Susan Glassman, nutrition and wellness educator and IEAFCS member, attended the 2018 PILD conference and shares her experiences in this post.  Learn more about PILD online.

Thank you for sending me as the IEAFCS representative to attend the 2018 Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference, Cultivating a Climate of Civil Dialogue.

Attending the conference was an amazing opportunity to meet colleagues from across the nation. It was so much fun to share with other Family and Consumer Sciences colleagues and compare notes! During the conference, my eyes opened to take in the view of Extension in this national forum. I learned from the keynote speakers and gained a better understand of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) by attending the breakout sessions.

Engaging in PILD helped me to see how important our stories are to share. Together, reporting local impact makes significant strides in solving local, state, and national challenges. One of my favorite parts of PILD was delivering our message to legislators! I loved the taste of Washington DC and the hustle and bustle of Capitol Hill – it was so inspiring!

It was a great privilege to represent IEAFCS at PILD! My experience guided me to keep sharing our message and extend Extension's mission to the residents of Illinois.

Thank you!

Susan Glassman, MS Ed.
Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness
Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam Counties