Kimberly Keller named director of evaluation strategy for MU Extension

Kimberly Keller has been appointed director of evaluation strategy for University of Missouri Extension, effective July 1. She brings more than two decades of extension experience to a new role focused on helping the organization measure, strengthen and communicate impact.

Her responsibilities include strengthening evaluation frameworks and practices, supporting program improvement and impact reporting, and developing shared resources that help programs with grant development and management. She will also continue to support some grant-funded evaluation projects.

Since joining the university in 2001, she has served in several extension and research roles, including family support specialist, extension associate, research associate and extension professor. She currently serves as associate extension professor in the Department of Health Sciences in MU’s College of Health Sciences.

Throughout her career, Keller has helped extension programs use data and evaluation findings to improve programming, demonstrate impact and secure funding. Her work has supported major statewide initiatives, including SNAP-Ed and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, as well as regional and national projects involving partners across multiple states. She has worked with programs in Health and Human Sciences and a broad range of other extension efforts, building a reputation for helping teams turn information into meaningful action.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to build organization-wide evaluation practices and infrastructure,” Keller said. “Having strong data about the impact of our work will continue to become more important over time.”

Keller has contributed to national evaluation workgroups, served in leadership roles with professional organizations and collaborated on projects that have helped shape evaluation practices used by extension and public health professionals across the country. Her scholarship and service have focused on practical approaches to measuring outcomes, improving programs and telling the story of extension’s impact.