Research Navigator Initiative

The BCTR Research Navigator Initiative (RNI) is a central component of the College of Human Ecology's extension and outreach efforts.

The RNI supports research collaborations between Cornell faculty and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educators, promoting campus-community research partnerships.

The RNI provides workshops to CCE educators on topics such as research partnership development, research methodologies and practices, ethical considerations in research, and participant recruitment and retention strategies. CCE educators who complete RNI workshops are known as Research Navigators.

The RNI also informs Cornell faculty about the resources and capabilities of CCE as a research partner and broker of community collaborations. Through networking events the RNI provides Cornell faculty and CCE educators the opportunity to meet and identify shared interests.

The RNI aims to:

• develop relationships and partnerships between Cornell faculty and CCE educators
• link Cornell faculty to emerging needs and research questions from practitioners and the communities that CCE serves
• promote skills and capabilities needed to sustain campus-community research partnerships
• improve participant recruitment and retention in Cornell research projects

For more information, contact Jennifer Tiffany.

Research Navigator County Map

The map below highlights New York counties with Research Navigators (in green). There are currently 28 counties with Research Navigators, including the five boroughs of New York City.

Research Navigator Directory

The following Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educators have completed workshops through the Research Navigator Initiative at the BCTR, and are known as Research Navigators. The purpose of this directory is to assist Cornell faculty in identifying CCE educators with shared areas of interest or expertise.

Bernie Armata
Executive Director/Agriculture Issues Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Herkimer County
Interests: animal husbandry, homes and gardens, public health (pesticides, foods, chemicals), energy
315-866-7920
bma3@cornell.edu

Mary Lee Bourbeau
Nutrition and Consumer Science Team Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wayne County
Interests: nutrition, food security and hunger, obesity and diabetes prevention, healthy eating and active living
315-331-8415, ext. 111
mb333@cornell.edu

John Bowe
4-H and Family Living Team Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), positive youth development, youth civic engagement, human development
518-623-3291
jfb32@cornell.edu

Jerome Christie
4-H Youth Development Issue Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), positive youth development, youth civic engagement
845-344-1234
jgc9@cornell.edu

Christopher Colahan
Peconic Dunes 4-H Camp Managing Director
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Interests: program evaluation, youth voice and civic engagement, youth involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), strategic planning and organizational change
631-727-7850, ext. 245
cpc49@cornell.edu

Kristin Colarusso
Family & Community Program Team Leader/North Country Nutrition Programs Regional Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County
Interests: nutrition, food preservation, resource management, ecology and environmental stewardship
315-379-9192, ext. 222
kec47@cornell.edu

Tim Davis
Co-Executive Director/4-H Youth Development Issue Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), workforce preparation, youth leadership
585-394-3977, ext. 431
tsd2@cornell.edu

Heidi Feltz
4-H Youth Development Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County
Interests: youth development, nutrition, food systems, food security and food safety, access to food
716-433-8839 ext. 241
hmk3@cornell.edu

Carole Fisher
Consumer Outreach Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
Interests: food safety, food preservation, consumer education, financial management, indoor air quality/healthy homes
607-272-2292
crf11@cornell.edu

Eduardo Gonzalez, Jr.
State Diversity and Youth Development Specialist
Cornell Cooperative Extension New York City
Interests: diversity and cultural competency, adolescent racial identity development, youth engagement and leadership, social, health, and economic disparities of marginalized populations
212-340-2950
eg36@cornell.edu

Stephanie Graf
Youth, Family, and Community Development Program Leader/NYS 4-H Military Liaison
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County
Interests: military youth and families, youth development, grant writing, 4-H afterschool programs
315-486-1104
sag58@cornell.edu

Holly Gump
Central Region Nutrition Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Tompkins County
Interests: healthy eating and active living for adults, youth, families, and communities, food security, obesity and chronic disease prevention, environmental nutrition, cross-issue collaborations
607-272-2292
hmg2@cornell.edu

Patricia Hammond
Family & Consumer Science Issue Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Chautauqua County
Interests: nutrition, parenting, early childhood education, workforce development, youth, advertising and marketing, active lifestyles, program evaluation, strategic planning
716-664-9502, ext. 216
pah94@cornell.edu

Barbara Henza
Financial & Consumer Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland County
Interests: community and economic development, community energy, financial literacy/capability, consumer decision making
607-753-5077
bmh13@cornell.edu

Ingrid Hill
4-H Community Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County
Interests: outdoor education, natural resources, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), positive youth development, youth civic engagement, community and economic development
845-344-1234
imh23@cornell.edu

