Our Educators

  Dr. Amy Burk 

  Professor and Extension Horse Specliast 
  University of Maryland, College Park

  amyburk@umd.edu 
  Phone: 301-405-8337

Amy serves as the coordinator for the undergradute Equine Studies option within the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland. She completed her graduate work in Animal and Poultry Sciences as a Pratt Fellow in Animal Nutrition at Virginia Tech, earning an MS in 1998 and a PhD in 2001. At UMD, she teaches Horse Management and Equine Science along with presenting many other horse-related lectures and labs within the department's four-year curriculum.

As an Extension Horse Specialist, Amy provides statewide educational leadership and training in the areas of equine nutrition and pasture management. She is the project coordinator for the Equine Rotational Grazing Demonstration Site in Ellicott City where she hosts many pasture-related educational events.

She has received several awards including the Outstanding Educator Award from the Equine Science Society and the Poffenberger Excellence in Teaching and Advising Award from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland. She grew up riding in the Linthicum 4-H Hi-Riders and St. Margaret's Pony Club, both based in Anne Arundel County.

  Jennifer Reynolds 

  Coordinator for Equine and Poultry Extension Programs 
  University of Maryland, College Park

  jenreyn@umd.edu  
  Phone: 301-405-1547

Jennifer is the Equine-Poultry Extension Coordinator for the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences. In that role, she assists equine faculty with the planning and execution of equine educational programs including the Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference, farrier workshops, and the pasture events held at the Equine Rotational Grazing Demonstration Site.

Jennifer was born and raised in southern New Jersey; after graduating from Delaware Valley College, majoring in Large Animal Scienec, she worked as a broodmare manager and boarding barn manager and volunteered with therapeutic riding programs. In 1998, she moved to Carroll County where she spent 10 years with UMD Extension working as an educator with the 4-H program and then for a brief period with the Nutrient Management Program. She now is happy to have her own horses to enjoy and compete in local hunter circuits. 

  Karol Dyson

  Area Extension Director 
  Prince George's Coutny Extension Office

  kdyson1@umd.edu
  Phone: 301-868-9366

Karol Dyson is currently an Area Extension Director for the Capitol Area. Karol was formerly a 4-H Youth Development Educator and Area Extension Director for University of Maryland Extension. She has worked with Extension in both Connecticut and Maryland in both urban and rural areas. A major part of her youth development work has been in the area of developing youth through Animal Science. Her other areas of expertise are in the fields of Volunteer Development and Nutrition and Fitness. She has an M.Ed. with a focus on multicultural education from the University of Hartford.  Dyson lives with her riding family and 8 horses in rural Southern Maryland.

  Shannon Dill

  Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator
  Talbot County Extension Office

  sdill@umd.edu
  410-822-1244

Shannon Dill is currently the Agriculture Educator and County Extension Director for the University of Maryland Extension in Talbot County.  She has been a faculty member of the University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources since 2001. She graduated from the University of Wyoming receiving a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business and a Master of Science in Agriculture Economics.  Shannon provides outreach and education to agriculture producers of Talbot and neighboring counties in farm business planning, sustainable small farm enterprises, marketing, and livestock management.  

  Elaine Bailey

  4-H Educator
  Calvert County Extension Office

  elbailey@umd.edu
  410-535-3662

Elaine Bailey is currently the 4-H Youth Development Educator for University of Maryland Extension in Calvert County.  In that capacity, she plans, directs, and evaluates a variety of youth development projects, ranging from horses to insects, and computers to GPS.  An Animal Scientist by training, she has taught numerous classes at the University of Maryland at College Park.  Among classes she has taught are ANSC 101 Principles of Animal Science, INAG 232 Equine Business Management, INAG 201 Personnel Management, ANSC 220 Livestock Management, INAG 110 Oral Communications, and many others. 

Elaine is a member of eXtension's HorseQuest Community of Practice where she assists with answering questions about horses and developing and reviewing informational documents for inclusion on the web site.  She earned a B.S. Degree in Animal Science, with a minor in Pure Science, from Clemson University, and an M.S. Degree in Agricultural and Extension Education from Iowa State University.  She is currently humbly learning all about the beauty and nuances of dressage in her horse pursuits, after being a Western Pleasure rider much of her life.