California.

Previously, as director of research and education for the UC Natural Reserve System, Marnocha developed field-based academic and research programs and built partnerships to advance the stewardship of California’s diverse landscapes. She also has led numerous experiential learning and community-based projects, integrating science, education, and public engagement. 

Before joining UC, she served for three years as director of Once Upon a Watershed in Ojai, where she co-designed and implemented an environmental education program that provided hands-on experiences in watershed education, restoration and stewardship to approximately 1,200 elementary school students each year. At Ojai Valley Green Coalition, she served a year as education and outreach coordinator. 

Marnocha, who grew up mostly in Indiana, holds a Ph.D. in biology from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Washington University in St. Louis.

Marnocha will be based in Davis at the ANR building. She is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmarnocha. 

Mashiri moves to Central Coast 

Fadzayi Elizabeth Mashiri became UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor for San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties on Aug. 1, succeeding Devii Rao, who is now UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Sonoma and Marin counties. 

For the past 12 years, Mashiri has served as county director and UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Mariposa and Merced counties. In Mariposa and Merced, the goal of her research and outreach was helping land managers and ranchers increase economic viability and ecological sustainability. Her work included projects on weed management, impacts of rangeland conversion, ecosystem services payment for working rangelands, fire risk-reduction using grazing and prescribed fire and integrated livestock grazing in orchard systems. 

Before joining UC ANR, she was a senior research specialist at the University of Arizona where she studied adaptive grazing and collaborative management strategies to promote rangeland resilience and productivity. She launched her career as a lecturer and senior agricultural extension officer in Zimbabwe, where her passion for community-based extension work was sparked.

Mashiri holds a Ph.D. in rangeland management from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in management of natural resources and sustainable agriculture from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from University of Zimbabwe. 

“In the coming months, I am excited to meet with ranchers, land managers and partners across the region,” Mashiri said. “I look forward to learning about local needs and priorities and using that insight to develop relevant, practical, research-based programs that directly support land managers and ranchers in the region.”

Mashiri is based at the San Benito County office in Hollister and can be contacted at fmashiri@ucanr.edu and (831) 637 5346, Ext. 103. You can follow her work on the Livestock & Range blog at https://ucanr.edu/blog/livestock-range. 

Diaz joins EFNEP team in Contra Costa County 

Mariana Diaz joined the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Contra Costa County on July 14 as a youth nutrition educator. 

After graduating from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and management and a minor in education, she spent several years in different educator roles, such as a 6th grade outdoor school naturalist, an environmental science educator at Yosemite National Park and an afterschool STEM teacher for K-6 girls. 

Diaz is based in Concord and can be reached at mxdiaz@ucanr.edu. 

Fatino joins UCCE as subtropical crop advisor

Matthew Fatino joined UC Cooperative Extension on July 1 as the subtropical crop advisor for San Diego and Riverside counties. 

Fatino, who grew up in Southern California, earned a bachelor’s degree in crop and fruit science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he worked in the citrus and avocado groves on campus. After graduating from Cal Poly, he earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. at UC Davis in horticulture and agronomy with an emphasis in weed science. 

During the past six years at UC Davis, Fatino has been focused on developing an applied research and extension program for branched broomrape management in California processing tomatoes as well as evaluating new weed management strategies in a variety of tree and vine crops in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. 

Although he has most recently focused on weeds, Fatino looks forward to sharpening his horticultural, entomology and pathology skills to develop an effective applied research and extension program to meet the needs and challenges faced by his clientele. 

Fatino is based at the UCCE San Diego office and can be contacted at mfatino@ucanr.edu or (949) 466-6288.