MONTEREY – Twenty-four individuals have been selected for Class 54 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, an advanced leadership development experience for emerging, mid-career leaders in agriculture. The new fellows will be inaugurated into the program on Oct. 11 in Fresno.
Through dynamic seminars during an intensive 17-month program, fellows are immersed in numerous topics, including leadership theory, effective communication, motivation, critical thinking, change management, emotional intelligence and other skills and tools that contribute to improved performance. Four partner universities – Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State and UC Davis – deliver integrated, comprehensive and diverse curriculum at the seminars. Fellows will participate in approximately 55 seminar days, including a 10-day national travel seminar and a 14-day international travel seminar.
“The California Ag Leadership Foundation (CALF) grows leaders who go on to make a positive difference in their families, businesses, communities and ultimately, California agriculture,” said CALF President and CEO Dwight Ferguson. “Participating program alumni assemble a class of fellows that represents a broad cross section of the state’s ag industry and demonstrates the capacity to make real impact. We’re excited for the fellows to kick off their Ag Leadership journey next month!”
CALF invests more than $50,000 per fellow to participate in the program, which is underwritten by individual and industry donations. Ag Leadership is considered one of the premier leadership programs in the United States. Since 1970, more than 1,400 California Agricultural Leadership Program fellows have become lifelong leaders who individually and collectively act as a catalyst for a vibrant agricultural community. For more information about the program, visit agleaders.org.
Class 54 Fellows
- Marisa Alcorta, Center for Land-Based Learning, Winters
- Jake Barcellos, A-Bar Ag Enterprises, Los Banos
- Megan Bell, Margins Wine, Santa Cruz
- Hunter Berry, Yosemite Farm Credit ACA, Turlock
- Kelly Bishop, Imperial Irrigation District, El Centro
- Cameron Boomgaarden, Vann Brothers, Yuba City
- Hillary DeCarl, Del Rey Avocado Company, Fallbrook
- Allison Dericco, Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg
- Will Dyt, Dyt Dairy, Nuevo
- Consuelo Fernandez Noguera, Brokaw Nursery, Ventura
- Jarred Greene, Nickel Family, Firebaugh
- Rachael Laenen, Kimball Ranches – El Hogar, Santa Paula
- Lizandro Magana, California Olive Ranch, Red Bluff
- Patty Martinez, Marz Family Farms Inc., Somis
- Timothy “Boomer” Murray, Murray Ag Real Estate Team, Visalia
- Carson Pettit, RPAC LLC, El Dorado Hills
- Janeth Quintero, Naturipe Berry Growers Inc., Salinas
- Jenny Scheer, Water and Land Solutions, Chico
- Theresa Schneider, A&J Family Farms Inc., Chico
- Tony Shelton, The Wonderful Company, Bakersfield
- Andrew Smith, County of Sonoma, Santa Rosa
- Trevor Tauzer, Tauzer Apiaries, Davis
- Linda Torres, Constellation Brands Inc., Healdsburg
- Jamie Valdovinos, USDA-Risk Management Agency, Windsor