Personnel
Department Head
Natalie Goldberg
Dr. Natalie Goldberg is the Extension Plant Pathologist at NMSU and also the Interim Department Head for Extension Plant Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Arizona in 1990. Her job as a Plant Pathologist requires that she operate the plant diagnostic clinic for the State of New Mexico. While providing educational programs in plant pathology such as Master Gardener training, Pesticide Applicator training, grower workshops and conferences, she identifies new plant diseases and evaluates plant disease management methods in New Mexico. Dr. Goldberg also writes educational publications on plant diseases and their management and provides information of disease outbreaks and epidemics to the public and National Pest Data Banks and National Disease Publications.
Phone:(575)-646-1621 (ngoldber@nmsu.edu).
Extension Plant Sciences Faculty and Staff
Tracey Carrillo
Dr. Tracey Carrillo is the Director of the Seed Certification Program with Extension Plant Sciences. Some aspects of the program include field inspection in accordance with New Mexico seed law for noxious and invasive weeds in cropping systems that will produce certifiable seed or forage. Some of the crops include: cotton, sorghum, alfalfa, peppers, peanuts and others. He can be reached at (575) 646-4125 or at tcarrill@nmsu.edu.
Maury Craig
Maury Craig is the Program Coordinator for the NMSU IR-4 Field Research Center. The IR-4 (Inter-regional Project #4) is a federally-funded program designed to provide fast-track registration of pesticides for "minor use", such as vegetable, fruit and nursery crops. Maury conducts field research on chile, onions, pecans, lettuce and other high value food crops that are important to New Mexico agriculture. Pesticide residue data are generated at a nationwide series of research facilities (such as our center at NMSU) for submittal to the Environmental Protection Agency. This data is used to establish tolerance levels that are required for labeling pesticides for new uses.
Phone (575) 646-3231 (mcraig@nmsu.edu).
Leeann S. De Mouche
Water Resources Specialist, 575/646-3973, (ldemouch@nmsu.edu)
Robert Flynn
Robert Flynn is the Extension Agronomist at the Ag Science Center (ASC) in Artesia, NM. He can be reached at (505) 748-1228 (rflynn@nmsu.edu).
Richard Heerema
Dr. Richard Heerema is the Extension Pecan Specialist at New Mexico State University. He is the Coordinator for the Western Pecan Grower's Association Conference held each year here in Las Cruces. Dr. Heerema can be reached at (575) 646-2921 (rjheerem@nmsu.edu).
Bernd Leinauer
Dr. Bernd Leinauer is the Extension Turfgrass Specialist and Assistant Professor at NMSU. His work focuses on different strategies aimed at improving water use efficiency in turfgrass stands. These strategies include screening for cold tolerant and low water use turfgrasses, irrigation with high saline water, modification of turfgrass root zones to increase water retention, and use of subsurface irrigation. Phone- (575) 646-2546 (leinauer@nmsu.edu or http://turf.nmsu.edu).
Bernd Maier
Bernd Maier is the first Viticulture Specialist hired by New Mexico State University's Cooperative Extension Service in June of 2006. He received his Master of Science in Viticulture in Freiburg, Germany. As a commercial consultant, German-born viticulturist, Maier has helped improve local vineyards for two decades. Current research for the New Mexico State University’s Extension Plant Sciences Department includes meteorological studies with respect to grape varieties for Northern and Southern New Mexico, and an emphasis on trellis system evaluation with respect to grape quality and mechanization. Maier will provide consulting services free to growers statewide and can answer questions on grapes and wine. He can be reached at (575) 646-5943 (bemaier@nmsu.edu).
Jose F. Makk
Jose Makk is a Research Specialist at New Mexico State University. Jose conducts research in the area of golf course greens and irrigation efficiency and has participated in the implementation of the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program at NMSU since 2002. Jose received a Master of Science degree from Michigan State University specializing in turfgrass. He is a certified landscape irrigation auditor. He can be reached at (jmakk@nmsu.edu)
Lonnie Mathews
Lonnie Mathews is the Pesticide Program Coordinator. He holds workshops in Las Cruces, Hobbs, Farmington, and Los Lunas and helps to coordinate other workshops throughout the state. These workshops enable prospective pesticide applicants to become certified and licensed. He also conducts the workshops for licensed pesticide applicators to obtain their continuing education units. Lonnie earned his B.S. in Horticulture at NMSU. Lonnie retired with 31 years experience from the New Mexico Dept. of Agriculture. Twenty of those years were spent in the pesticide program. Phone- (575)646-1822 (lomathew@nmsu.edu).
