Dr. Christopher Sneed is a tenured Associate Professor and Consumer Economics Specialist at the University of Tennessee. He began his UT career as an Employment Career Specialist and has since served in roles including Extension Agent, SNAP-Ed Social Marketing Specialist, Acting Director of SNAP-Ed and EFNEP, and Assistant Professor. He now leads statewide Extension programs in consumer economics for youth and adults. His work focuses on behavioral economics, workforce development, financial capability, and family resource management. Dr. Sneed also serves as Co-Principal Investigator of Skill Up Tennessee, UT Extension’s SNAP Employment and Training initiative. Promoted with tenure in 2024, he is nationally recognized for his contributions to teaching, research, and service. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles, over 80 Extension publications, and secured more than $36 million in external funding. Dr. Sneed remains active in the academic community through peer review, professional service, and leadership in national Extension and consumer economics organizations.
Dr. Ben Carson accepts position at USDA, will lead
Nutrition, Health, and Housing
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced
that Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., was sworn in as the National Advisor
for Nutrition, Health, and Housing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
“There is no one more qualified than Dr. Carson to advise on
policies that improve Americans’ everyday quality of life, from nutrition to
healthcare quality to ensuring families have access to safe and stable
housing,” said Secretary Rollins. “With six in ten Americans living
with at least one chronic disease, and rural communities facing unique
challenges with respect to adequate housing, Dr. Carson’s insight and
experience is critical. Dr. Carson will be crucial to implementing the rural health
investment provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill and advise on America First
polices related to nutrition, health, and housing. As the U.S. Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development in the first Trump Administration, Dr. Carson
worked to expand opportunity and strengthen communities, and we are honored to
welcome him to the second Trump Administration to help lead our efforts here at
USDA to Make America Healthy Again and ensure rural America continues to
prosper.”
Grants Modernization Update: Upcoming Training
Opportunity and Key Updates for Applicants
NIFA is hosting training sessions in preparation for the
transition to the eRA grants management system.
Upcoming Training Opportunity – eRA Commons Account
Management Webinar.
In the first training, NIFA’s Grant Modernization Initiative
(GMI) team and the National Institutes of Health eRA team will review eRA
Commons account management. These sessions will cover account setup, user roles
and system navigation.
- When: Thursday, Oct. 7
- Sessions:
- 2 p.m. EDT - Administrative Staff Only. Register here.
- 3 p.m. EDT - All Users. Register here.
Important: Choose the appropriate session for your role. If
you are a Principal Investigator (PD/PI), register for the “All Users” session.
The Administrative Staff session is specifically designed for staff responsible
for managing user accounts within their organizations.
Programs Transitioning to eRA in Q1 2026. Only some NIFA programs will be affected.
2026 National 4-H Conference Information Session
NIFA will host the 2026 National 4-H Conference on
April 10-15, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA. Known as
“the Secretary’s Conference,” this Conference is the flagship youth development
opportunity of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Visit the National 4-H Conference webpage to learn more. Join us for an Information Session about 2026 National 4-H Conference on Nov. 20 at 4:00 p.m. EST. Register Online.
