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International Programs Staff
James E. Hill, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
James (Jim) Hill was appointed Associate Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2005. Hill earned B.S. degrees in Crop Science and Biochemistry at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Ph.D. at UC Davis in plant physiology. At UC Davis he has headed an applied research and extension education program in agronomy, specializing in rice-based production systems. He has served as Chair of the Department of Agronomy and Range Science and as Acting Program Leader for Agronomy and Vegetable Crops Extension. In addition to his program in California he has worked extensively with national research and extension programs throughout Asia and served as Program Leader for Irrigated Rice and Head of the Division of Crop, Soil and Water Sciences in the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) from 1999-2002. Hill has authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific journal and proceeding papers and nearly 200 extension education articles. He has been Chair of the USA Rice Technical Working Group and the International Temperate Rice Conference. He has received numerous awards including the UC Davis James H. Meyer Distinguished Achievement Award more recently the California Rice Industry Achievement Award. Hill is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.
Mark A. Bell Ph.D.
Director, International Learning Center
Mark Bell joined UC Davis in 2007 after spending 20 years based at International Agricultural Research Centers in both Mexico and the Philippines. Bell has a MSc in Soil Science from the University of Reading, UK and a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Queensland in Australia – where he also did his B Ag Sc.
At UC Davis, he has led the development of the International Learning Center - the university’s innovation to develop and deliver international training courses.
Bell was Head of both International programs and the Training Center at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), where he led the project on bridging the gap between research and extension and where he also directed major bilateral projects in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Madagascar. He is a skilled field agronomist who has developed a number of major on-line diagnostic crop tools (e.g., Rice Doctor, Maize Dr and Wheat Dr). He has spent considerable time working in the areas of research-extension linkages, adult education and the use of the internet to improve communication in Agricultural development and research. He led the project that developed the Rice Knowledge Bank (www.knowledgebank.irri.org) – the world’s major repository for training and extension material aimed to help developing countries.
Bruce R. Grogan, M.Sc.
Academic Coordinator
Paul L. Marcotte, Ph.D.
Director - Humphrey Fellowship program
Project Manager (HED - India)
Paul Marcotte has been at UC Davis since 1994. He has a Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University, and a PhD in Rural Sociology and International Development from the University of Kentucky. At UC Davis, he has taught with the International Agriculture Development (IAD) and Community Development (CD) programs, directed international programs, and currently is an Academic Administrator for both the Chancellor’s Office of University Outreach and International Programs and the Dean’s Office of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. While at UC Davis, he has been the Chair and Vice-Chair of the IAD Graduate Group, Director of the Humphrey Fellows Program, Director of the Indian TNAU/UC Davis Scientific Exchange program, and has been selected as “Teacher of the Year” for both the IAD and CD programs.
In addition to his work at UC Davis, Marcotte has worked internationally for more than 15 years. He has been a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand, a Rockefeller Fellow, and head of training at the Consultative Group’s International Service to National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). He has also taught fields courses in Thailand, India, Panama, and Mexico.
Corky Lovin, M.Sc.
Agricultural Specialist, International Agricultural Visitors Program (IAVP)
Corwyn Lovin has been on staff at the U C Davis since 1976. Both his B.S. and M.S. are from the U C Davis. With over 30 years of experience with the Agricultural Industry of the United States and especially in the high value, market oriented found in California, Corwyn Lovin is a key player in developing and managing technical field programs and in developing and delivering courses aimed at market-oriented production and as well understanding the issues and product pathways entailed in accessing local, regional and international markets. As head of the International Agricultural Visitors Program (IAVP), Lovin develops, manages and implements programs for people interested in understanding California Agricultural production and marketing systems and the role of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in this system. IAVP also accepts requests to visit the University of California, its UC Cooperative Extension County units and the UC Research and Extension Centers. Additionally, through developed industry relationships programming capabilities include training sites throughout the United States to better meet the specific needs of the training program.
