Becky McKendry

Becky McKendry

Contact Me

Pronouns:
She/Her/Hers

Director of Communications and Digital Strategy
Justin S. Morrill Hall of Agriculture

Phone:
517-884-7390

Email:

As director of communications and digital strategy for Michigan State University Extension, Becky leads enterprise communications for one of the nation's largest Cooperative Extension organizations. She oversees executive communications, media relations, digital strategy, organizational messaging, and content development to support a statewide network of more than 700 employees serving all 83 Michigan counties.

From 2019 to 2025, Becky served as communications manager for MSU Extension's Health and Nutrition Institute, supporting more than 150 staff while leading statewide campaigns, managing publications and digital assets, and developing communications training. She also served as the organization's media relations manager and produced former Extension director Jeff Dwyer's Partnerships and Peninsulas podcast.

Before joining higher ed, Becky spent five years in public policy as senior editor at Public Sector Consultants, where she directed an editorial department and supported communications for major initiatives such as a firmwide brand refresh and the Governor's Energy Excellence Awards. Prior to that, she worked as a journalist for several publications and has operated an editorial business since 2006.

A proud Spartan, Becky earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University and holds professional certificates in public relations and editing from the Poynter Institute and the American Copy Editors Society. As an MSU student, she received the Outstanding Senior Award, the Capital News Service Connection Award, and the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism Service Award.

Her writing and communications work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Association for Communication Excellence, the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, and more.

In 2025, she completed the National Extension Leadership Development (NELD) program. Her published feature writing is also preserved in the permanent collections of the U.S. Library of Congress.

Connect with Becky on LinkedIn