Congratulations to Rosie Allen for her recognition as one of four national recipients of the Epsilon Sigma Phi Administrative Leadership Award!
Rosie has consistently conducted high quality Extension educational programs through collaborative efforts and effective use of strong committee structure. In 2013, she accepted a new challenge to start the northern Kentucky area Nutrition Education Program (NEP) offices from the ground up. After transferring to the northern Kentucky area NEP agent position, Rosie began this task with a phone on the floor in two bedrooms of a hundred-year-old house remodeled in the 1990’s. She drew upon her Extension experiences and relationships to creatively secure furniture and computers by utilizing federal excess property, UK surplus, the district IT specialist, and Extension office “cast-off” items. Under her leadership, a second NEP office is open and fully functioning to meet needs in all three urban northern Kentucky counties.
In her current position, Rosie regularly visits with Boone, Kenton, and Campbell county Extension agents, district boards, and county extension councils to provide NEP updates on their county situation. She is an active member of the Safety Net Alliance (SNA) of northern Kentucky whose mission is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of safety net services provided to northern Kentuckians. SNA relationships have yielded at least one adult and one youth group for each of the northern Kentucky NEP Assistants.
Rosie has been a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi at the University of Kentucky for 18 years. During her time as a member, she has been very involved. She was the Alpha Kappa Chapter Scholarship Committee Chair in 2001-2002 and the Program Achievement Chair in 2006-2007. She received the national Richard R. Angus Professional Development Scholarship Award in 2008 and the Southern Region Mid-Career Service Award in 2012. Rosie received a number of Alpha Kappa Chapter awards from 1992-2007.
Currently, Rosie directly supervises eight nutrition assistants and works with several county agents to ensure a successful NEP program. She also serves as a preceptor trainer for the community nutrition rotation of students completing their registered dietitian requirements. In this capacity, Rosie has hosted five students to job shadow her and assigned them work to complete that relates to RD competencies.
Rosie is thrilled to be an Extension agent and to be a part of such an active, dynamic and growing Kentucky NEP Team. “I believe in being a total team player, sharing and assisting colleagues to help all make a positive difference in the lives of Kentucky families,” Rosie said. She’s excited to have the opportunity to touch the future of the Commonwealth in a positive way.