Grace Wesson

Email: grace.wesson@oregonstate.edu
Title: Air Quality and Food Systems Coordinator
Organization: Oregon State University Extension Service – Wasco County
Community: The Dalles
Population: 26,561 in Wasco County
Counties Served: Wasco County, the Columbia River Gorge, and the State of Oregon

Meet Grace Wesson (she/her):

Grace was raised in Southern California, and graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Animal Science and a minor in Biology. While earning her undergraduate degree, Grace focused on tutoring and laboratory research. Her research examined reproductive biology in livestock species, and her capstone project explored labor issues in the dairy industry. After graduating, Grace worked in the fine art world. Her most recent role at a textile collection culminated in a talk on American quilt traditions given as part of Portland Textile Month. During her term of service with RARE, Grace is excited to advance equity in environmental health and nutrition in the Columbia River Gorge. Grace’s research interests include food systems, rural sociology, and public health. When she isn’t at OSU Extension, you can catch Grace exploring coffee shops, hiking, and painting landscapes.

Community and Organization:

The Columbia River Gorge is one of Travel Oregon’s Seven Wonders of Oregon. It is home to beautiful scenery, including views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams, and widely renowned outdoor activities, particularly wind sports, water sports, and hiking. Agriculture is central to the economy of Wasco County on the eastern side of the Gorge. The Dalles is the largest city in Wasco County, and the surrounding area along the Columbia River has been an important trading site for millennia.

Oregon State University Extension Service seeks to bring research-based knowledge to the public in the form of educational programs and outreach. Within OSU Extension and the College of Health, the Family and Community Health program supports community needs by creating partnerships and promoting healthy choices.

Projects:

As the Air Quality and Food Systems Coordinator for OSU Extension, Grace will be working on multiple public health projects. Grace aims to improve environmental health by installing more air quality monitors, creating outreach related to regional smoke events, and developing local health precautions and policy recommendations. She is also working on a statewide disaster preparedness communication plan with OSU Extension Communications to enhance community resiliency.

To increase knowledge about local food access, Grace is designing the next Columbia Gorge Food Security Assessment. Lastly, Grace will establish a new community garden site and administer outreach activities pertaining to nutrition and gardening.