Rusk County Extension is excited to announce the hiring of the full time 4-H Program Educator, Karrie Groothousen. Over the past six months, the Rusk County Youth and Justice oversight committee has been dedicated to working with the Area Extension Director, Lori Baltrusis, to identify ways to better align expectations and build a robust 4-H program in Rusk County. The 4-H Youth Development position in Rusk County offers a unique opportunity to impact youth throughout the county. The Visioning Sessions held in February focused on developing volunteers and opportunities to strengthen and grow the Rusk County 4-H Program.

Karrie’s educational background includes an Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy and a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Sciences with an emphasis in Criminal Justice and Psychology. She has served at Rusk County since 2017. First as the Restorative Justice Program Coordinator and most recently as an ongoing and initial Case Worker for Health and Human Services. During her time in Restorative Justice Karrie also worked with Youth Development and completed an internship with 4-H. Karrie’s work experience has always been focused on helping people become their best selves and she looks forward to jumping into 4-H to continue her work with the community.

Karrie began her 4-H journey in Barron County as a member of the Marquette Pacemakers 4-H Club and continued her involvement as a parent and project leader while her own children were in Rusk County 4-H. Karrie looks forward to building on the strong history of 4-H in Rusk County, supporting leaders while bringing in new ideas and programs. If you are interested in joining 4-H as a volunteer or participant, Karrie would love the opportunity to connect with you. You can reach her at Groothousen@wisc.edu or 715-532-2155.