UGA leaders connect research, education and industry to advance agriculture
Meet the Visionaries of CAES
Written by Maria M. Lameiras
Photography by Dennis McDaniel
Designed by Katie Walker
As the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) enters a period of rapid growth and technological change, a new tier of leadership is guiding the college toward 2030 and beyond. These three CAES visionaries hold distinct roles essential to the land‑grant mission: serving families, farmers and communities while advancing global agricultural innovation. Their shared vision strengthens the college’s commitment to Georgia and expands the reach of its science‑based solutions worldwide.
the institutional connector
Manpreet Singh, associate dean for graduate studies, faculty affairs and strategic initiatives
When Manpreet Singh stepped into the role of associate dean for graduate studies, faculty affairs and strategic initiatives at CAES, he did so with a mindset shaped by experience at every level of academic life. The perspective he brings is anchored in connection — between people, programs and campuses.
The newly defined position was created by college leadership to address long-standing gaps and strengthen support systems for students and faculty. For Singh, the throughline is clear: CAES thrives when its people are connected.
Understanding needs from the ground up
Singh’s approach begins with graduate students, a group he says receives strong support at CAES but often needs more.
“We want to be intentional in providing support for graduate students, whether it’s helping them navigate graduate school, manage an assistantship, prepare for the workforce, or get ready for competitions and presentations,” he said.
That purposeful support must extend beyond Athens to the Griffin and Tifton campuses, home to many graduate programs where distance can create disconnection.
“One of the most widely heard phrases when I was department head was that the road only flows to Athens,” Singh said. His goal now is to ensure equal support, equal visibility and a shared sense of belonging across campuses.
“We want students to feel connected as a unit,” Singh said. “That network is essential.”
One of his early goals is to create a college-wide graduate student orientation where first-year students from the Athens, Griffin and Tifton campuses can meet, form networks and build cross-campus relationships that will sustain them throughout their programs.
A faculty-first philosophy
The five years Singh spent as head of the Department of Food Science and Technology, including oversight of the Griffin-based Center for Food Safety and UGA’s Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center, shaped his perspective on faculty affairs and strengthened his leadership skills in real time.
“There’s so much for department heads to learn and think through when making decisions, so this position will include support for department heads as well as faculty in the college,” he said. “We’re only as good as the people we hire and retain, so how can we support them so they can be successful and productive in their environment?”
In his new role, Singh hopes to refine and strengthen the systems that guide faculty through each stage of their careers. Part of that includes establishing a CAES-specific new faculty orientation to complement the university-level event.
The college’s faculty represent a wide range of responsibilities, from agricultural field research to biotechnology to Extension programming in rural communities. A college-based orientation, Singh said, would help unify expectations, provide clarity, and welcome new faculty into the culture and community of CAES.
“We want faculty we hire to stay at UGA,” he said. “To do that, we have to provide them with growth opportunities and support.”
Strategic initiatives with a purpose
Beyond graduate studies and faculty affairs, Singh’s portfolio includes strategic initiatives, a broad category he describes as the connective tissue linking departments, development, alumni relations and external visibility.
One priority is increasing the number of honors and awards earned by CAES faculty. The college’s researchers, instructors and Extension specialists produce nationally significant work, from microbiome research to regenerative bioscience, but recognition does not automatically follow.
“We need to be strategic about promoting that work,” he said.
Enhancing readiness and recognition
Graduate training is another area Singh plans to evaluate through a lens of connection and reinvestment. He emphasized the need to understand what resources already exist and how they might be reoriented to better support students.
He also pointed to broader metrics for evaluating success, including graduate student career placement, faculty retention and growth, increased recognition through awards, and strengthened international partnerships with top-tier institutions.
Building a culture of connection
Moving from leadership of a single department to an administrative role encompassing nine departments and dozens of graduate programs across three campuses, Singh said his first months in the position have been a “huge learning period.”
He knows that understanding the full breadth of CAES programs — and the needs that vary from department to department — takes time.
The college’s continued growth, he believes, depends on strengthening the systems that support its people and building lines of communication that span programs, departments and campuses.
Singh often describes his goal as helping CAES become “more than the sum of its parts.” That mindset reflects his own path: a food safety researcher who understands industry needs; a department head who learned the demands of leadership; and a faculty member who understands the realities of mentoring students and managing research programs.
His philosophy is grounded in remembering how it felt to serve in each role — undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty member, department head — and using those experiences to inform decisions now.
