Burnet County AgriLife fully staffed with new Family and Community Health agent
Mia Benge is the new Family and Community Health agent for the Burnet County AgriLife Extension Office, filling a role that has been vacant for over a year. Texas A&M AgriLife photo
For the first time in over a year, the Burnet County AgriLife Extension Office has a complete, four-person team as it welcomes new Family and Community Health Agent Mia Benge.
“In this role, I hope to help those in my community feel educated and confident in making and maintaining healthy practices that will boost their well-being and longevity,” Benge said in a Texas A&M AgriLife media release following her hire. She replaces Kailey Roberts, who left in April 2024.
Benge aims to enhance the overall health and wellness in the community she serves through education programs on nutrition, mental health support, accident prevention, and the promotion of healthier lifestyles.
She is a native of Cedar Park and earned her bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from Colorado State University. She already has experience in the field, having worked as a community nutrition educator while in Colorado.
Burnet County AgriLife, which includes the county’s 4-H program, has seen a big turnover in staffing and big vacancy gaps in recent years.
The current Youth Development agent, Colton Ripley, has only been with Burnet County since April 2024, having arrived after the position was empty for over a year following the departure of Mikayla Herron in early 2023. Even the Extension Office’s administrative assistant, Patty Frigge, has only been on staff for about a year.
With the team complete, Burnet County AgriLife programming should see an immediate benefit.
“We are fully staffed now and that is a big deal for our youth and all of our programs,” said Kelly Tarla, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent, who was hired in 2015. “I think things are just going to run smoother.”