The Virginia Cooperative Extension State Coordinator’s Office is responsible for developing programming material, resources, and training materials for Master Gardener Units across the state. This website, as well as the Master Gardener Handbook, Coordinator’s Manual, video series, and webinars are all products of the State Coordinator’s Office.
What is the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program?
Virginia Cooperative Extension is an educational outreach program of Virginia’s land-grant universities: Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, and a part of the National Institute for Food and Agriculture, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Extension programs are delivered through a network of faculty at two universities, 108 county and city offices, 11 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers.
State Coordinator’s Office Staff
Consumer Horticulture and Master Gardener Specialist
Ed Olsen
M.S. Ed., Virginia Tech, 2010
B.S. Horticulture, Virginia Tech, 1990
Background: Ed Olsen is the Consumer Horticulture Specialist and Extension Master Gardener Director with a 100% Extension appointment. He began with Virginia Cooperative Extension in January 2016 and served as the Henrico County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent until January 2024 before joining the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences.
Before joining VCE and VT, Ed taught horticulture and agriscience classes and was co-advisor of the FFA Chapter at Powhatan High School in Powhatan County, VA.
Contact: edo@vt.edu
Extension Master Gardener Program State Coordinator
Grace Stern
B.S. Horticulture, Virginia Tech, 2021
Grace has been with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) since 2022 when she became an Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent and Extension Master Gardener program coordinator for Nelson County VCE.
In 2024, she took over as VCE’s State Extension Master Gardener Program Coordinator. In this role, she supports and directs the work of over 5,000 volunteers and serves as a resource for volunteers on plant health and environmental stewardship issues.
Contact: emgoffice@vt.edu
Communications Project Coordinator
Devon Johnson
M.A. Virginia Tech, 2017
B.A. Virginia Tech, 2014
Background: Professional and technical writing, digital communication, and nonprofit administration
Extension Areas: As the EMG Communications Project Manager, Devon is responsible for managing the publication process for program-related publications in support of the Extension Master Gardener program in Virginia. She is also responsible for developing and implementing a marketing strategy in support of the EMG program and provides administrative support in the office on an as-needed basis.
Contact: dvj@vt.edu