Melissa Mattee-Murphy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Fulton County, was chosen as the recipient of the 2021 Award of Excellence presented by the Georgia Master Gardener Association (GMGA). Created in 2019, this award is given annually to an Extension agent for outstanding support to Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteers.
Originally from Stockbridge, Georgia, Melissa attended the University of Georgia in Athens where she received her bachelors and Masters degrees in Entomology. She first started with UGA Extension in 2016 as the Union and Towns Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent. While working in the Blue Ridge Mountains, her work focused on traditional small-scale agriculture, beef cattle production, and viticulture. In 2018, she transferred to Fulton County where she currently serves as an ANR agent. Her favorite topics to teach on are insects (of course), snakes and reptiles, and herb gardening. She resides in Dekalb County with her husband, Rockdale County ANR Agent James Murphy, and fills her spare time with hiking, baking and gardening.
Melissa has provided leadership for an MGEV training class in Fall 2020. She led the effort to train in a virtual classroom, with assistance from colleague Carol Stringer (ANR Agent, Fulton) and Tami Cousin, Program Assistant. Their efforts and experiences contributed to the development of the virtual MGEV training classroom piloted in several other counties during 2021.
Melissa and her colleagues organize quarterly continuing education and fellowship meetings with speakers and project highlights to promote volunteer opportunities across Fulton. Field trips in the Atlanta area supplement learning and connections between volunteers. MGEV accomplishments are shared in the quarterly MGEV newsletter, Fulton County Leaves, across social media, and in Extension’s newsletters.
Thank you, GMGA, for sponsoring this award and supporting Extension agents coordinating MGEV programs!. Additionally, Tami Cousins received a first place Communications Award from GACAA and the MGEVs received the 2021 Gibby International Search for Excellence Award (IMGSFE).
More information and pictures can be found in the Oct 05, 2021 edition of the Trellis Blog. https://site.extension.uga.edu/mgevp/2021/10/fulton-agent-receives-award-of-excellence/