“Keeping that in perspective always helps,” he said.
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the People-first strategist
Michael Toews, associate dean for UGA Cooperative Extension
A little more than a year into his tenure as associate dean for UGA Cooperative Extension, Michael Toews’ focus has remained steadfast: UGA Extension is about people and trust.
“As the flagship land-grant institution in the state of Georgia, everything we do should be focused on farmers, families and communities,” said Toews, who began his role April 1, 2025.
Since joining the CAES Department of Entomology in 2006, Toews has served as a researcher, instructor and Extension specialist. He was appointed co-director of the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health before assuming the role of assistant dean of the UGA Tifton campus in 2020.
Serving Georgians from Atlanta to the Atlantic
For 110 years, UGA Extension has provided reliable, research-based solutions in all of Georgia’s 159 counties.
UGA Extension agents, who are experts in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development, play a vital role in the university’s ability to fulfill the land-grant mission by giving Georgians access to leading-edge research and evidence-based guidance.
Extension is built on relationships, and those relationships begin in the communities where county agents live and work, Toews said.
“UGA Extension is revered nationwide for the breadth of our coverage, excellent workforce training, and partnership with schools and counties,” Toews said. “I look forward to continuing to develop relationships across the state in the coming months to better understand the issues and opportunities in each county.”
Meeting Georgians where they live
Toews kicked off his new role with a listening tour across the state as he expands his vision for UGA Extension with an emphasis on serving Georgia’s diverse population — both urban and rural. Roughly one-third of Georgia’s population lives in just five metro counties, another third in 21 suburban counties and the remainder across 133 less-populated counties.
“Regardless of where they live, we serve the people of Georgia,” Toews said. “County agents and Extension specialists have diverse backgrounds, educational degrees and interests that match a specific county or campus to meet the needs of our diverse stakeholders.”
Every county agent conducts a local needs assessment and develops targeted programming to fit the interests of the people in their communities. In urban and suburban counties, that can mean an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent focusing on nuisance wildlife mitigation, ornamental plants and turfgrass rather than row-crop production.
Balancing innovation and legacy
Among his top goals for UGA Extension, Toews plans to modernize operations, streamline reporting and focus on county program delivery. He also aims to strengthen the connection between urban interests and agricultural careers while encouraging scholarly work by Extension professionals.
“I have a passion for agriculture and the people of Georgia, and I’m looking forward to leading our Extension programs well into the future,” Toews said. “I see this as an opportunity to continue cementing UGA Extension as the flagship program nationwide.”
Other priorities for UGA Extension include highlighting and supporting efforts in 4-H and youth development, precision agriculture and emerging technologies, disaster preparedness and recovery resources, workforce development for agricultural and related industries, and nutrition and food safety education.
Empowering youth through 4-H
Georgia 4-H is among the nation’s premier youth programs, with more than 200,000 active participants and six 4-H centers serving 88,000 guests annually. With 148 4-H county agents across the state, Toews sees youth development as both a cornerstone of Extension’s legacy and a vehicle for its future.
The 4-H curriculum provides hands-on learning in key focus areas including agriculture, science, civic engagement, leadership, and health and wellness. Through structured activities led by Extension agents and trained volunteers, participants develop practical skills, leadership abilities and civic engagement that contribute to a stronger workforce and greater community involvement.
Toews sees 4-H as a bridge between emerging technology and agricultural careers. He wants Extension to serve as a conduit linking young people interested in computers, drones and technology to opportunities in integrative precision agriculture.
“Extension should be helping youth and adults see that those skills can earn them a living,” he said.
Emerging technologies
Toews views technology adoption as essential to overcoming some of the most pressing challenges facing Georgia farmers today, including labor shortages, environmental protection and the demands of climate-smart agriculture.
Multiple Extension specialists are developing new production-support platforms tailored to Georgia crops such as Vidalia onions, blueberries, cotton and peanuts. Many of these technologies are tested and demonstrated at events hosted by UGA Extension.
UGA Extension is also a key partner in UGA Grand Farm, where national and international companies with innovative ideas test their products and technologies in Georgia’s climate.
“Adopting technology and innovation is the ticket to overcoming key obstacles in production agriculture,” Toews said.
Disaster preparedness and recovery
Hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, wildfires, and human and livestock health emergencies are all too common in Georgia. Toews said effective disaster response is grounded in preparation long before an event strikes.
UGA Extension has built relationships with key partners, including the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Power, and maintains a comprehensive team of Extension personnel who have prepared toolkits, disaster assistance resources and equipment that can be mobilized immediately after a disaster.
