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 in 2026!

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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