Auburn University has named Eve Brantley as the 1862 Extension director for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, effective Jan. 1, 2026, Auburn President Christopher B. Roberts announced today.
The appointment follows years of Brantley’s leadership within Alabama Extension, where she has served in roles ranging from multi-county agent to associate director. She also served as director of Auburn’s Water Resources Center and has been a long-standing member of the faculty in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences.
President Roberts said Brantley’s leadership reflects Auburn’s dedication to community impact and the university’s land-grant mission.
“Dr. Brantley has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving Alabama communities through research, education and collaboration,” Roberts said. “Her ability to bring people together around science-based solutions and her deep understanding of Extension’s statewide role will help advance the work of our land-grant mission and support the citizens who rely on Extension every day. I would also like to thank Dr. Mike Phillips for his years of impactful service as the 1862 Extension Director for Auburn University. I am confident that Dr. Brantley and ACES can build upon this foundation to create an even brighter future for the constituents we serve.”
Steve Taylor, Auburn’s senior vice president for research and economic development, said Brantley’s experience will strengthen the university’s extension enterprise.
“I am confident that Dr. Brantley’s expertise, professional integrity and dedication to public service will greatly benefit our university and the Alabama constituencies we serve,” Taylor said. “Her background aligns with the position’s charge to provide innovative leadership, advance applied scholarship and deliver high-impact outreach across rural, urban and suburban communities.”
As the 1862 Extension director, Brantley will serve as the chief administrative officer for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, which is administrated jointly by Auburn and Alabama A&M. She will provide vision and leadership that support the system’s long-standing tradition of excellence in education, applied research, service and statewide outreach. She will report directly to Auburn President Roberts in collaboration with Alabama A&M University President Daniel K. Wims and will work in joint leadership with the 1890 Extension administrator at Alabama A&M.
In this role, Brantley will guide more than 700 faculty and staff across both campuses and in all 67 Alabama counties. She will oversee strategic planning, statewide programming and partnership development with public and private organizations that support Extension’s work across Alabama.
“I am excited for the opportunity to continue to serve the university and the people of Alabama,” Brantley said. “Our Extension professionals do outstanding work every day to improve quality of life for Alabama communities. I look forward to strengthening the connection between Extension and the university’s academic enterprise, including supporting faculty in their efforts to translate research into practical solutions for Alabama residents, creating opportunities for student learning and ensuring that our extension efforts reinforce the teaching and research missions of the institution.”
Brantley brings a distinguished record of leadership, collaboration and community engagement. Her career spans more than two decades of Extension work, including service as a professor and Extension specialist focused on water resources, stormwater management and watershed stewardship. Brantley provided leadership on irrigation watershed planning for Alabama farmers and the agriculture industry. She has coordinated more than 200 watershed and stormwater management workshops, supported the installation of demonstration practices statewide and enhanced miles of stream habitat. She has trained thousands of natural resource professionals through hands-on programs that support the needs of Alabama communities.
Her professional experience also includes service as an Extension educator with Auburn’s Marine Extension and Research Center and work with the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Brantley holds a doctorate from Auburn University, a master’s degree from Clemson University and a bachelor’s degree from Berry College.
