NMSU Extension associate director recognized at national leadership institute ceremony

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service Associate Director Allen Malone was among 27 fellows of the Food Systems Leadership Institute honored at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, Nov. 10-12.

The fellows were recognized for their accomplishments in completing the FSLI executive leadership development program and for contributions they have made to their organizations and the broader higher education and food systems. 

“The Food Systems Leadership Institute is a life changing experience that transforms individuals into the future leaders of the agricultural industry,” Malone said. “It helps you grow and understand your organizational dynamics. It slowly builds your self-confidence while on your personal leadership journey.”

“I am proud and very satisfied to have Dr. Malone completing the Food Systems Leadership Institute,” College of College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Dean Rolando Flores said. “CES is as strong organization as its leadership is. The College of ACES is very conscious on the training and advancement of its leadership team to facilitate the work of faculty and staff in benefit of our students and stakeholders in New Mexico.”

The two-year program is designed for experienced leaders in academia, government and industry. The curriculum includes three executive-style residential sessions, individual coaching, mentoring and personal projects.

“I congratulate Dr. Allen Malone for graduating in the most recent FSLI cohort,” said Jon Boren, College of ACES associate dean and Cooperative Extension Service director. “For his leadership project, Dr. Malone conducted a needs assessment of the Cooperative Extension Service in the College of ACES. As an organization, we are using the results of Dr. Malone’s assessment to make positive changes to the Cooperative Extension Service across the state.”

“One of the strongest components of the program is its introspective look into each individual leader,” Malone said. “The ability to participate in 360-degree assessments was important to me to compare my leadership perspective with that of others around me. I learned a lot about what motivates me and what I value, but the personal coaching and mentoring sessions is where I learned how to turn those attributes into effective senior leadership skills.”

Malone joined NMSU in June 2023 after stints with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Systems and Texas AgriLife Extension Service. He earned his doctorate in agricultural education from Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in agricultural economics from Prairie View A&M University.

“FSLI offers many insightful tools and trainings to help grow our next generation of leaders,” Malone said. “There were many wonderful sessions on strategic thinking and planning, being politically savvy, offering constructive feedback and communication and building effective networks of trust which help mold each individual leader.”