Executive Director, Office of Communications

Jessica McBride, PhD

Dr. Jessica McBride is the Executive Director of the Office of Communications at UConn's College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. She is responsible for developing and implementing communications and marketing strategies to highlight the College's unique research strengths, outstanding academic offerings, and extensive community impact. An alum, Jessica earned her Ph.D. from UConn in 2017.


Author Archive

tidal wetlands

Extreme Weather Events Accelerating Tidal Wetland Loss

This paper marks the very first time scientists have successfully linked tidal wetland loss to specific storm events

Service dog walking near a park with handler

Genomic Analysis Predicts Guide Dog Success

'If we can tell before they are trained if they [will be successful], that saves a lot of time and a lot of money, and it will also increase the number of guide dogs out there to help people'

Master Gardener garden

UConn Extension Councils Help Connect Communities

Volunteer Extension Councils across the state help UConn Extension identify and respond to community needs

Students at 2026 CAHNR Commencement

CAHNR Celebrates Graduates at 2026 Undergraduate Commencement

On May 9, 2026, more than 600 graduates from UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) crossed the stage at Gampel Pavilion, marking the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and growth

Kumar Venkitanarayanan poses in front of a flowering tree

Kumar Venkitanarayanan Named Dean of CAHNR

Venkitanarayanan has served the University for more than 27 years in a range of leadership roles, including interim dean of CAHNR, senior associate dean, and associate dean for research and graduate education

Drone of Young building and Horsebarn Hill

CAHNR’s Class of 2026

Students from across CAHNR share memories from their time at UConn and their plans for the future

Kevin Burns at his office at Chobani

CAHNR Commencement Speaker Kevin Burns Celebrates a Distinguished Career Across Industries

Kevin Burns ’86 (ENGR), president and chief operating officer of Chobani, will deliver the 2026 College of Agriculture Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR) commencement address and receive an honorary degree from the College

Charles Towe headshot

Charles Towe Named Head of Agricultural and Resource Economics

The Delfavero Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics and an internationally recognized environmental economist, Towe assumes the permanent role after a national search

Schematic design of a landscape architecture project

UConn Seniors Win Awards for Landscape Architecture Projects

Seven students in the landscape architecture program in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) received awards from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects

Woman in garden

Strengthening Connecticut Communities Through Food Security

For decades, UConn Extension has connected research-based solutions with local needs, helping individuals and communities build stronger, more resilient food systems

Female student presents research at CAHNR's annual Graduate Research Forum

CAHNR Graduate Students Showcase Research at Annual Forum

Organized by CAHNR's Office of Research and Graduate Education, the annual research forum provides graduate students from across the College with an opportunity to showcase their work

Guests at the UConn CAHNR Prides Corner Student Success Event

Prides Corner Farms Establishes Scholarships for Plant Science Students

The donation will establish the Prides Corner Farms Graduate Scholarship and the Prides Corner Farms Student Success Fund. The funds will support students pursuing a degree in plant science, with a preference for those studying horticulture

Stephanie Stroud '12 in the field with a map

Bringing Landscape Architecture Directly to Communities

An early love of nature and world-class training from UConn's Landscape Architecture program helped prepare Stephanie Stroud '12 for her unique career in the Park Service’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program

Water being poured into a cup with the sun in the background

Soaking Up the Sun to Provide Clean Water

Researchers from UConn and Yale have developed a new solar-powered water disinfection system that combines several existing methods

Three students stand with Interim CAHNR Dean Kumar Venkitanarayanan at the Capitol

CAHNR’s Commitment to Connecticut Agriculture on Display at Annual Ag Day

For UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) and UConn Extension, Ag Day is both a celebration and a reflection of its year-round commitment to advancing agriculture across Connecticut through research, education, and extension engagement

A group of students pose holding apples in an orchard

Agricultural and Resource Economics Programs Emphasize Experiential Learning

Fulfilling UConn's land-grant mission is providing real-world job skills for CAHNR students

Smiling older woman exercising in a gymnasium

Testosterone Improves Fat Distribution for Older Women

A novel UConn study looked at the impact of using a topical testosterone gel as part of treatment for older women who have suffered a hip fracture in conjunction with exercise

Jagger Javenes ’15, 18

Applying a Landscape Architect’s ‘Design Eye’ at Every Scale

I knew I was looking for landscape architecture [and] knowing that UConn was going to provide me with a great education – plus its reputation as the Basketball Capital of the World, I was all in'

WB Young Building

Two CAHNR Faculty Among World’s Most Highly Cited Researchers

This is the sixth year in a row Zhe Zhu has been on this list, while Yangchao Luo has been named six times since 2019

Natalie Tocco looking through a microscope

Studying ‘Creatures Great and Small’ as a Veterinary Pathologist

As a veterinary pathologist, Natalie Tocco has had the opportunity to study creatures great and small herself – from black bears, to beluga whales, to elephants, and invertebrates