WSDA Fairs Program wraps season and welcomes new administrator

Teresa Norman, Fairs Program

Cassie Cichorz, Pest Program, staffing WSDA
booth at the Evergreen State Fair.

Another state fairs season has successfully wrapped up. While fairgrounds across the state are getting ready for their winter-time activities, WSDA is welcoming a new fairs program administrator to take the reins and drive this one-person program for the department. 

Michelle Chavez comes to WSDA from Minnesota, via Prescott, Arizona. She has over 20 years of experience administering local government grants and supporting boards and commissions.

The Fairs Program serves the public and state agriculture through four primary missions. 

The Fairs Program administers the fair fund, which will allocate almost $2.75 million to 67 of the state’s fairs and youth shows this upcoming spring to assist fairs with operating expenses, including premiums and prizes. 

It organizes the department’s presence at three fairs each summer: the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, and the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima. 

As the face of WSDA, volunteers at the department’s booths educate the public about our activities, agriculture in general, and issues of significant interest, such as the northern giant hornet, avian influenza, and preparing for emergencies. In 2019, more than 700,000 people visited those three fairs on days the department had a booth. 

Fairs Commission members from left to right:
Rich Hartzell and Greg Stewart in front row. Paul Kuber,
Teresa Norman, Trish Myers, and Tim Schneider in back row.

The Fairs Program also oversees the Washington State Fairs Commission. The program administer is the board chair and takes care of the commissioners and processes their travel and stipends. The Fairs Commission makes recommendations to the WSDA director on certain issues and evaluates half of the state’s fairs each year to help determine the merit of each fair or youth show.

Finally, the Fairs Program administers the fairs capital improvement grants program – from applications and grant agreements to quarterly reports and project close-out. In this current biennium, the Fairs Program is administering 78 grant agreements totaling almost $8 million. These grants help bring aging facilities up to code, construct new restrooms, and help keep our community assets in working condition and ready to house people and livestock in the event of an emergency.

So, Michelle has a lot to do, but with her background in contracts, grants, and community engagement she’s more than up to the task.

Note from Hannah Mosley-Gonzales, manager of the Administrative Regulations Office, which oversees the Fairs Program: 

“As we welcome a new Fairs Program administrator, we say goodbye to Teresa Norman. Teresa has led the Fairs Program since 2016 and been with WSDA since 2006. Teresa is known for having endless energy and a genuine passion for fairs. She will retire at the end of this year and is looking forward to enjoying all Arizona has to offer.”  

In summary: Another state fairs season has successfully wrapped up. While fairgrounds across the state are getting ready for their winter-time activities, WSDA is welcoming a new fairs program administrator, Michelle Chavez. The Fairs Program serves the public and state agriculture through four primary missions. Learn more about what this program does in the latest Insider blog post. 

Learn about risks and prevention during National Diabetes Month

 Stacy Laney, WSDA Wellness Coordinator

Even light exercise like a brisk walk is beneficial. 

One in every 11 Washington State residents has diabetes. Diabetes is a serious disease caused by blood sugar (glucose) being too high. Our bodies get glucose from the food we eat and use it for energy. 

People who have diabetes are at higher risk of serious health complications like blindness and heart disease. The risk of death increases 50% for adults with diabetes.

November, which is National Diabetes Month, is an opportune time to learn more about this disease. What are your risks of developing diabetes? How can you prevent it? How can you manage diabetes if you have it?

This blog post presents four simple steps you can take to understand and reduce your risks. It also describes a FREE program, offered through our state medical coverage, to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and make lifestyle changes to improve your health. 

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of health recommendations experts make. Take control of your own health by starting with small steps and focus on goals important to you.

Step 1 – Know the risk

People who fit the following descriptions are more likely to develop diabetes:

• Overweight
• Exercise fewer than three times a week
• Have a sibling or parent with diabetes
• 45 years old or older

The American Diabetes Association offers tools and advice for understanding your risk, including a quick one-minute test you can take online. 

Step 2 – Find your healthy weight

If you are overweight, you are more likely to get pre-diabetes. By losing 5-7% of total body weight, you can lower your risk. Research shows that modest weight loss and regular physical activity can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by up to 58% in people with pre-diabetes.

Learn more about the connection between weight and diabetes, and practical weight-loss tips. 

Step 3 – Choose the best foods

Eat more

• Fruits and vegetables
• Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.)
• Whole grains
• Unsalted nuts
• Lean meats

Eat less

• Salty snacks
• White carbs (bread, pasta, rice)
• Sugary drinks
• Saturated fats

Learn more about how an eating plan can be a powerful tool for preventing or managing diabetes. 

Step 4 – Get active

Even light exercise like walking or swimming can make a big difference. Find ways to make movement part of your daily routine. Learn more about how to get moving and incorporate regular exercise into your life. 

Prevention program for state employees

The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) provides health care coverage for state employees. PEBB offers a diabetes prevention program to all members through the contractor Omada. 

This digital lifestyle change program combines the latest technology with ongoing support to help build healthy habits that last. The entire cost of this program is covered by your PEBB medical plan.

You can learn more and get started by going to the PEBB diabetes prevention program’s webpages.

For yourself, your family, loved ones, and the WSDA coworkers who depend on you being at your best, learn about diabetes and how to prevent or manage it. 

In summary: November, which is National Diabetes Month, is an opportune time to learn more about this disease. What are your risks of developing diabetes? How can you prevent it? How can you manage diabetes if you have it? People who have diabetes are at higher risk of serious health complications like blindness and heart disease. This Insider blog post presents four simple steps you can take to understand and reduce your risks.