Lance Hansen

• Family finance
• Retirement education
• Stress management and mental health
• Youth financial literacy
• Food safety and nutrition
• 4-H youth development

• Being Financially Aware When Divorce Occurs: An Idaho Guide (BUL 977)
• Guide to Using and Caring for Your Electric Programmable Pressure Cooker (PNW 747)

Impact statements

• Mealtime Inspirations participants learn food preparation skills in southeast Idaho
• Breaking the barriers of stigma to address suicide and mental health
• Idaho teens gain financial literacy in immersive, overnight seminar
• Idaho youth learn essential skills to apply and interview for their first job

Lance grew up in Rupert, Idaho; after high school, he attended Utah State University and received a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences, emphasizing family finance in 2004. That same year he got married and started working for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in Pocatello, where he worked for 14 years. In 2016 he was accepted into a master’s program at Western New Mexico University and earned his MBA in August 2018.

Lance became an Extension educator in December 2018 and has focused on creating research-based programs based on the needs expressed by his local advisory committee. His programs cover adult and youth financial literacy, 4-H youth development, nutrition and food safety.

As part of the Farm Stress Management team, Lance and his colleagues are working to increase awareness of mental health issues related to mismanaged stress. He currently is the state coordinator for Life Smarts in Idaho, which helps provide youth with the skills they need to be savvy consumers.

Two programs to highlight are Farm Stress Management, which is currently being taught around the state, and Employment Feud. Lance covers a range of other topics from farm management, mental health, first aid (adults and youth programs), health insurance, retirement planning, to name a few. He serves on several district, state, college and regional committees. 

• Excellence in Workforce Development Programming Award for Employment Feud, National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals, First Place Western Regional and First Place State Winner, 2024
• Innovative Youth Development Programming Award for Employment Feud, National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Third Place National, First Place Western Regional, and First Place State Winner, 2023
• Greenwood Frysinger Award. National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Second Place National, First Place Western Regional and First Place State Winner, 2020
• Innovative Youth Development Programming Award for Cooking Under Pressure for Youth, National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Second Place Western Regional and First Place State Winner, 2020
• Excellence in Healthy Living Award for Cooking Under Pressure for Youth, Idaho Association of Extension 4-H Professionals, State Winner, 2020
• Excellent Leadership and Creativity through Programming, R.W. Schermerhorn Extension Award for Cooking Under Pressure for Youth, University of Idaho Extension Faculty, 2020