When Sarah Kirby reflects on her three decades at NC State, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t her many accomplishments, which include being interim director of NC State Extension, leader of Extension’s Family & Consumer Sciences program, coordinator of the statewide Healthy Homes initiative, and key contributor to the growth of the NC Disaster Information Center.
Instead, she thinks about the people.
“My memories and my highlights are working with some really amazing people who are absolutely passionate about the work that they do,” she said. “One of the things that has always amazed me is how community driven they are. They feel a connectedness and a calling to work in their communities, and it’s really amazing. I can’t say enough about them. They’re just really good people.”
Kirby is retiring after a 41-year career, including 31 years at NC State and 10 at Oklahoma State, another land-grant institution and the place where she earned her bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D.
“Sarah has been a valuable member of our leadership team, and a champion for NC State Extension’s mission,” said Garey Fox, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State.
That includes serving as interim co-director alongside David Monks following Richard Bonanno’s departure in August 2024.
“I was humbled to serve in that role,” Kirby said. “It really was an honor to be able to be a part of that, to work closely with David.”
Monks became the permanent director in July 2025.
“Sarah has been a tireless worker and advocate for Extension,” Monks said. “She’s led with integrity, compassion and a deep commitment to both her Extension colleagues and communities statewide. She will be greatly missed.”
Sarah Kirby with NC State Extension director David Monks. The two served as interim co-directors from August 2024 until July 2025, when Monks became the permanent director.
She will be succeeded as FCS program director by Annie Hardison-Moody, currently an Extension specialist and interim assistant program leader for FCS.
“Annie is going to be an amazing leader,” Kirby said. “She’s got a public health background. She’s got a very compassionate, empathetic heart. She’s got a vision and she’s going to do great things.”
Kirby appreciates her years spent in an organization that helps all North Carolinians. In 101 centers throughout the state, local experts provide research-based solutions in areas including agriculture and food, health and nutrition, and youth development.
“Whether we’re doing work in agriculture or working with youth or families, it all is to help make a difference in many important issues ,” she said. “That’s the thing that I love the most about Extension. It’s a great feeling when you make a change in people’s lives. And Extension, really, that’s what we do on a daily basis.”
She has worked most closely with FCS agents, who help improve lives through education in nutrition, health, food safety and food preservation, and by supporting local food systems.
“It has been an amazing experience working with our agents across the state,” she said. “The work they’re doing in food security and chronic disease and helping people, especially now in these really challenging times, is so important. I feel honored, blessed, lucky and grateful to have had time with them, to lead them and to work alongside them. They’re all partners.”
One of her first roles in Extension was working with disaster relief response.
“Hurricane Fran came through the first year that we moved here [in 1996], and that was my first experience with a hurricane,” she said. “The next one that came along was Floyd [in 1999]. I remember some of the community work that we did, the workshops. My role was to show storm victims how to clean up their houses. And then of course, all the way up to Hurricane Helene last year. That kind of work has been so impactful — draining yet emotionally fulfilling.”
Kirby’s official retirement date is Jan. 1, 2026, but she will continue in a part-time, temporary role during the transition period.
After that, she plans to travel with her husband and spend a lot of time with her grandkids.
“I’ve had a great career,” she said. “I’m hoping there’ll be a day where they go, ‘Sarah who?’ It’s okay to be forgotten because then you know that whoever is there is doing a great job. And that’s what I expect to happen.”
This post was originally published by NC State Extension news and written by Simon Gonzalez.