Karla J. Spencer

Karla grew up on her family’s registered Holstein farm near Carthage where she was born in 1963. She joined her local 4-H club when she was eight years old and began showing dairy cattle, an activity she continues to enjoy.

She completed work on an undergraduate degree in animal science at Southwest Missouri State University in 1985 and on a master of science degree in dairy science at the University of Missouri in 1988.

To start her professional career Karla worked for a short period of time for an animal pharmaceutical business after completing her graduate work. In 1989 she left her job in industry to join University of Missouri Outreach and Extension as a regional specialist. For the past 10 years she has been regional extension dairy specialist located at Houston in Texas County.

As a dairy specialist Karla works with dairy producers in a three county area to improve their operations and with 4-H youth in their dairy and other livestock projects.

As another part of her extension educational program she works with breed associations, district shows, field days, and conventions related to the dairy industry. She is particularly involved with judging contests and other activities for junior members – “the future of our industry” as her Missouri Holstein Association nomination for the Dairy Hall of Honors Meritorious Service Award notes. Karla is an active member of the National and Missouri Holstein Associations.

For a number of years Karla has served as chair of the Southern National Dairy Cattle Exposition. This annual event is held in Springfield and in 1999 included four breed shows – Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, and Milking Shorthorn. In recognition of her leadership the Exposition awarded Karla its John E. Cooper leadership award for 1999.

Out of state, Karla has, for the past seven years, served on the cattle selection committee for the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. Also, she has been an official judge for the 4-H and collegiate dairy judging contests at the International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky., for the past three years.

Karla is an active participant in three professional organizations related to her work as a regional extension dairy specialist. She has served in the various offices of the University of Missouri Extension Association-UMEA-and was its president in 1998 99. She was named the “UMEA 1996 Professional Communicator” for her use of various mass media in carrying out her regional extension education program.

In 1997 she was awarded the National Association of County Agricultural Agents-NACAA-achievement award. As a member of the Missouri NACAA the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation awarded her its Outstanding Agriculturist award in 1998.

And, Karla is currently president of the Missouri chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, a national professional organization of extension workers.

In her spare time Karla can be found at her home in, Houston, MO.