Monica Cooper will become the University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension viticulture farm advisor and county director in Napa County effective April 1.

Cooper recently served as Staff Research Associate ITT-Supervisor at UC, Berkeley. Cooper managed Kent Daane’s research laboratory in the Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management where she coordinated personnel and activities for several projects including the Argentine ant, vine mealybug, olive fruit fly biological control, Eucalyptus psyllid pests, and grapevine leafroll.

Cooper earned a bachelor's degree in Biology from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., in 1996. She then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in an agrarian community in Panama from 1997-1999.

Upon returning to the U.S., Cooper entered the University of Florida where she earned a Doctor of Plant Medicine degree in 2006. As a graduate of the program, she worked in entomology, plant pathology, weed and soil science, agronomy, and horticulture.

Cooper has authored many publications and press stories related to Argentine ant and vine mealybug management as well as made numerous presentations on both subjects throughout the state. She’s been active in the Cameros Growers’ Vine mealybug Workgroup since 2006. Cooper is a member of the Entomological Society of America.

As the Napa County viticulture farm advisor, Cooper plans to continue working on vineyard mealybug plus addressing additional needs of the industry.