Lovin’s practical experience makes him a key presenter in a broad range of course delivered at UC Davis. In particular, though he has tremendous expertise at analyzing production systems as they relate to markets and market development. He has developed and implemented over 200 short term training programs.
He is regularly asked to join overseas missions to assess markets and product flow with an emphasis on high value and specialty products.
Office & Project Support
Rachel (Chelo) V. Abrenilla
Analyst - Supervisor
Prior to joining the International Programs office in 2007, Chelo was an Administrative Coordinator with International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington DC for 4 years and before that, she was a Senior Secretary-Administrative Assistant with the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines for 18 years. At IRRI and IFPRI, Chelo’s primary responsibility was to provide key administrative oversight and support to a team of multi-disciplinary and international senior scientists that includes assistance at various conferences and meetings. At CAES-IPO, Chelo is responsible in independently serving as the administrative liaison for and coordinator of the unit, particularly in day-to-day transactions with various university sectors and both local and international clients and partners. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management obtained from the University of City of Manila, Philippines.
Shadi Atallah, M.Sc.
Training Specialist, Middle East and Francophone Africa
Shadi Atallah joined CA&ES International Programs after working as an Aِgricultural Engineer for the Middle East Office of the “Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria” and as an Agricultural Project Officer for Mercy Corps International in Lebanon. Atallah has a degree of “Ingénieur Agronome” from the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon, a Masters Degree in Plant Science from the American University of Beirut (AUB), and a Postgraduate Certificate in Postharvest Biology and Technology from UC Davis. Atallah’s research involved the domestication, propagation, cultivation, and postharvest of wild plant species in Lebanon. He served as consultant for plant biodiversity conservation projects in the Middle East. His agricultural development work included the implementation of agroindustry and agroforestry projects in the Bekaa Valley and South Lebanon and the institutional capacity building of the Extension Services of the Ministry of Agriculture in Lebanon.
At UC Davis CA&ES International Programs, Atallah develops adult training curricula and educational materials in the field of international agricultural extension in plant and animal production for development of capacity in teaching faculty and Ministry of Agriculture personnel from the Middle East and Francophone Africa.
Rebecca Irvine
Administrative Assistant
Rebecca “Becca” Irvine has 25 years experience assisting international visitors at UC Davis. Becca served as Administrative Assistant in the International Visitors Office from 1974 to 1979. After a time in the San Francisco Bay Area working in the private sector and pursuing some graduate coursework, Becca returned to Davis in 1988 to learn there was a staff opening in the International Visitors Office and she has been Administrative Assistant since then. In 1990, the office name was changed to International Agricultural Visitors Program. Becca’s primary responsibility is taking charge of receiving and scheduling the short-term visitors who wish to come to the UC Davis campus to meet with faculty in specific research disciplines and/or to discuss potential for future collaborations between institutions. Becca earned a B.A. degree at UC Davis in Psychology.
Donna Damanchyk Maricich, B.Sc.
Program Coordinator
Donna Maricich became a staff member of the International Programs Office (IPO) – CA&ES in September 1989. She currently works part-time for IPO and is responsible for the coordination of agreements of cooperation, the Postgraduate Certificate Program, and the Peace Corps Master’s International Program. During Donna’s 23 year tenure on campus she has worked in various departments—food science cooperative extension, financial aid, CA&ES Dean’s Office college personnel, agronomy and range science, and currently holds a part-time position (along with her IPO duties) as program coordinator for the International Agricultural Development Graduate Program. She has an A.A. degree in office administration from McNeese State University, Louisiana, and a B.S. degree in business administration from the University of San Francisco, California.
Faculty Managing IP Related Projects
Patrick H. Brown, Ph.D.
Project Manager
(Wageningen University - The Netherlands
Zhejiang University - China)
Richard E. Plant, Ph.D.
Project manager
UC Davis-Hanoi university curriculum Development
In addition to those individuals listed above, many CA&ES faculty and staff work with international partners.
