Dedicated to growing your skills

When you study agriculture at SFA, you’ll work with dedicated, experienced faculty with expertise in a wide range of subject areas – from poultry science and agricultural machinery to beef production, agricultural economics and animal breeding. You’ll work with your professors inside and outside the classroom through a combination of traditional coursework and hands-on, transformative learning activities. Whether your career goal is to take over the family farm, design machinery or work in a corporate setting, SFA’s agriculture professors will help you gain the knowledge and experience you need.

Anne Adams
Program Associate

Anne Adams holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from SFA. She spent 30 years as a public school teacher and 27 years in the fashion industry before joining the staff at SFA Gardens as part-time Program Associate.

David Creech

Dr. Dave Creech received his Bachelor of Science in horticulture from Texas A&M University, his Master of Science in horticulture from Colorado State University and his doctorate in horticulture from Texas A&M University. 

Creech’s research interests include blueberry germplasm evaluation and horticultural studies, alternative crop/alternative technology work, crop nutrition studies, new plant introductions for the ornamental horticulture industry, endangered plant rescue, research and reintroduction and finding sustainable solutions to environmental concerns. He is the author of several scholarly and trade articles, and he has accumulated a long list of international consultancies since 1981 to Pakistan, Guatemala, Mexico, Nepal, Israel and China. Dr. Creech has served as president of the Native Plant Society of Texas and the Southern Region American Society of Horticulture Science.

Jocelyn Moore
Assistant Environmental Education Program Coordinator

Jocelyn Moore joined the SFA Gardens education program in the summer of 2014 as a counselor for the award-winning Pinewoods Summer Camp. In October 2016, Jocelyn joined the SFA Gardens as Assistant Education Coordinator. She coordinates the children’s after-school program Nacogdoches Naturally, as well as hands-on workshops and community outreach programs for adults.

Duke Pittman

Duke Pittman joined the SFA gardens staff in October 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Science in horticulture from SFA, and he runs his own landscape company, Blooms, Sweat and Shears. His primary duties at SFA gardens involve the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden.

Dawn Stover
Research Associate

Dawn Stover earned her Bachelor of Science in biology from West Texas A&M and her Master of Science in agriculture from SFA. As part of her research responsibilities, Dawn trials a wide range of herbaceous and woody plant materials and disseminates information within the horticulture industry as well as the gardening public. She currently maintains the herbaceous plant collections within the SFA Mast Arboretum and Pineywoods Native Plant Center, and she is responsible for the horticulture greenhouse facilities.   

Malcolm Turner
Garden Technician

Malcolm Turner’s responsibilities include taking care of the blueberry, fig, muscadine and kiwifruit plantings at SFA Gardens. He is also responsible for the Moody Gardens Research project. Malcolm started out as a volunteer for SFA Gardens before he was hired in March 2017 as a garden technician.

Jared Barnes

Dr. Jared Barnes’ teaching and research interests include crop science, fruit and vegetable production, nursery management, plant breeding, southern perennials, and ecology and cultivation of designed herbaceous plant communities. He earned a doctorate and a Master of Science in horticultural science from North Carolina State University, and he holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is the faculty advisor for SFA’s Horticulture Club.

Joey Bray

Dr. Joey Bray holds a doctorate in poultry science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Science in poultry science from SFA and a Bachelor of Science in animal science from SFA. His research and teaching interests include poultry management practices, disease management, nutritional feed additives and litter amendments. He is responsible for all poultry-related research at SFA, and he oversees the day-to-day activities of SFA’s Broiler Research Center and Poultry Research Center. He is a member of the Poultry Science Association, the American Association of Avian Pathologists, the World Poultry Science Association, the Texas Poultry Federation and the Federation of Animal Science Societies.

Erin Brown

Dr. Erin Brown is an assistant professor of animal science. She earned her doctorate in beef cattle nutrition at Texas A&M University in 2005, her Master of Science in dairy and calf nutrition at Michigan State University and her Bachelor of Science in animal science at Texas A&M University. Brown advises animal science students and is the advisor to the SFA Show Team. Her primary research and teaching interest is beef cattle nutrition.

