Three TAAA&S-Hicks Awards of Excellence recognize Extension professionals with both UT and TSU
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrated the accomplishments of some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards luncheon. The 2026 ceremony was held on the UTIA campus in Knoxville on August 4. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the institute.
UTIA Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver hosted the celebration and praised the honorees for their devotion to the land-grant mission. “Our UTIA staff and faculty continue to overwhelm me with their enthusiasm and unparalleled expertise,” he said. “I am always in awe of their dedication to providing Real. Life. Solutions. to the people of Tennessee. These award winners represent the efforts and accomplishments this past year that will most benefit all Tennesseans and society – impacts that will have lasting benefits through teaching, research and Extension for years to come.”
Several awards have been established by the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists organization (TAAA&S) and other endowment funds. The TAAA&S-Hicks Awards of Excellence are presented annually to up to three agricultural Extension faculty who are also members of TAAA&S. Members can have appointments at either of the state’s land-grant institutions: the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or Tennessee State University. The 2026 TAAA&S-Hicks Award of Excellence winners are:
Kaushalya Amarasekare, Tennessee State University associate professor, TSU Cooperative Extension
Jonathan Johns, Extension Agent III, UT Extension Marshall County
James Wayne Key, Jr., Extension Agent III, UT Extension Putnam County
Kaushalya Amarasekare, associate professor and Extension specialist in the TSU Department of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering in the College of Agriculture, has ten years of experience with TSU. Over the years she has established programming in integrated pest management, biological control of insects and identifying beneficial insects for small farms. Her work addresses specialty crops and reaches many different audiences, including 4-Hers, women in agriculture and vegetable producers. She teaches the Tennessee Naturalist’s Entomology section called “The World of Invertebrates – Pollinators, Predators and Pests” at the Owl Hill Conservatory in Brentwood, where she’s trained more than 100 naturalists the past decade. Amarasekare is also a contributor to the TSU New Farmer Academy and Small Farm Expo, and was recognized by the TSU College of Agriculture with its Outstanding Extension Faculty Award in 2024. In 2025 she was honored by the Tennessee Academy of Science with their Distinguished University Scientist Award for outstanding service to the state in Extension, outreach and applied research.
Jonathan Johns is responsible for agriculture and natural resources programming in Marshall County and also manages the county’s 4-H Youth Development programming. He has been with UT Extension for 18 years. In particular, his interests include dairy management and youth livestock programs. A graduate of Murray State University with a B.S. in agriculture, Johns is a trained archery instructor and certified in beef quality assurance. He also maintains a commercial pesticide applicator license. He is a past recipient of the George S. Foster Award, the Achievement in Service Award, and the Distinguished Service Award as well as the Extension Central Region TAAA&S Youth Agent and Adult Agent of Year awards. “It’s a huge honor to be selected by my peers to receive this award,” Johns says. “The best recognition you can receive for a job well done is the relationships you build in the community and with the producers you serve.”
James Wayne Key, Jr., has served 31 years with UT Extension, first in Rhea County, but also in Cumberland and Overton counties, and for the past 12 years in Putnam County. He’s the agriculture and natural resources agent and delivers programming in livestock production, forage production, weed control, soil conservation, turf production and pond management. His work with the Master Gardeners has included helping them with fundraising through a plant sale, which helped the group to build a greenhouse. He’s also instructed 4-Hers in ATV safety. Among his past recognitions, Key is a past recipient of UTIA’s E.J. Chapman Award and has been honored as a Putnam County Soil Conservation Distinguished Cooperator. He says receiving the TAAA&S-Hicks Awards of Excellence validates the hard work and late nights. “It stands as a testament to the incredible mentors and teammates who supported me every step of the way, and inspires me to push boundaries even further and to continue striving for excellence.”
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.