Dean's Office
Interim Dean
Bill Hendricks, Ph.D.
805-756-2161, whendric@calpoly.edu
Dr. Bill Hendricks was named interim dean for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences on Jan. 1, 2024. Hendricks most recently served as an associate dean for the college, overseeing college operations and enrollment management.
Since joining Cal Poly in 1994, Hendricks has taught in the recreation administration program and served as professor and first department head for the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Department. In 2016, he oversaw the transition of the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration to the Experience Industry Management Department — making it one of the first of its kind in the country. In recent years, he was a critical player in the development of a vision and launch of the Experience Innovation Lab within the college’s Boswell Agricultural Technology Center housed in the Frost Center for Research and Innovation. He is the recipient of Cal Poly's Distinguished Scholarship award; Cal Poly’s Distinguished Faculty Service-Learning award; and the CAFES Faculty Teaching Excellence award.
A former park ranger, Hendricks earned a doctorate degree in recreation and leisure from the University of Utah with an allied area in organizational communication and behavior. He earned his master’s degree in business and public administration from John F. Kennedy University with an emphasis in general management, and his bachelor’s degree in recreation administration specializing in park and natural resources from California State University, Chico.
Senior Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Programs
Jim Prince, Ph.D.
805-756-2161, jpprince@calpoly.edu
Dr. Prince oversees research coordination and funding, and grant and research support. Previously, he served as vice provost for academic affairs for CSU Sacramento, as well as a faculty member in their department of biological sciences. Prior to that, he was an associate dean at CSU Chico, and also held several positions at CSU Fresno. He has more than 30 years of agricultural research experience, including at Cornell University, with USDA-ARS, and at Fresno State.
Dr. Prince earned his bachelor's degree in botany from UC Davis and his doctorate degree in botany and plant molecular biology from Cornell University.
Associate Dean, Student Success and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Ann De Lay, Ph.D.
805-756-2161, adelay@calpoly.edu
Ann De Lay is the college’s associate dean of student success and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She joined Cal Poly in 2008, working previously in the college’s Agricultural Education and Communication Department as a professor and graduate coordinator, supervising, evaluating and mentoring teacher candidates during their clinical practice. She also served as the advisor for the Latinos in Agriculture Club and has held several appointments as a CAFES faculty fellow in the areas of DEI, assessment and the quarter to semester transition.
De Lay earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Cal State Fresno, a master’s degree in agriculture at Cal Poly and a doctorate degree in agricultural education at the University of Florida.
Associate Dean, Operations and Infrastructure
Will Marchese, J.D.
jmarches@calpoly.edu
Will Marchese joined the college in June 2023 as the associate dean of operations and infrastructure, overseeing strategic planning and operations of the college’s infrastructure and 18 production operations, which generate more than $5M in annual revenue. Previously, he held roles at CSU San Marcos, Cal Poly Corporation and UC Santa Barbara. He earned a bachelor's degree from UC Davis and a juris doctor from Lincoln Law School.
Assistant Dean, Advancement and External Relations
Russ Kabaker
805-756-6235, rkabaker@calpoly.edu
Russ Kabaker joined the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences as the assistant dean of advancement and external relations in June 2014. His focus is to provide a seamless and coordinated program of outreach that fosters strong relationships with internal and external partners, enhancing support for the college and its many disciplines.
Prior to joining Cal Poly, Kabaker had an extensive agribusiness management career at Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds, where he was responsible for sales and marketing for the Americas, Australia and New Zealand for various segments within the produce industry. Prior to that, Kabaker worked for the ag operations division of Bakersfield, Calif.,-based Grimmway Farms.
Kabaker is an alumnus of Cal Poly. While a Cal Poly student, he spent his summers working as a wild land firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service for six seasons.
Assistant Dean, Strategic Initiatives, Communications and Student Leadership
Haley Marconett
805-756-2933, hmarcone@calpoly.edu
Haley Marconett is responsible for college-wide strategic initiatives, communications and stakeholder engagement, and student leadership and recruitment. She has more than 25 years of experience as an executive-level advisor overseeing strategic communications, planning and operations. Before joining Cal Poly, she spent her career in private industry, leading strategic communications and executive positioning for Fortune 100 companies. Marconett is a graduate of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.