In the past six months, six counties welcomed new extension agents for family and consumer sciences (FCS) education. Everyone is eager to get started and is excited to help people in their communities.
Brooke Hogancamp (Carlisle County)
Brooke Hogancamp earned a degree in interior design from Murray State University and spent her internship with Kopperud Realty in Murray, Ky., staging homes and creating virtual tours. For the last 10 years, she worked in rent-to-own storage building account management skills and managed a RTO company before joining Carlisle County Extension on August 1, 2018. She and her husband have three daughters and a variety of “fur babies.” They spend most of their free time together in the boat catching catfish or enjoying the outdoors. She is looking forward to working with all the great people in Carlisle County.
“I grew up in Ballard County but married into Carlisle County in 2007, so I am very excited to be serving the county I call home,” she said.
Kelly Mackey (Calloway County)
Kelly Mackey has a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Home Economics from Harding University in Arkansas. She has taught home economics and family and consumer sciences for seventh through twelfth grades in Kentucky, Texas, and Arkansas. She also designed and manufactured her own line of children’s clothing. She has five children ranging in age from 8 to 22, and was a stay-at-home mom for about 16 years. “As family circumstances changed, I decided it was time to move back to my roots,” she said. “I am thrilled to be back in Calloway County (after almost 20 years living out of state).” Her passion from the time she discovered home economics and Future Homemakers of America (now Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) in high school is helping make homes, families, and communities the best they can be. “I am thankful for the broken roads that have led me back home so that I can serve the wonderful people of Calloway County,” Mackey said. She started in her position Aug. 1, 2018.
Janeen Tramble (Crittenden County)
Janeen Tramble joined the Crittenden County Extension staff as the FCS agent Aug. 1, 2018. She comes to this position after serving 29 years as the 4-H agent in Lyon and Trigg counties. Janeen has a bachelor’s degree in home economics education from Murray State University and a master’s degree in family consumer sciences from the University of Kentucky. She is married to Tony Tramble, and they have two daughters and four grandchildren ranging from ages 3 to 13. Janeen enjoys cooking, reading, and refashioning clothes, which requires her to shop at consignment stores, another one of her passions. “I look forward to working with the wonderful clients in Crittenden County,” she said.
LaToya Drake (Barren County)
LaToya Drake is a nutrition and food educator, community garden organizer, and longtime public servant with more than a decade of experience helping people. She graduated from the University of Louisville with a bachelor’s degree in sociology followed by a master’s degree in integrative and functional nutrition from Saybrook University in Oakland, Calif. LaToya is a champion for children and families and has held a variety of professional service roles including residential counselor, dependency case manager, substance abuse counselor, service coordinator, and middle school nutrition liaison. Drake also serves as Board Chair for Barren River Area Safe Space. Her passion for wellness, food, and gardening have fueled her personal growth and career development. LaToya was born, raised, and currently resides in Barren County. She started in her position Sept. 1, 2018.
Shonda Johnston (Clark County)
Shonda Johnston was born and raised in South Florida but has Clark County roots. Both her parents are from Winchester, and she spent her summer vacations there visiting her grandparents. After attending Florida State University for her undergraduate degrees in both English and family, child, and consumer sciences, she moved to Lexington to attend the University of Kentucky for a master’s degree in family studies. Shonda has worked with families in Kentucky throughout the past decade, working in child protective services with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, providing judges with presentence assessments for the Department of Corrections, and, most recently, as a Family Resource Center Coordinator in an elementary school. She lives in Winchester with her husband and two children and is extremely excited to have started her journey as the family and consumer sciences agent in her own community on Sept. 1, 2018.
Luke Fries (Nelson County)
Luke Fries is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. He also completed a master’s in public administration with a community development concentration at Eastern Kentucky University. During college, he was involved in several campus activities including intramural sports, student government and the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Luke has had a variety of exciting experiences including volunteering with the Peace Corps in Yasothon, Thailand. Before starting his career in extension, Luke worked with children of all ages and stages of development. Luke’s extension career began in Breathitt County as a Family and Consumer Sciences Agent-at-Large. He later transferred to Nelson County as a 4-H youth development agent and transitioned to the Nelson County family and consumer sciences agent position Oct. 1, 2018. He enjoys the great outdoors in any capacity whether he’s running, hiking, biking, golfing, or fishing. He’s also planning a wedding in October with his fiancée Nicole.