Extension
Connecting the university to our communities.
Partnering with communities and industries.
Cooperative extension works to improve lives, communities and the economy through a statewide network of knowledgable faculty and staff. As a part of our land-grant university, Cooperative Extension plays a critical role in our mission to educate our communities and empower the next generation of experts to grow sustainable regional and global economies, and to develop new knowledge and technologies to benefit society.
Extension Faculty
Our Cooperative Extension faculty and county agents are committed to helping Arizona's families get and stay healthy. Through programs like SNAP-Ed, EFNEP and the Diabetes Prevention Program, they work in communities across Arizona to encourage people to access a wide variety of healthy, culturally relevant foods and enjoy regular physical activity.
Shea Austin Cantu, EdD
Associate Specialist/Associate ProfessorDirector, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP
Vanessa da Silva, PhD, RDN, CDCES
Director, UA Cooperative Extension Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)Extension Specialist
School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
Stephanie Grutzmacher, PhD
Associate Specialist | School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
Laurel Jacobs, DrPH, MPH
Assistant Research Professor, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
Theresa LeGros
Research Specialist, Senior, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
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Our Extension Specialists combine the latest research with local knowledge to give you personalized answers to your toughest questions.
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Our offices serve all 15 counties and 22 Federally Recognized Tribes, meaning we bring workshops, events and university resources right to your doorstep.
Informational Resources
Grab quick information or dive deep into a publication archive that packages the latest research and expert knowledge into materials that are easy to use and easy to download.
SNAP-Ed
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education (SNAP-Ed) is a nationwide nutrition education program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. We partner with the Arizona Department of Health Services' AZ Health Zone to improve nutrition and reduce hunger, promote healthy feeding practices and increase physical activity.
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is designed to help limited-resource audiences acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to adopt nutritionally sound diets and promote individual and family wellbeing.
Diabetes Prevention Program
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program. Participants in this lifestyle change program learn to shop for and prepare nutritious foods, add physical activity into their lives, manage stress and more.
Culinary Medicine
The University of Arizona Culinary Medicine Initiative connects community members with resources designed to address food and nutrition security in Arizona. We aim to build a statewide network of organizations that utilize our resources and students to enhance programming related to nutrition security and diet-sensitive diseases.