Dr. Susan Pheasant

Director

Phone: 559.278.4405

Email: spheasant@csufresno.edu  

Dr. Susan Pheasant was hired in 2018 as the 6th Director of the Institute for Food and Agriculture. Her educational background includes undergraduate degrees in Agricultural Economics and Business Administration (WSU) as well as an MBA-Ag Specialization (Cal Poly-SLO) and an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. incorporating ag econ, marketing, education, and rural sociology (WSU) to evaluate how growers make decisions to adopt new technologies and ideas.  Dr. Pheasant has consulted with national and international agribusinesses and non-profit organizations to implement change technologies and educational programs, helped fresh fruit/vegetable growers prepare for food safety audits, and conducted 3^rd party audits. She is part of a six-generation lineage of apple growers within the USA (primarily Washington State). However, her “friends” fondly describe her as a “world nomad fruit bum.”

Allyson Baldus

Administrative Coordinator

Phone: 559.278.4380
Email: abaldus@mail.fresnostate.edu

Allyson Baldus was hired in June 2019 as the Administrative Support Coordinator II for the Institute for Food and Agriculture. She is responsible for providing administrative support to IFA faculty, staff, and students, with an emphasis on research projects and workshops. 

Allyson is a Fresno/Clovis native and a Fresno State Alumni. She holds a Masters in Kinesiology: Sports Administration Emphasis from Fresno Pacific University. Allyson has a business background through prior experience in the fitness industry. 

 Morgan Henson

Student Assistant 

Phone: 559.278.4405

Email: ifa.demeter@mail.fresnostate.edu

Morgan Henson is a junior here at Fresno State, majoring in Agriculture Education with an emphasis in Animal Science. Morgan grew up in Clovis and graduated from Clovis East High School in 2016. She was a member of the Clovis FFA chapter and plans to use her degree to become an agriculture teacher somewhere here in the valley. Currently, Morgan is an officer in the Agriculture Education Club as well as the Meat Science Club.

Victoria Tolin

Student Assistant 

Phone: 559.278.4405

Email: ifastudent1@mail.fresnostate.edu 

Victoria Tolin (or Tori) is a senior studying agriculture education with an emphasis in animal science. She plans on going back home and becoming an Ag teacher. 

Tori is from Bakersfield where she attended Bakersfield High School. She began her educational path at Taft College where she graduated with two associates of arts degrees- one in History and one in Communications. Once at Fresno State, she quickly joined Block and Bridle and has held an officer position for the past 3 years. Tori is also the sergeant at arms for Alpha Zeta Cal Epsilon.