PORT ANGELES — Master Gardeners, 4-H members and anyone else affiliated with Washington State University Extension programs can meet the new Clallam County Extension director Friday.
Clea Rome, who became the county’s Extension director Feb. 1, will be on hand for a community meet-and-greet from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the commissioners’ boardroom (160) at the county courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Rome, 37, of Port Angeles was hired by the Pullman-based university in January following a national search.
She was introduced at the Clallam County commissioners meeting Tuesday.
“I’m really happy to be here as the new county director for WSU Extension,” Rome said.
“I think that there is tremendous potential for growing the WSU Extension presence and programs here in the county.”
Rome will work closely with Master Gardeners Program Coordinator Muriel Nesbitt and 4-H program coordinator Gena Royal.
She also will be in charge of the small-farms and community development program in Clallam County.
Experience
“I have the advantage of having lived and worked here in the county with farmers for over eight years as an employee of the [Clallam County] Conservation District and then with the Resource Conservation and Development Council for the last four years,” Rome said.
Prior to joining WSU Extension, Rome was the resource conservation and development coordinator for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, serving both Clallam and Jefferson counties out of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center in Port Angeles.
“So I’ve developed strong relationships with local farmers and community groups, and I’m very happy to be here in the county now,” Rome told commissioners.
“I look forward to collaborating with county departments to make our program successful.”
Rome replaces former Clallam County Extension agent Curtis Beus, who took a lateral transfer to Okanogan County last April.
WSU faculty
The Extension director is a WSU faculty member, not a county employee; however, the county pays a portion of the director’s salary and provides office space.
Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty was a member of the hiring panel.
“It was a competitive process,” he said.
An initial pool of more than 20 applicants was narrowed down to a list of six or seven semifinalists, Doherty said.
Three finalists were interviewed by Extension stakeholders and WSU representatives.
“There’s a bit of a new model for Extension agents,” Doherty said.
“Instead of having academic professor types that specialize in research in different counties, they’re going to have more generalists who can connect with the research specialists back at the campus or research labs — such as at Puyallup here in our region — but be more generalists to use the Internet and other technology to access information from the experts out to the counties.
“Personally, I think that’s an improvement on the system.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com
