D. Barry Croom is a professor of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication at the University of Georgia. He has more than thirty-nine years of experience in agricultural and extension education. His career interest developed as a high school junior when he coached his first dairy judging team for the local junior high school FFA program. Croom began his professional career as a high school agricultural education teacher. While teaching full-time, he earned a Master of Education Degree in Agricultural Education. While a high school teacher, Croom was selected by the National FFA Organization to develop and present in-service workshops to teachers across the United States. His students earned state and national recognition for academic achievement. He was recognized as the Sampson County Schools Teacher of the Year and received the Honorary American FFA Degree from the National FFA Organization.
In 1996, Croom became an Extension associate responsible for the statewide FFA Program at North Carolina State University. After completing his doctoral degree in 1999, he became an assistant professor in the same department. Croom worked through the ranks to become an Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor at North Carolina State University. In 2017, he moved to the University of Georgia Tifton Campus to continue his work in agricultural education. He has served as an agriculture teacher, teacher educator, extension associate, state education staff member, professor, and department head in agricultural education and agricultural sciences.
Barry is a seasoned G-W author, with Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, 2nd edition, and Exploring Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources to his credit.
Dr. Roger Hanagriff is an Associate Professor of Animal Science and Rodeo Coach at Texas A&M University, where he combines academic leadership, applied research, student development, and innovation to advance agricultural education and the livestock industry. With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Hanagriff has established a distinguished career spanning teaching, research, extension, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. As Rodeo Coach at Texas A&M University, Dr. Hanagriff is committed to mentoring student-athletes and developing future leaders within the agricultural industry. Through experiential learning, competitive excellence, and leadership development, he helps students build the skills necessary for successful careers in agriculture and related fields.
A recognized leader in agricultural education and technology, Dr. Hanagriff is the co-developer of The Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET), the nation's leading experiential learning and agricultural education management platform. Today, AET supports more than 800,000 students annually, providing educators and learners with tools to document experiences, measure outcomes, and strengthen career readiness across agricultural education programs.
Dr. Hanagriff's academic research and scholarly contributions have resulted in the publication of more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, advancing knowledge in animal science, agricultural economics, agricultural education, livestock production systems, and workforce development. His work emphasizes practical, data-driven solutions that connect academic research with industry needs. An accomplished researcher and grant leader, Dr. Hanagriff has secured more than $4 million in competitive grant funding to support innovative research initiatives, educational programs, technology development, and strategic partnerships. His efforts have helped drive advancements in agricultural education, student engagement, and industry collaboration at the regional and national levels.
Known for his collaborative leadership style and entrepreneurial mindset, Dr. Hanagriff continues to work alongside educators, industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers to advance innovation, expand opportunities for students, and strengthen the future of agriculture through education, technology, and applied research.
Dr. M'Randa Sandlin is an Academic Professional in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication at the University of Georgia where she teaches courses related to leadership in teams and organizational development, extension education and programming, and communication and leads the departmental distance learning initiatives. She is also a UGA Cooperative Extension Specialist for digital learning and delivery. She has 20 years of combined experience in agricultural and extension education and horticulture/garden center management.
Dr. Sandlin is a native Texan and was raised in agriculture. She credits her time in FFA as sparking her interest to pursue a career in agriculture. She earned her bachelor's degree in horticulture from Texas Tech University and worked in garden center management before earning her master's of science and doctoral degrees in agricultural leadership, education, and communication from Texas A&M University. After completing her doctoral degree in 2013, Sandlin worked at the University of Hawai'i-Mānoa where she investigated public opinions on issues surrounding agriculture and natural resources and worked to expand the capacities of the agriculture and natural resources industries via organizational and leadership development training. She has since served as an adjunct instructor at Auburn University in agriscience education before joining the University of Georgia in 2022.
Amanda R. Smith is a Senior Public Service Associate in the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics at the University of Georgia. She has almost twenty years of experience working in University Cooperative Extension. She currently serves as an Extension Agricultural Economist in the area of farm and risk management for row crops in Georgia and as an Agribusiness Instructor for undergraduates.
Her interests have evolved from animal science to agribusiness to agricultural economics, but her love for the agricultural industry began as a youth through 4-H and FFA in Wyoming. She showed pigs for eleven years and was a livestock judging team member in 4-H and FFA. She judged livestock at the collegiate levels at Casper College and later Colorado State University and was named a member of the 2001 All-American Livestock Judging Team. While working on her master's degree, she helped coach the 2002/03 livestock judging team at Colorado State University.
Smith began her professional career in 2004 after obtaining a Master of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics from Colorado State University. Her first job was as an Extension Marketing Specialist at the University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture. There, she helped agricultural entrepreneurs conduct market research and create marketing plans for their value-added agricultural products and business ideas. Examples of projects she was involved with include direct marketing of freezer beef, selling dried cob corn for squirrel feed, on-farm agritourism, and a local produce auction.
Smith has been in her current role as an Extension Agricultural Economist at the University of Georgia since 2006. She has created a successful program educating row crop producers about their cost of production and conducting applied research on agricultural production systems. She has taught four courses and received recognition for her teaching, including the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Teaching Award and recognition from the Career Center for positively impacting several students' lives.
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