Kari (Gillespie) Lewis ’10

Kari Lewis graduated from Montana State University in 2010 with B.S. in Animal Science and minor in Ag Business. Through college, Kari was active in Collegiate 4-H, Alpha Zeta, Ag Ambassadors, Ag Student Council, on the livestock judging team and with Campus Crusade for Christ. Upon graduation, Kari completed the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Feedyard Management internship with class work and then a practical internship near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Kari then completed her master’s degree at UNL in Animal Science, completing research at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory.

She began her MSU Extension career in May 2014 as the Glacier County extension agent in Cut Bank, Montana, where she provides agriculture, 4-H and community development programming to local clientele. She enjoys working with local producers to help them improve their operations and developing youth leaders through 4-H. Career highlights have included being a part of the annual Montana’s Next Generation Conference which annually attracts 200+ producers for production ag and succession planning, working on new 4-H beef curriculum, and helping her community earn several grants for community development work. Kari has been honored with awards from the Montana Pesticide Education program, National Association of Extension 4-H agents, Montana Joint Council of Extension Professionals and Montana Association of Extension 4-H agents for her work and early career achievements.

Kari credits her parents, Wayne and Roxy Gillespie, for instilling a love of agriculture and rural Montana in her which has carried through to her Extension role. She is incredibly thankful for her husband, Kaleb, who consistently helps with whatever is needed to make local Extension events successful and holds down the home front for Kaci (3) and Lane (1) when Kari has evening and weekend commitments. In addition, Kaleb and Kari ranch near Kevin, managing their own herd of Registered Angus cattle.