Cathann Kress has officially begun working in her new position as vice president of ISU Extension and Outreach.

Kress was chosen in the spring of the last fiscal year, and began serving in her position in July. Before coming to Iowa State, Kress was the senior policy analyst and program leader for Military Community and Family Policy for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Before working for the Pentagon, Kress was the assistant director of Cornell University’s cooperative extension. She was also the state program leader for 4-H Youth Development from 2000 to 2002.

In 2002, Kress became the director of youth development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research. She remained in her position until 2008, when she began working for the Department of Defense. 

As vice president of ISU Extension and Outreach, Kress serves as the director of the program. ISU Extension uses ISU resources to give Iowans educational and scholarly opportunities to help support the environment, promote healthy people and advance a robust economy. 

Kress was chosen from a pool of candidates by a search committee. The co-chairs of the committee were David Holger, associate provost for academic programs and dean of the graduate college, and Wendy Wintersteen, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. 

Kress’s work experience was what put her above the rest, Holger said. 

“That kind of national involvement was something that differentiated her from the other candidates,” he said. “Small things that distinguish a candidate can make a difference. Her national and federal experience was that.”

Kress and Hoffman were not available for comment.

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