Donald Tobias, executive director of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension office in New York City (CUCE-NYC) since 2005, died Nov. 22 in New York City. He was 68.
“Robin and I are deeply saddened to have lost a treasured colleague and friend,” said President David J. Skorton. “Don carried with him every day the spirit of the land-grant mission and worked to make individuals’ lives better every day.”
Tobias’ career focused on public sector and community research with an emphasis on health, government and education. He led an expansion of CUCE-NYC programs into all five boroughs of New York City. He taught courses on nonprofit management and provided technical assistance to nonprofits and government agencies. In addition, Tobias helped develop programs in Burma, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Bangladesh to link rural food producers and urban markets.
“In the city that never sleeps, Don worked nonstop in his role – as a mentor, visionary, teacher, researcher, cheerleader and partner. He transformed the work of so many who knew him and guided programs that touched thousands of New Yorkers,” said Alan Mathios, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology, in a tribute to Tobias.
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