Hometown: Current: Urbana, IL (Grew up in Effingham, IL)

Undergraduate Institution and Major: Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, B.A. in Recreation Administration with an option in Therapeutic Recreation and a Psychology Minor

Graduate Institution and Major: Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, M.A. in Gerontology

Bio: Chelsey Byers Gerstenecker is a University of Illinois Extension Educator. In this role, she researches and develops curricula to impart education within the communities she serves in Illinois and beyond. The Extension aims to meet people where they are; Chelsey does this via in-person programming, webinars, newspaper articles, blogs, social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat), videos, and texts. She is a skilled communicator, curriculum designer, and exceptionally proficient with technology and creating systems for managing projects and workflow. Chelsey has authored or co-authored over 17 educational Extension curricula. She has spoken at over 30 conferences that have been local, state, national, and international. She is a natural leader who holds leadership positions within Extension, Illinois, and nationally.

Specifically, in her role as a family life educator, she focuses on various life issues to promote health and wellness across the lifespan for both individuals and families. Her emphasis is on brain health, healthy aging, retirement transitions, adult caregiving, emotional health (stress management, mindfulness, farm stress), and life story writing.  Her community-based, research-supported workshops extend to various audiences in her counties and across the state, including professional staff, adults of all ages, family caregivers, and others.  Through her engaging approach to teaching life skills to others, Chelsey’s goal is to promote healthy lifestyle decisions, effective family communication, and life transitions management.

Relevant Professional Experience: 

Chelsey has been with the University of Illinois Extension since 2007. She initially served the Kankakee, Will, and Grundy Counties. In the fall of 2012, she began serving Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties.

Before her service with Extension, Chelsey worked as a Professional Education Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association, St. Louis Chapter. Before getting her master’s degree, she was a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) on an Alzheimer’s/Dementia Unit at the Illinois Veteran’s Home in Manteno, IL.

Research Interests: Public administration, organizational culture, work-group dynamics, new-employee onboarding/mentoring

Honors and Awards: 

NATIONAL

• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Distinguished Service Award, Illinois, 2018 (Individual award)

• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Community Partnership Award, 1^st Place National Winner for Building Rural Community Partnerships to Increase Adults Healthy Brain Habits, First Place National & First Place Regional, 2018 (Individual award)
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Excellence in Multi-State Collaboration, 3^rd Place National Winner for the North Central Region Aging Network, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Development/Family Relations Team Award, 2^nd Place National Winner for Aging: Everybody’s Doing It! – Statewide Healthy Aging Summits, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Innovations in Programming Team Award, 3^rd Place National Winner for Doing More with Less: Helping Older Adults Live Well, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Florence Hall Award, 1^st Place National Winner for family life team’s work in brain health and aging, 2016.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2^nd Place National Winner, Early Childhood Child Care Training Award, 2016.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2^nd Place National Winner, Community Partnership Award for Family Life/Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Post Retirement Education Summer Series Ongoing Partnership,

REGIONAL

• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Community Partnership Award, 2^nd Place Central Region Winner for Educational Curriculum Package, 2019.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Community Partnership Award, 2^nd Place Central Region Winner for Innovation in Programming Award, 2019.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Community Partnership Award, 1^st Place Central Region Winner for Building Rural Community Partnerships to Increase Adults Healthy Brain Habits, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Excellence in Multi-State Collaboration, 3^rd Place Central Region Winner for the North Central Region Aging Network, 2018.

• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Development/Family Relations Team Award, 2^nd Place Central Region Winner, for Aging: Everybody’s Doing It! – Statewide Healthy Aging Summits, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Innovations in Programming Team Award, 1^st Place Central Region Winner for Doing More with Less: Helping Older Adults Live Well, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Social Media Team Award for Illinois Family Files Blog, 2^nd Place Central Region Winner, 2018.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Florence Hall Award, 1^st Place Central Region Winner for family life team’s work in the area of brain health and aging, 2016.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2^nd Place Central Region Winner, Early Childhood Child Care Training Award, 2016.
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 1^st Place Central Region Winner, Community Partnership Award for Family Life/Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Post Retirement Education Summer Series Ongoing Partnership,

• Epsilon Sigma Phi North Central Region Early Career Award, October 2014,
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 1^st Place Central Region Winner, Communications Award/Educational Publications for Parenting Again,

STATE

• University of Illinois Extension Individual Excellence in Extension Award
• Epsilon Sigma Phi, Tau Chapter Early Career Award, 2013

SCHOLARSHIP

• Frank Shuman Professional Development Scholarship Recipient, 2019

OTHER

• Eastern Illinois University, College of Health and Human Services (Awarded under the College of Education and Professional Studies), Leadership and Service Award, 2015

Professional Affiliations: 

• American Society on Aging
• Epsilon Sigma Phi
• National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Sigma Phi Omega

Volunteer Activities: 

• Family Service of Champaign County Advisory Board
• East Central Illinois Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Advisory Board
• Jubilee Café Volunteer
• Community UCC – Church health committee, College Student’s Meal Planning Team Lead

Eastern Illinois University Alumni Volunteer