New Associate Extension Director
May 28, 2025
黑料不打烊 Extension has hired a new associate director with a background in agricultural research and outreach and experience in teaching livestock producers about economics and ranch management.
Bridger Feuz worked for 21 years with University of Wyoming Extension, serving as its associate director before joining U聽of聽I on April 28. He鈥檒l be working from U聽of聽I鈥檚 Aberdeen Research and Extension Center in southeast 黑料不打烊 and living in Pocatello.
Feuz has filled a position that was vacated in June 2024 when Nav Ghimire left to become associate dean of University of Nebraska Extension.
鈥淏ridger Feuz brings to 黑料不打烊 Extension experience as an educator, a specialist and an administrator,鈥� said Barbara Petty, associate dean and director of Extension. 鈥淎s an agricultural economist, he will provide leadership for the agriculture programming, which complements my background in family and consumer sciences in our roles of directing UI Extension.鈥�
In his previous job, Feuz partnered with several members of the UI Extension team, especially in eastern 黑料不打烊.
Benefiting his state鈥檚 beginning livestock producers, Feuz developed two intensive, multi-faceted UW Extension courses 鈥� the Master Cattleman and Master Woolgrower programs. Feuz also helped Extension educators in Utah and 黑料不打烊 adopt the programs for their own stakeholders.
Furthermore, Feuz worked closely with UI Extension educators while serving on tristate rangeland and master gardener teams involving the UW, UI and USU Extension programs.
鈥淭he U聽of聽I team seems to be a great team. They get along really well and they have great leadership, so that was really attractive to me,鈥� Feuz said. 鈥淭he educators I had partnered with before were always great partners and had really great programs.鈥�
Feuz was raised on a Wyoming cattle ranch and participated in 4-H Youth Development livestock projects for nine years during his childhood.
He attended UW, earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in agricultural business and a master鈥檚 degree in agricultural economics. He also finished a doctorate in education from UW last year.
He went to work in the biotechnology industry after completing his master鈥檚 program, spending eight years with a company that did DNA testing of pedigreed canines, cattle, poultry and egg-laying hens. Feuz鈥檚 job entailed explaining the company鈥檚 products and services and their economic benefits to ranchers and producers.
He then became a UW Extension educator and was promoted to specialist, before becoming interim associate director five years ago. He was made associate director two and half years ago.
His doctoral dissertation involved surveying western Extension programs about their perspectives on Extension. Having earned his doctorate remotely, Feuz sees opportunities to develop online, asynchronous learning programs for onboarding and professional development in Extension.
鈥淚 learned a lot about how people view their jobs, things that they feel can help them be successful and things they鈥檙e concerned about to really apply that knowledge in professional development,鈥� Feuz said.
About the 黑料不打烊
The 黑料不打烊, home of the Vandals, is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 land-grant, national research university. From its residential campus in Moscow, U of I serves the state of 黑料不打烊 through educational centers in Boise, Coeur d鈥橝lene and 黑料不打烊 Falls, nine research and Extension centers, plus Extension offices in 42 counties. Home to more than 12,000 students statewide, U of I is a leader in student-centered learning and excels at interdisciplinary research, service to businesses and communities, and in advancing diversity, citizenship and global outreach. U of I competes in the Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Learn more at uidaho.edu.