AMES, IOWA (September 24, 2026) — Abby Boysen has accepted the position of regional director with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach serving Clinton, Muscatine, and Scott counties. She begins the position October 1. As regional director, she will provide administrative leadership to county extension office staff and guidance to county extension councils.
Boysen has been serving as the regional director for Benton, Cedar, and Jones counties since 2024.
Previously she served as a 4-H youth program field specialist and as a program assistant for the “Buy. Eat. Live Healthy” program in Louisa County.
She brings extensive experience in youth education and community outreach, having served in educational roles with the Stanley Foundation and the Bettendorf Children's Museum. As the owner and operator of a music and dance academy, she led programming, managed operations, and cultivated partnerships that expanded learning opportunities for young people in a creative and artistic space. Her career reflects a longstanding dedication to enriching the lives of youth through experiential learning, leadership, and community collaboration.
“Abby has valuable experience providing fiscal and personnel oversight, strategic planning, and operational guidance to county staff and councils. She is skilled in supporting county offices through transitions and fostering collaboration among a variety of stakeholders,” said Andrea Welchans, assistant vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach.
“We congratulate her and look forward to her continuing success.”
Boysen received her Bachelor’s degree from University of Iowa and her Master’s degree in family and consumer sciences (youth development) from Iowa State University.
ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the federal Cooperative Extension System — a network of more than 100 land-grant institutions, including Iowa State University, and the US Department of Agriculture serving communities and counties across the United States. Every county in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level.
For more information about ISU Extension and Outreach, visit extension.iastate.edu/.
