Sheila M. Andrew – Town Council
Sheila is proud that she was born and raised in Rhode Island. Although her passion for agriculture and dairy production took her to several states and ultimately to Connecticut as a professor in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, she is thrilled to come back to Rhode Island and make Charlestown her home. “The town has everything we love; from the agricultural and the rural nature, to the magnificent ocean and salt ponds. We have certainly found the place we love. Most importantly, everyone in Charlestown has been welcoming and very committed to the future of the town and we have enjoyed getting to know many of our fellow residents. I am looking forward to supporting the Charlestown community in maintaining the rural character, supporting our highly respected school system, keeping reasonable tax rates and measured and responsible development, all with a focus on protecting the environment and our natural resources.”
Education
- Ph.D., University of Maryland, Department of Animal Science, Animal Nutrition
- MS, University of Illinois, Department of Dairy Science, Nutrition Division
- BS, University of Rhode Island, Department of Animal Science
Professional Experience
- Professor, and Extension Dairy Specialist, University of Connecticut, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, Department of Animal Science
- Branch Chief and Research Animal Scientist, Pharmacology and Biochemistry Branch, Center for Veterinary Medicine, US Food and Drug Administration, Beltsville, MD.
- Research Animal Scientist, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Ruminant Drugs Branch, Gaithersburg, MD.
- Instructor, Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont, Nutritional Biochemistry.
Public Service
- Advisory Council Chair, US Farm Bill Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, an organization that builds unique public-private partnerships seeking to provide every person access to affordable, nutritious food grown on thriving farms.
- President, National Mastitis Council, a not-for-profit professional organization that promotes research and provides information to the dairy industry on udder health, milking management, milk quality, and milk safety.
- Chair, American Dairy Science Association Graduate Student Paper Competition, which recognizes graduate students who have composed in-depth and extensive literature reviews in their thesis or dissertation, and allow for these papers to be published in the Journal of Dairy Science (JDS) as review papers.
- President, Northeast Section, American Dairy Science Association, an international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives committed to advancing the dairy industry.
- President, Gamma Sigma Delta, Honor Society, Connecticut Chapter, an honor society for agriculture students and those in related fields.
Personal
- Sheila and her husband enjoy hiking, bicycling, and canoeing. She has hiked in over 30 states in the US and in 8 countries. She particularly enjoys meeting people in the various locations and learning about what life is like across a diverse landscape.
Agenda
- Sheila fully supports the CCA Platform and she is looking forward to serving on the town council to implement Charlestown’s recently passed budget to maintain low taxes and support the excellent Charlestown schools. She will work towards conserving the rural character of Charlestown and the many family and agricultural businesses that make our town so exceptional.
