Twenty-four individuals have been selected for Class 46 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, an advanced leadership development experience for emerging agricultural leaders.
The new fellows will be inaugurated on Oct. 15 at Fresno State. Through dynamic seminars during an intensive 17-month program, fellows will study leadership theory, effective communication, motivation, critical and strategic thinking, change management, emotional intelligence and complex social and cultural issues.
Seminars are delivered by four partner universities: Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State and UC Davis. Fellows will participate in 56 seminar days, including an eight-day national travel seminar and a 15-day international travel seminar. “We are proud to be seating our 46th consecutive class of fellows,” said Bob Gray, president and CEO of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF). “We have very high expectations for this group of individuals who can make a difference and solve important problems facing agriculture and society.”
CALF invests approximately $55,000 per fellow to participate in the program, which is underwritten by individual and industry donations. Ag Leadership is considered to be one of the premier leadership development programs in the United States. Since it was first delivered in 1970, more than 1,200 men and women have participated in the program and have become influential leaders and active volunteers in the agriculture industry and other areas.
Class 46 Fellows:
• Erin Amaral, Grover Beach, Pacific Vineyard Company
• Zach Bagley, Davis, Olam West Coast
• Drew Becker, Biggs, SunWest Foods
• Dominic Bruno, Sacramento, Bypass Farms
• Domenick Buck, Bakersfield, Anthony Vineyards
• Josh Davy, Cottonwood, University of California
• Shannon Douglass, Orland, CalAgJobs
• Melissa Heinrich, Santa Clarita, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
• Johnna Hepner, Hollister, Produce Marketing Association
• Gayle Holman, Clovis, Westlands Water District
• Randy Hopkins, Clovis, Provost and Pritchard
• Sarah Hovinga, Sacramento, Bayer CropScience
• Beau Howard, Corcoran, J.G. Boswell Company
• Jorge Inestroza, Springville, Tenalu Farm
• Heather Jackson, Madera, Sunview Dried Fruit
• Marc Metzer, Gonzales, Metzer Farms
• Denise Moore, Newcastle, Fowler Nurseries, Inc
• Tony Ortiz, Camarillo, Joseph and Sons
• Salvador Parra, Jr., San Joaquin, Burford Ranch
• Shaun Ramirez, Firebaugh, The Specialty Crop Company
• Adam Secondo, Salinas, Secondo Farms LP
• Blake Vann, Esparto, Vann Brothers
• Christian Vellanoweth, Sacramento, Pearl Crop
• Ashley Zellmer, Sacramento, State Water Resources Control Board