(02/03/16) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU AgCenter vegetable specialist Kathryn Fontenot has been named the recipient of the 2016 John E. Hutchinson Extension Award for Young Professionals from the Southern Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science.
Fontenot is an assistant professor of horticulture in the LSU AgCenter School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, her master’s degree in horticulture and her Ph.D. in horticulture from LSU. She has served as a faculty member at the LSU AgCenter since December 2009.
Fontenot’s focus is developing and conducting statewide educational programs in the areas of commercial vegetable production, community gardens, school gardens, farmers markets and home gardens. Other work includes agent training, developing vegetable-related extension publications, creating web-based educational materials, conducting vegetable demonstration studies and variety trials along with hosting field days and outreach events.
She serves as AgCenter liaison to the Louisiana Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.
The John E. Hutchinson Extension Award for Young Professionals is presented to individuals early in their careers with a minimum of a 60 percent appointment in Cooperative Extension. The award is intended to recognize outstanding and valuable contributions in horticulture.
Fontenot will be presented the award at the Southern Region annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on February 7.
Rick Bogren