July 8, 2025
Rick Peterson to become Extension Behavioral Health and Wellbeing Specialist
K-State Extension is pleased to announce that Rick Peterson will become a state extension behavioral health and wellbeing specialist in the College of Health and Human Science’s School of Human Sciences.
Peterson, who holds advanced degrees in family counseling, will assume the position effective August 1. It is a 12-month, tenured appointment.
During Peterson’s tenure as associate director for extension programs, K-State Extension experienced unprecedented growth in total educational contacts from 2020 – 2025. He was instrumental in leading innovative programs, such as the university broadband initiative and the Learn Your Future program. He also guided our State 4-H office during the transition between its previous state program leader and Sarah Maass.
As a state extension behavioral health and wellbeing specialist, approximately 85% of Peterson’s time will focus on collaborating with specialists, agents, the Stress and Resiliency Transdisciplinary Team and other stakeholders interested in enhancing behavioral health and wellness in Kansas.
He will also continue to work in an approximately 15% administrative assignment on the university broadband initiatives, serving as K-State Extension’s lead on our micro-credentialing process, and assisting in enhancing our programmatic evaluation processes.
We will be launching an internal search for an interim associate director for extension programs with the goal of having that position filled by September 15. Between August 1 and September 15, I will work with Associate Program Leader Laurie Chandler in convening the Program Leader Coordinator team.