Hello, it’s nice to meet you!

I am Patrick Zayas, the newest Extension Agent at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County. I joined the Family and Consumer Sciences team in February so I feel it’s time for an introduction.

I am originally from New Jersey, but Florida has been my home since 2005 and after living here for nearly twenty years, I feel comfortable saying I am a Floridian at heart. Some of my favorite activities involve staying outdoors in Central Florida. I enjoy cycling the local trails in the summer, kayaking the numerous springs, and visiting all of our local beaches.

I moved to Orlando in 2012 to attend the University of Central Florida and have lived here ever since. In 2014, I graduated from the University of Central Florida with my Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science. A couple weeks later I was hired by the UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Family Nutrition Program (FNP). I worked for FNP for nine years, starting as a Nutrition Educator and leaving the program as a Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change (PSE) Specialist supporting Orange, Osceola and Volusia Counties. I am also pursuing my Master’s degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida and anticipating to graduate next year in 2025!

My passion is staying active, and in this role I want to educate others on how to use exercise to reduce the risks and impacts of chronic disease. I hope to bring new and different programs to Extension to help residents face a variety of health issues.

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to reach out, I can be contacted via email at pazayas@ufl.edu or by phone at (407) 254-9200. If you can, come join me for my first program! I am hosting a yoga and breathing class, Yoga with Extension, at the Orange County Extension Office on Monday, June 10th at 10:00am.

Click here for tickets (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yoga-with-extension-tickets-909885370637?aff=ebdsoporgprofile)

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