Meet the Team

Do you have a question about a Dinner Tonight recipe? An idea for “tips and tricks” you want to see? Email your questions and ideas to dinnertonight@ag.tamu.edu.

Michelle Allen

Michelle Allen, a Family Consumer Science Agent in Austin County, started this journey many years ago as a and it has been oneRead more...

fantastic ride! She never dreamed that the decision she made in 1992 to join the organization, would change her life in so many ways.Michelle is a proud mother of two children and the adopted mother of so many others. She enjoy good chick flicks, cooking, eating, laughing and doing life with those she love. She learned joy is a lifestyle and chooses to make the most of it!!!

Odessa Appel

Odessa Appel, Wellness Initiatives Assistant for the Healthy Texas Program, loves food, traveling, and exploring the outdoors! Read more...

Food plays an integral part of her life and is always up for trying a new ingredient or a new recipe. Connecting strangers, friends, and family through food is her passion on and off the job!

Julie Gardner

Julie Gardner, Extension Health Specialist, has been having fun teaching and helping others for twenty-two years with

Texas A&M AgriLife. Dinner Tonight is one of her most requested program in Central Texas because participants realize that they too can have fun in the kitchen while learning to create easy, nutritious, and inexpensive meals that the entire family will enjoy. As a founding member of the Dinner Tonight program, Julie loves to share new recipes, cooking tips, and holiday favorites with others! More than that, she loves teaching kids (especially her own) to be comfortable and adventuresome in the kitchen. Julie credits her love for cooking to her grandmother and mama, both of which had her in the kitchen at a very young age; a practice she’s continued with her daughters.

Danielle Hammond-Krueger

For Danielle Krueger, Registered Dietitian and Extension Program Specialist, passion for food and nutrition began as a young child. Growing up

in Arkansas, she learned a lot from family about the joys of cooking and bringing together family traditions into a healthy lifestyle. Now she takes the same passion to create healthy dishes and pass on her love for food and health. When she is not in the kitchen, Danielle loves to spend time outdoors.

Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez

Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez, Extension Program Specialist for the Healthy South Texas Program with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, is the mom of three and

a native of South Texas. When not running after her three little ones, Elaine loves to develop recipes and cook for family and friends. After several rewarding years of nutrition and diabetes education, Elaine joined AgriLife as a Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent in Jim Wells County and was able to begin a successful Farmers Market with a monthly healthy food demonstration for the public. Her position with AgriLife and her thriving community partnerships led to great expansion of the Market and event partnerships such as community walks, a 5K run and children’s obstacle courses.

Joel Redus

Joel Redus is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and County Extension Agent for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Angelina County. He enjoys

experimenting with growing and cooking food and exploring the outdoors with his wife, Michelle.

Chelsea Stevens

Chelsea Stevens, County Coordinator for Williamson County, enjoys providing families with the materials and know-how to make healthy lifestyle changes. The one

thing she loves most about cooking is feeling good about putting a healthy and nutritious meal on the table for her family.

Rusty Hohlt

Rusty, Assistant Director for Healthy Texas, enjoys food and family, which is why leading the Family Mealtime initiative is a perfect fit for her! When not working, she can be found spending time with her

own family and much of that time is the kitchen or around the dinner table. Whether meal planning, grocery shopping, whipping up a delicious recipe, or savoring that favorite meal – Rusty wants to show you that including your kids in the process can provide opportunities for skill building, memory making, and tons of fun!

Selma Dawelbeit

Selma Dawelbeit is an Extension Assistant. Growing up as a ‘third culture kid’ in an expatriate community abroad allowed her

to make friends from dozens of cultures and a common bond was always good food! As part of the Dinner Tonight team, she is able to connect with Texans online by intertwining her business background, her love for the visual arts, and her appreciation for foods from all backgrounds. She enjoys reading, traveling, and sharing mealtimes with family and friends.

Photography: Edge Photography | www.edgebymichelle.com

Michelle Allen

Odessa Appel

Julie Gardner

Danielle Hammond-Krueger

Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez

Joel Redus

Chelsea Stevens

Rusty Hohlt

Selma Dawelbeit

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