June 2024

Dr. Shelly Nickols-Richardson
Associate Dean and Director of Extension

I write to share that Anne Heinze Silvis, Assistant Dean and Program Leader for Community and Economic Development, has announced her retirement from University of Illinois Extension effective July 31, 2024. Anne has provided service to Illinois Extension for 40 years, notably through her administrative activities in leading the state program of work for CED and in implementing educational programming. Anne is nationally known for her work in leadership development, community assessment, sustainable agriculture, and group process skills. 

She served as Secretary and Chair of the Board of Directors for Rural Partners, Illinois Rural Development Council. She continues to serve on the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council and as the Year 1 Director for the Midwest Community Development Institute. She served on the Advisory Board for the Peace Corps Fellows Program and the Value-Added Sustainable Development Center at Western Illinois University. She was a member of the Board of Directors and Communications Chair for the International Community Development Society. She also serves as the Book Review Editor for the Community Development journal. She participated in strategic planning processes for Illinois Extension over the years and provided her expertise to other institutions as they advanced their efforts. She instructed UP 508 Survey Design and Analysis for graduate students in Urban and Regional Planning, as well as AGED 260 Introduction to Leadership Theory for undergraduate students. She published a number of peer-reviewed articles about bioenergy crops, needs and resource assessments, entrepreneurism, managing conflict, and support of farmers. 

She has been a member of several externally funded regional projects, including the recent Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center with the University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, Michigan State, and The Ohio State University, through funds from the Environmental Protection Agency. Anne received many awards during her years with Illinois Extension, including the Excellence in Community Development Programming Team Award (National Runner-Up), Outstanding or Innovative Program Team Award, and the Paul A. Funk Sustained Excellence Award. 

Anne’s commitment to community, mentoring of colleagues, and good judgement will be missed. She will retire in the local community. We wish her all the best! 

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