RANGE Day Presenters

Dr. Nick Ashcroft is the Extension Range Management Specialist at New Mexico State University in the Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources. He is a member of the Range Improvement Task Force (RITF) and provides New Mexico citizens with relevant information on rangeland ecology, monitoring and management. As a member of the RITF, Nick helps resolve rangeland conflicts with science and conduct applied research. Dr. Ashcroft's previous work includes agricultural economics and federal land policy analysis.

Tom Dean has served as an Extension Agent in both New Mexico and Texas, and is currently at the Socorro County Extension office. Having acquired both a Bachelors and Masters degree from New Mexico State University in Range Science, he has been able to put the degree to use in a county with the majority of land being Rangeland. Serving as the county's Ag/4-H Agent and County Director, Tom has been able to put together programs such as the Locoweed program, working with the Rio Grande Basin Initiative, and Hospitality Trainings for Economic Development. Working with the 4-H program has been one of the greatest rewards. He has worked with the State Land office and youth in putting in wildlife structures, and several other natural resource education projects. Teaching the youth leadership and assisting them in their leadership roles as members of the NM State Leadership takes up a large part of his efforts. Tom was awarded the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Achievement Award, the Epsilon Sigma Phi's State Early Career Award, and the National Association of Extension 4-H Agent's Achievement in Service Award.

Dr. Chris Allison is currently the Department Head of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources at New Mexico State University. Dr. Allison received both his BS and MS in Range Science from NMSU and his PhD from Texas A&M University. Dr. Allison's area of expertise is in grazing management, range animal nutrition and poisonous plants. He is an internationally recognized expert in rangeland management and monitoring changes in rangeland vegetation.

Dr. Allison's awards include the College of Agriculture and Home Economics "Fabian Garcia Founders Award of Excellence" and Distinguished Extension Award, Honorary State FFA Degree, Friend of 4-H Award, and the New Mexico Society for Range Management "Excellence in Range Management Award." Dr. Allison is also a world class power lifter and team roper.

Tom Dominguez is currently the Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Tucumcari, New Mexico, with over fifteen years experience in Extension Education. He attended Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, and has a Bachelor of Science in Range Animal Science and Masters in Agriculture Education. Tom has spent a lifetime on the big outfits of West Texas and also helps in the family operation raising beef cattle in the desert southwest.

Joby Priest was born in eastern New Mexico and raised around livestock. At a young age he started working with horses and before long turned it into a career. Joby has an Associates of Applied Science degree in Horse Training and Management from Lamar Community College, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Extension Education from New Mexico State University. He has trained horses professionally for the past 18 years, and to date has won three World Championships and two Reserves, coached youth to eight more World Championships, and five Reserves in the Palomino Horse Breeders Association. Joby has won points in eight events, and qualified for the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship show several times. Joby also has two, top ten finishes at the American Paint Horse Association World Championship Show, and has put on clinics in the United States and Europe.

Currently, Joby is the horse farm manager at New Mexico State University, and an Instructor of Equine Sciences. Joby is also fortunate enough to coach the NMSU Ranch Horse Team which was reserve national champions at the American Stock Horse Association Collegiate Championship show in 2009, third in 2010 and 2011.