The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut has named Dr. Mary Anne Amalaradjou as its 2026 CAHNR leadership fellow. In this role, she will work with the Strategic Vision Implementation Committees (SVICs) to strengthen engagement across committees, promote alignment among priority areas, and advance implementation efforts that support CAHNR’s mission of teaching, research, and extension.
“I am thrilled that Dr. Amalaradjou will support creative initiatives across CAHNR,” says CAHNR interim dean, Kumar Venkitanarayanan. “She has consistently sought out opportunities to contribute beyond her formal role, demonstrating a strong interest in institutional governance, faculty engagement, and advancing initiatives that strengthen our academic community. Her collaborative approach and thoughtful leadership style make her particularly well suited to support the College’s strategic vision at this stage of implementation.”
Amalaradjou, an associate professor of food microbiology in the Department of Animal Science, is recognized within UConn for her leadership and service to the College and University. She has contributed to shared governance and community building by mentoring students and faculty, serving on university committees, and supporting initiatives that bring faculty and staff together around common goals. Her leadership approach emphasizes collaboration, thoughtful listening, and creating inclusive spaces that foster open dialogue and collective problem-solving around shared priorities, qualities that will guide her work with the SVIC committees.
In this position, Amalaradjou will partner with the Dean’s Office, associate deans, and SVIC chairs to facilitate structured discussions within and across committees, coordinate progress reporting, synthesize implementation updates, and help identify areas where committee efforts can align or build upon one another. She will also ensure that faculty and staff perspectives remain central to implementation planning and communication.
“I am excited to work with colleagues across the SVIC committees to strengthen connections and help translate strategic priorities into meaningful action,” says Amalaradjou. “CAHNR’s strength lies in the expertise and commitment of its faculty and staff, and I look forward to supporting conversations that move our shared goals forward.”
Her approach to this role is informed by prior experience working across committees and institutional priorities. As co-chair of the Vibrant Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems and DEIJ SVIC committees, she helped guide inclusive dialogue and thoughtful implementation planning. Her service on the University Strategic Planning Committee further broadened her perspective on aligning college level efforts with institutional goals. At the same time, her scholarship in microbial food systems advances innovative approaches to food safety and sustainable agriculture, integrating research, teaching, and extension in ways that reflect CAHNR’s land-grant mission.
Amalaradjou holds a doctorate in food microbiology from the University of Connecticut and is a veterinarian. In addition to her research and teaching, she is actively engaged in professional organizations and national advisory committees that help shape food safety policy and practice, extending CAHNR’s impact beyond the University and into broader agricultural and public health communities.
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