Organized through the Agriculture and Natural Resources program area, county Extension agents are prepared to assist in gathering data used to estimate losses, which are compiled and submitted to state and federal agencies.
Urban ag and a growing Georgia
As Georgia’s urban population grows, Toews is focused on expanding Extension’s relevance in cities as well as rural counties. He points to Georgia’s green industry — which encompasses turfgrass, ornamentals, nursery production, greenhouse production and athletic fields — as a major economic driver that generates billions in economic impact and thousands of jobs.
Nutrition and wellness education
Family and Consumer Sciences agents focus on personal finance, fostering healthy relationships, food preparation and overall wellness. Healthy eating is a priority for communities across the state, and Toews views Extension as uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between farm and table.
“Many Georgians need to eat healthier and get more exercise. Fortunately, our farmers and ranchers produce some of the healthiest food of any state,” he said.
Using evidence-based curricula, Family and Consumer Sciences agents continue to build relationships and extend science-based information that leads to healthy living, chronic disease management and positive health outcomes.
Funding and the road ahead
Maintaining and expanding Extension funding is one of Toews’ most pressing concerns. Since 2020, Georgia’s population has grown by 4.4% annually, bringing increasing demand for youth development, agricultural production support, health and nutrition programming, and urgent emerging priorities such as farmer mental health.
“Without strategic investment and a modernized funding model, the state risks eroding the very capacity that supports its largest industry and educates its future leaders,” Toews said.
the INNOVATION architect
Anthony Llano, director, industry partnerships and entrepreneurship
When Anthony “Tony” Llano looks at Georgia’s agricultural landscape, he sees possibility — not only in the fields and laboratories that anchor the state’s economy, but also in the untapped connections between industry, research and education that can shape its future.
As director of industry partnerships and entrepreneurship at CAES, Llano brings two decades of global leadership experience across the corporate, nonprofit and innovation sectors. His mission: make CAES the industry partner of choice for agricultural innovation.
“My vision is for CAES to be the first call companies make when they need innovation, talent or research expertise,” Llano said. “This college already has extraordinary strengths. My role is to connect those assets with the right partners and opportunities in order to transform potential into partnerships and partnerships into impact.”
Global experience, local mission
Llano’s career has spanned continents and industries. Before joining UGA, he served as director of international growth for AGCO Corporation’s precision planting division, leading commercial strategy across South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and China. He spent nearly two decades with John Deere, holding senior roles in business development, mergers and acquisitions, precision agriculture and operations leadership.
Creating pathways for innovation and students
Llano’s role is both practical and visionary: to strengthen the bridge between academia and industry while expanding experiential opportunities for students to engage directly with real-world challenges. That means working with faculty and researchers to translate discoveries into market-ready innovations, helping companies see CAES as a strategic problem-solving partner, and ensuring students gain experience that prepares them for meaningful, in-demand careers.
“Industry partnerships give our students exposure to real-world problems, help them build networks and equip them with the skills employers need,” Llano said. “Whether through internships, hackathons or capstone projects, these experiences make our students career-ready while delivering value back to industry.”
Among his early priorities are advancing signature initiatives such as UGA Grand Farm, strengthening ties with the Innovation District and Innovation Gateway, and expanding project-based learning through programs such as FABricate.
Llano also sees potential in leveraging statewide assets, including UGA Extension and Georgia’s agricultural technology ecosystem, to position CAES at the forefront of agricultural innovation and economic development.
“Georgia is already a powerhouse in agriculture, logistics and business,” he said. “By connecting CAES more intentionally with state agencies, economic development groups and industry associations, we can help make Georgia not only a leader in production, but a leader in innovation.”
Looking ahead to a culture of innovation
Llano’s long-term vision is to help CAES build a national reputation for agricultural innovation and collaboration, where companies, researchers and students work together to advance sustainability and technology.
He is energized by the rapidly developing agricultural technology landscape, including artificial intelligence, robotics, remote sensing, data analytics and climate-smart solutions.
“We’re at a moment of incredible convergence between digital technology and agriculture,” Llano said. “CAES has the expertise and infrastructure to lead that transformation.”
Success is measured in solutions brought to market, students prepared to lead, and communities strengthened through collaboration.
“When academia and industry work together effectively, the results ripple outward into stronger companies, better-prepared students and a more resilient agricultural economy,” he said. “I’m proud to be a part of that.”
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