Stefanie Hubert
Family Economics/Nutrition Resource Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County
Interests: decision makers/policy education, food resource management
845-344-1234
sh379@cornell.edu

Linda Law-Saunders
Family and Consumer Science Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Washington County
Interests: human development, financial literacy
518-746-2560
lsl64@cornell.edu

Alexa King Maille
Association Team Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Clinton County
Interests: program evaluation, youth voice and civic engagement, youth involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), strategic planning and organizational change
518-561-7450, ext. 107
ask37@cornell.edu

Cathy Lovejoy Maloney
Executive Director
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County
716-433-8839, ext. 234
clm84@cornell.edu

Theresa Mayhew
Resource Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia & Greene Counties
Interests: water resources
518-828-3346, ext. 204
tcm5@cornell.edu

Angela Northern
Regional 4-H Research Specialist
Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Erie County
Interests: youth development, civic engagement, volunteer management, youth and adult volunteer retention
716-652-5400, ext. 140
asn9@cornell.edu

Nancy Potter
Family & Community Development Issue Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Tompkins County
Interests: early childhood development, family and community development, parenting education, public issues education
607-272-2292
nancy.potter@cornell.edu

Nancy Reigelsperger
Financial Management Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County
Interests: financial management, consumer energy, consumer purchasing and clutter, after school programming, Smart Choice Health Insurance
607-664-2304
nmr23@cornell.edu

Brenda Reynolds
Relatives As Parents Program (RAPP) Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County
Interests: human development, parenting
845-344-1234
br23@cornell.edu

Amanda Root
Community Nutrition & Health Program Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County
Interests: nutrition, local food systems, food safety, food security, parenting
315-788-8450, ext. 273
arr27@cornell.edu

Marika Rywak
Resource Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), positive youth development, youth civic engagement, health eating and active living
845-278-6738
mrr28@cornell.edu

Melissa Schroeder
Youth and Family Development Program Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County
Interests: adolescent development, healthy lifestyle programming and curriculum, parenting education, social and emotional learning, youth and risk-taking behaviors
607-535-7161
mcs35@cornell.edu

Dr. James A. Seeley
Executive Director
Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County
Interests: 4-H youth development, family and consumer science, agriculture and natural resources
518-668-4881
jas744@cornell.edu

Kaitlin Smith
EFNEP/ESNY Nutrition
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County
Interests: healthy eating and active living, youth development, food systems
716-433-8839, ext. 238
kms423@cornell.edu

Jessica Spence
4-H and Human Ecology Team Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wayne County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), workforce preparation, youth leadership, youth citizenship, healthy lifestyles, nutrition, financial management
315-331-8415, ext. 114
jls233@cornell.edu

Anna Steinkraus
Parenting Education Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
Interests: human development, parenting education, family supports
607-272-2292, ext. 145
ams69@cornell.edu

Suzan Sussmann
Parenting Educator
Cornell University Cooperative Extension Orange County
Interests: literacy, parenting education, human development, healthy eating and active living
845-344-1234
sls393@cornell.edu

Moira Tidball
Human Ecology Nutrition Resource Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County
Interests: healthy eating and active living, food security and hunger
315-539-9251
mmt65@cornell.edu

Linda Tripp
4-H Youth Development Issue Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia & Greene Counties
Interests: healthy lifestyles, youth and volunteer leadership, workforce preparation
518-828-3346, ext. 203
lke2@cornell.edu

Denyse Variano
Family & Consumer Sciences Issue Leader
Cornell University Cooperative Extension Orange County
Interests: parenting education and family relationships, kinship care and intergenerational programs, emergent literacy, health and wellness
845-344-1234
dav4@cornell.edu

Nancy Welch
Executive Director/Senior Extension Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Hamilton County
Interests: food security and rebuilding the foodshed, energy conservation, poverty and economic hardship, home and grounds
518-548-6191
naw5@cornell.edu

Diane Whitten
Nutrition Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County
Interests: diabetes prevention and education, reducing childhood obesity, reducing the risk of diet-related chronic diseases, food safety and food preservation, promoting local food
518-885-8995, ext. 220
dwhitten@cornell.edu

Rachel Williams
4-H Youth Development Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), positive youth development, youth civic engagement, health eating and active living
315-539-9251
rrw33@cornell.edu

Mark Wittmeyer
4-H Youth Development Team Coordinator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County
Interests: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), animal science, youth leadership, workforce preparation, volunteer development
585-991-5420
mjw16@cornell.edu