Barbara Pratt
Administrative Assistant
Camp Tanglewood — Cooperative Extension

For ten years Barbara Pratt was the “go to” person at the Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center in her job as Administrative Assistant with the University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension. Barbara answered the phone, managed the office, registered 3,500 campers a year, supported volunteers and produced numerous brochures and publications. To parents calling to register their child for summer camp, a teacher seeking to enroll her classroom to take part in an outdoor ecology lesson or a landowner signing-up for the week long forestry camp, Barbara was the “Dean of Admissions”.

Barbara always demonstrated an outstanding commitment to professional development. She was constantly taking courses, trying new programs and working to improve her skills always with an eye to doing a better job and living up to the 4-H motto “make the best better”. Barbara is a team player who took her turn serving on statewide committees and helped to plan the annual Extension support staff conference.

A major portion of the annual support for Tanglewood programs comes from the non-profit Tanglewood Camp and Learning Center with leadership provided by its Board of Directors who must raise $150,000 to $300,000 a year to meet operating and capital needs. When asked about the support Barbara provided a Board member commented: “Barbara's great! She's always there to provide support and information for me in my various board roles and is on top of everything that goes on in the administrative office.” “Her personal warmth and friendliness added to her professional qualifications make her the perfect ‘first voice’ for Tanglewood.”

Barbara has greatly enhanced the reputation of University of Maine and Tanglewood in so many ways: her sound organizational skills, professional attitude and kind and caring demeanor. Barbara will always be part of the Tanglewood/Extension/University of Maine family and we wish her all the best in her well deserved retirement.