Patricia Tanner (Pat) Nelson Family and Human Development Specialist Cooperative Extension   Department of Food and Resource Economics   Department of Individual and Family Studies Certified Family Life Educator, C.F.L.E., National Council on Family Relations Ed.D., Family and Community Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, NY M.S., Family Life Education, Michigan State University Graduate and undergraduate studies at the Merrill Palmer Institute, Detroit Michigan B.S., Home Economics Education, Kansas State University

• Working with federal, state and community agencies to build Extension's research-based education into the broad continuum of resources needed by families today.   
  • Helped design and continue to support the Home Visiting for First-Time Parents Program, which organizes existing services in the public and private sectors into a "family-friendly" support system for new parents.   The Great Beginnings series is one of the educational resources offered within this continuum.   Sussex First Time Families partners are working together for the optimal development of first-born children and families.  I prepare customized inserts each month for Great Beginnings newsletters going to Sussex parents to help publicize upcoming opportunities in parent education.  
  • A series for parents of school-aged children – Families Matter! – is currently being prepared for the web with funding from Extension's New Communities grant.
  • Kids Count in Delaware  provides the best available data to measure health, economic, educational and social well-being of children in Delaware.  Extension has been a long-term partner in this effort.
• Developing, identifying and/or disseminating researched-based resources that will assist front line workers in their educational programming promoting healthy, happy and resilient children, youth and families across the lifespan.
  •   The Extension Cord outlines resources available.   Extension programming has been greatly enriched by contributions from students and faculty in the Department of Individual and Family Studies.

Professional Activities

• National Council on Family Relations, Education and Enrichment:  Immediate Past Chair
• National and Delaware Associations for the Education of Young Children
• American (and Delaware) Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Contact me