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Harlan County has a new agent in town, more specifically, a new Family and Consumer Science Agent at the University of Kentucky Extension Office.

Heather Maggard is super excited to serve her community through the Harlan County Extension Office. She stated that as the new Family and Consumer Science Agent, she will have multiple opportunities to serve the county’s citizens in valuable and meaningful ways. She is especially excited that the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension program provides folks with research-based educational programming that will help strengthen families.

“I strongly believe that our families are by far our greatest treasure,” she said.

When Maggard was asked why she pursued this position as a community educator, she shared a quote from one of her favorite books that served as a catalyst for her accepting the position.

“‘Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created.’ I believe this quote served as a confirmation for me to take all of my accumulative learning experiences, and apply that knowledge to support and embolden others,” she said. “It’s as if everything I am passionate about has woven together into one opportunity.”

Maggard has earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development with an emphasis in Elementary Education from Lincoln Memorial University. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Middle School Science and Social Studies Education from Union College with a Rank I Certification in Program Development and Assessment.

In addition, Maggard received a certificate in Family and Consumer Science from Eastern Kentucky University and has spent the last several years teaching Family & Consumer Sciences at the Harlan County High School. In total, Maggard has about 13 years of classroom experience; everything from kindergarten to high school, and she has served as a homemaker/stay-at-home mom for six years.

Maggard said she hopes to embrace and empower Harlan County folks.

“As an educator coming straight out of the classroom, I am keenly aware of the needs in our community, and it is my hope to educate and inspire our people. Harlan County is a beautiful community with amazing resources, the most outstanding among those resources are the good people who call Harlan their home,” she said. “I hope to enhance, empower and further develop our residents, through educational programing. I want to create a symbiotic relationship with our people. I want to work cooperatively alongside our population, and glean from their immense wisdom, while sharing educational opportunities with them as well.”

Maggard noted the effect the pandemic has had on educational programming.

“COVID-19 and all the restrictions that accompanied the pandemic weakened our community ties,” she said. “It is time to reconnect through opportunities provided by our extension office, because together we heal and
stand stronger.”

Maggard wants everyone to feel free to reach out to her at the Harlan County Extension Office of the University of Kentucky, the phone number is (606) 573-4464, and her email address is heather.maggard@uky.edu