Candis Carraway

Dr. Candis Carraway holds a doctoral degree in agricultural communications and education from Texas Tech University, a Master of Education in educational leadership from Lamar University and a Bachelor of Science in agriculture from Sam Houston State University. Her research and teaching interests include the integration of science into secondary agricultural education, agriculture teacher recruitment, preparation, retention, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. She is SFA’s collegiate FFA advisor and she also serves as the coordinator of the Agriculture Teacher Preparation Program.

Jordan Cunningham

Jordan Cunningham received her Bachelor of Science in horticulture from SFA. She also worked as a student assistant at the SFA Gardens. As an undergraduate, she received impressive summer internships with Moore Farms Botanical Garden in Lake City, South Carolina, and with Disney Horticulture, Orlando, Florida. After earning her degree, Cunningham worked as a garden supervisor at the Dallas Arboretum in the Paseo de Flores. Her current responsibilities include maintaining the greenhouse and nursery areas along with contributing to the design and planting in the landscapes of the SFA Gardens.

Stephanie Jones

Dr. Stephanie Jones holds a doctorate in reproduction physiology, a graduate certificate in applied statistics and a Master of Science in reproduction physiology from Kansas State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in animal science/pre-veterinary science from the University of Tennessee at Martin. She teaches courses on horsemanship, animal breeding, equine production and management, animal behavior and welfare, and companion animals.

Dr. Franta Majs
Assistant Professor and Soil, Plant and Water Analysis Lab Director

Dr. Franta Majs holds a doctorate in agronomy from The University of Georgia and a Master of Science in soil science from The University of Minnesota. He earned his Master of Science in agroecology and his Bachelor of Science in soil science from Mendel University, Brno, Czech Republic. His teaching and research interests include soil science, soil fertility, soil-plant relations, soil analysis, risk assessment and remediation of soils and sediments contaminated with heavy metals. He is the director of SFA’s Soil, Plant and Water Analysis Laboratory.

Michael Maurer

Dr. Michael Maurer’s research interests include horticulture, turfgrass management, water quality, irrigation, fertility and management. He holds a doctorate in horticulture from the University of Florida, a Master of Science in agriculture and a Bachelor of Science in plant science from California State University, Fresno.

John Michael Mehaffey

Dr. John Michael Mehaffey teaches Introductory Animal Science, Reproductive Physiology, Animal Breeding, Livestock Evaluation and Swine Production. He is the manager of the Swine, Sheep and Goat Centers focusing on show pig genetics and utilization within the classroom. Mehaffey also serves as the faculty advisor for Alpha Gamma Rho and is the coordinator of the Livestock Judging Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science in poultry science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Science in poultry science from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate in animal science from Texas Tech University.

Craig Morton

Dr. Craig Morton’s primary teaching interests include undergraduate and graduate agricultural machinery and agricultural mechanics. He holds a doctorate in agricultural education/agricultural engineering from the University of Missouri, a Master of Education in agricultural education from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education from SFA. He is the advisor to the Agricultural Technology Club.

Emily Payne

Emily Payne earned her Master of Science in agriculture and her Bachelor of Science in speech communication and agricultural development from SFA. She is an academic advisor within the Department of Agriculture, and she also teaches courses that include leadership, development and computer-assisted design.

Dale Perritt

Dr. Perritt has been at Stephen F. Austin since 1981. His teaching responsibilities included agricultural education and agricultural systems management. He serves as coordinator of the Agriculture Science Teacher Program at SFA for teaching certification in Texas public schools. His research efforts in agricultural development have focused on leadership styles and teaching and learning theory. He has also conducted research in the area of energy efficiency in broiler houses. Perritt is a member of the American Association of Agricultural Educators and Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association of Texas.

Leland Thompson

Dr. Leland Thompson earned a doctorate in agricultural economics and a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in animal science the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His primary research and teaching interests include agricultural production, marketing economics, farm-level economic analysis, value-added marketing and economic development. Thompson is the faculty advisor for Delta Tau Alpha and the Ag Business Club.

Kim Johnson

Kim Johnson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from SFA. Her job responsibilities as an accounting clerk include account reconciliation, credit card reconciliation, requisitions and purchase orders.

Cobey Hendry
Beef Farm Supervisor

Cobey Hendry received his Bachelor of Science in Animal, Dairy and Poultry Science with a concentration of Dairy Science from Louisiana State University.