Jane Pierce
Jane Pierce is the Entomologist at the Ag Science Center (ASC) in Artesia, NM. She can be reached at (505) 748-1228 (japierce@nmsu.edu).
Craig Runyan
Craig Runyan is the Water Resources Program Coordinator at NMSU. He received a BS in Ag Education at Stephen F. Austin State University, TX, 1978; M. Agr. in AXED, NMSU, 1986. His experience includes U.S. Navy; assistant professor of ag mechanization, NMSU Department of AXED; International Technical Advisor-Yemen, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, NMSU; vo-ag teacher, Colmesneil, TX. His expertise lies in environment, water, farm safety, irrigation management and natural resources. Phone- (575) 646-1131 (crunyan@nmsu.edu).
Stephani Sandoval
Stephani Sandoval is the Forest Health Specialist. Her office is located in Santa Fe. Stephani works statewide providing educational programs to provide information on tree pests to homeowners and land managers. She received her M.S. in Forest Resources at the University of Idaho where her research dealt with bark beetles, woodborers and their predators' establishments in intentionally- created snags in harvested stands.(505) 476-3351 (ssandoval@nmsu.edu).
Mark Marsalis
Mark Marsalis is an Extension Agronomy Specialist at New Mexico State University. He received his Ph.D. in Agronomy (Forages)from Texas Tech University in 2004. His expertise is in crops, particularly forage and grain crops, silage and hay production, sustainability in irrigated and dryland systems, Cereal crops for grain and forage, and Perennial grasses. He also works as Extension Agronomy Specialist at the Agricultural Science Center at Clovis, NM.
Jason M. French
Jason M. French is the Plant Diagnostic Clinician at NMSU. He received his B.S. in Agricultural Biology in May of 2006 and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Molecular Biology. His past experience was in Integrated Pest Management of cotton and alfalfa working with Dr. Scott Bundy. His professional interests include: diagnosis and management of plant diseases, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus and Xylella Fastidiosa.
Curtis Smith
Dr. Curtis Smith is an Extension Horticulture Specialist at the New Mexico State University Extension office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a graduate of Texas A & M University with degrees in Botany, Plant Physiology, and Horticulture. Dr. Smith works with county agents throughout New Mexico in developing, coordinating, and teaching county Master Gardener programs. He also has responsibilities in ornamental horticulture and landscape water conservation. He writes a weekly Yard and Garden newspaper/web page column and conducts monthly call-in gardening programs on two radio stations. He can be reached at (505) 275-2576 or cusmith@nmsu.edu.
Carol Sutherland
Dr. Carol Sutherland is the Extension Entomologist (1/2) at NMSU and State Entomologist (1/2) for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Dr. Sutherland earned her Ph.D. in Gen. Entomology at Oregon State University, 1974. Her expertise is Africanized bees and fire ants. She has worked on range caterpillars, grasshoppers, ants, and a great number of insects and their relatives as submitted for identification by the public, farmers, ranchers, colleagues, other agencies and organizations. She spends much of her time on identifications and supporting the county agents plus outreach programs in entomology and youth (4H and FFA) and adults. She also spends considerable time working with the Master Gardeners and the Pesticide Applicator Training and Certification program. Phone- (575) 646-1132 (csutherl@nmda.nmsu.edu).
Stephanie Walker
Dr. Stephanie Walker is the Extension Vegetable Specialist. She is an experienced chile and onion breeder and works with the public on vegetable issues ranging from commercial production to public school information programs. Her initial focus is on irrigation technology, mechanization and stand establishment. Stephanie, a Pennsylvania native, received her M.A. in Horticulture and Doctorate in Agronomy from NMSU. Phone- (575) 646-4398 (swalker@nmsu.edu).
Ron Walser
Dr. Ron Walser is the Urban Small Farm Specialist and works out of the Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center. Ron received his PH.D. from Utah State University in Crop Physiology (Pomology) in 1976. His expertise is in the production of high value crops such as tree fruit, berries and vegetables. He assists producers of these crops on small farms in both rural and urban areas of the State and also works in the Master Gardener program. He can be reached at 505-865-7340. rwalser@nmsu.edu.
Mary Acosta
Audit Budget Tech I, 575/646-3155, (acomary@nmsu.edu)
Mary F. Curtis
Admn. Secretary III, 575/646-1715, (marcurti@nmsu.edu)
Peggy Salopek
Admn. Secretary III, 575/646-2875, (psalopek@nmsu.edu)
Jamshid Ashigh
Dr. Jamshid Ashigh is the Weed Specialist with Extension Plant Sciences. He can be reached at (575) 646-2888.