From spending a summer in college traveling the United States with the real “Elsie the Cow,” to serving as the state 4-H director, Dr. Jeff King has quite the extensive resume.
Reared on a Jersey dairy farm, Dr. King’s family also raised and showed Belgian draft horses. Heading off to college, Dr. King kept agriculture a prominent part of his life as he majored in agriculture education and dairy science at The Ohio State University. Once out of school, Dr. King taught vocational agriculture at United High School in Columbiana County. After teaching for several years, he took the position of 4-H educator in Columbiana County, and then later transferred to Clark County.
From his role in Clark County, Dr. King returned to Ohio State to work on his Ph.D. in extension education. Not long thereafter Dr. King became the associate state 4-H director, then the state 4-H director. Now as an associate professor at Ohio State within the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership, Dr. King teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes that are primarily based upon leadership. In addition, he also conducts leadership seminars and workshops outside the department. His expertise in the areas of organizational and staff leadership development led to successful contributions to Extension at The Ohio State University.
A native of Fremont, Ohio, Dr. King now lives in Columbus with his wife, Jill, and their two daughters, Ashley and Megan. In his spare time, Dr. King enjoys showing Belgian draft horses with daughter Ashley, and “thrifting” with his wife.
Jeff King and his family celebrating his daughter’s graduation.