MSU Extension names inaugural Administrative Fellows
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EmailFour MSU faculty and staff members will spend the next year learning across the organization, working alongside Extension leaders and tackling projects tied to strategic priorities.
A sociologist, a forestry researcher, a food safety specialist, and a local government and economic policy expert will make up the very first cohort of Michigan State University Extension's new Administrative Fellows Program.
Sarah Klammer, Asia Dowtin, Jennifer Carrera and Wade Syers will begin the year-long fellowship on August 17, gaining a broader view of how Extension operates across Michigan while bringing their own expertise and perspectives to the organization.
Over the next year, fellows will work with MSU Extension mentors, participate in leadership meetings and professional development, and complete a service project focused on an organizational priority. Along the way, they will learn more about how Extension operates across the state, from strategy and program planning to partnerships and stakeholder engagement.
“MSU Extension’s success depends on people who understand both the communities we serve and the organization that makes that work possible,” said Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension. “This program gives us another way to bring new perspectives to our work and invest in talented leaders who can help shape the future of Extension.”
For Jennifer Carrera, an associate professor of sociology, the fellowship offers an opportunity to strengthen connections between MSU Extension, the College of Social Science, and her community partners.
“I am excited about working with my mentor, Lisa Bottomley, learning more about the work of the Children and Youth Institute, and thinking about how I can enhance the positive impact that MSU has across Michigan,” Carrera said.
MSU Extension food safety specialist Wade Syers was drawn to the opportunity to learn more about the organization while contributing beyond his current role.
“I was also excited about the possibility of working on something that could create lasting value for the organization and the people we serve,” Syers said.
Meet the 2026-27 Administrative Fellows
Sarah Klammer is a senior academic specialist with Michigan State University's Extension Center for Local Government Finance and Policy and the Center for Economic Analysis. Her work focuses on local fiscal health, economic impact analysis and institutional performance evaluation.
Klammer leads projects that help communities and organizations better understand economic and policy outcomes through applied research and stakeholder engagement. She serves as MSU's project lead for the City of Detroit's University Economic Partnership and has contributed to innovative approaches for institutional impact analysis. Her work combines economic research, public policy and community engagement to support informed decision making.
Dr. Asia Dowtin is an associate professor in the Department of Forestry whose research and Extension work focuses on urban forestry, ecosystem services and water resources management.
Dowtin studies the relationships among urban canopy structure, land use and environmental processes to better understand and enhance the benefits provided by urban forests. Her work informs urban forest planning and management strategies that support community resilience, environmental quality and sustainable natural resource management.
Through her Extension appointment, she helps connect research findings with practitioners, decision-makers and communities throughout Michigan.
Dr. Jennifer Carrera is an associate professor of sociology with joint appointments in the Department of Sociology, the Environmental Science and Policy Program and AgBioResearch.
Her research centers on community-based participatory research and environmental health, with a particular focus on collaboratively addressing environmental and public health challenges.
Carrera has worked extensively with community partners in Flint and other underserved communities to develop innovative approaches for environmental monitoring, citizen science and environmental health literacy. Her scholarship emphasizes the value of community-driven research and public engagement in addressing complex societal issues.
Dr. Wade Syers is a statewide MSU Extension food safety specialist and adjunct faculty member in MSU's Institute of Agricultural Technology. His work focuses on foodborne illness prevention, culturally relevant food preservation practices, emergency preparedness, food defense and consumer food safety education.
Syers brings expertise developed through experience in food manufacturing, laboratory research and Extension programming. His efforts help ensure Michigan residents have access to evidence-based information that promotes safe food handling and public health.
