CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/25/17

Advancing Georgia's Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry 2017-2019 class announced

By Merritt Melancon

Twenty-five professionals who represent a broad cross section of corporations, businesses and organizations throughout Georgia have been chosen to participate in the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) 2017-2019 class.

Organized by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the purpose of AGL is to educate and empower Georgia’s agricultural leaders to become effective advocates for the largest economic drivers in Georgia — the state’s agriculture and forestry industries.

“This class of participants went through a rigorous selection process and is exceptionally strong,” said Lauren Griffeth, director of AGL. “These individuals are diverse in their skill sets, career stages and geographic locations, and display a strong professional commitment to making a difference in the industries they serve.” 

The AGL program is designed to bring together leaders from all segments of the state’s agriculture, forestry, natural resources and allied industries. Over 22 months, they will help one another grow through personalized leadership development geared toward understanding themselves as leaders, analyzing issues facing their industries and strengthening connections to become catalysts for positive change.

AGL’s 2017-2019 inductees:

  • Jessie Bland, project coordinator with the Georgia Peanut Commission, Tifton
  • Jarrod Creasy, founder/CEO of 920 Cattle and Company, Statesboro
  • Kirk Dawkins, hatchery manager with Pilgrim’s Pride, Gainesville
  • Lauren Dees, marketing manager with Generation Farms, Lyons
  • Katie Gazda, executive director of the Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, Macon
  • Philip Gentry, agriculture/youth director of the Georgia National Fairgrounds, Perry
  • Grant Harvey, director of woodlands at The Langdale Company, Valdosta
  • Cindy Haygood, district conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Carrollton
  • Jon Jackson, founder/president for STAG Vets, Milledgeville
  • Tamara Jones, executive director of Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network, Decatur
  • Tim Lowrimore, manager of public affairs with Interfor, Macon
  • Garrett Mack, portfolio analyst with Forest Investment Associates, Atlanta
  • Jenea Morgan, business manager with Jordan Forest Products, Barnesville
  • Dewey Newton, vice president of corporate lending for AgSouth Farm Credit, Statesboro
  • Jeremy Oxford, horticulturist at Hills and Dales Estate, LaGrange
  • Jeff Paul, director of member services at Walton Electric Membership Corporation, Monroe
  • Ross Pritchett, Central Region investment forester at Timberland Investment Resources, Atlanta
  • Adam Pugh, director of operations and business development at The Rock Ranch, The Rock
  • Zack Purvis, chief lending officer of AgGeorgia Farm Credit, Perry
  • Melissa Riley, horticulture teacher at Georgia FFA’s Central Region, Fort Valley
  • Ben Salter, nursery manager and farmer with Lewis Taylor Farms, Tifton
  • Lindy Savelle, CEO/partner of 1 DOG Ventures, Sale City
  • Brittany Saylor, precision agriculture agronomist with Crop Focus, Cordele
  • Carlton Self, solutions specialist with John Deere Company, Atlanta
  • Michael Westbrook, Atlantic Region manager at The Westervelt Company, Statesboro

In 1991, community and state leaders started participating in the original, agriculture-based leadership development program known as “Agri-Leaders,” which was sponsored by the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum Foundation. Since that time, 375 of Georgia’s business leaders, farmers, foresters, educators and other stakeholders completed the program and became more effective leaders and advocates.

In AGL, participants will complete six in-state institutes, an advocacy institute in Washington, D.C., and an international experience in Costa Rica. This will be the third class of AGL participants to experience transformational leadership development through the UGA program.

Those seeking more information about AGL can visit www.agl.caes.uga.edu.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Lauren Ledbetter Griffeth
Representing a broad cross section of corporations, businesses and organizations throughout Georgia, 25 professionals have been chosen to participate in the Advancing Georgia's Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) 2015-2017 class.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Conner Hall CAES News
CAES welcomes 2024 cohort of Rural Scholars 11/20/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences welcomed its fourth cohort of students chosen for the CAES Rural Scholars Program this fall just weeks after celebrating the program's first graduation. Georgia Orman, one of four inaugural Rural Scholars in CAES, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. The new scholars for 2024, all from Georgia, are Ela Ash of Ocilla, Lauren E. Coley of Cochran, Amelia Housley of Canon, and London O’Steen of Ambrose.
Women play a vital role in rural American farming, but much of that work is "invisible," like raising children or household chores, according to a new UGA study. (Getty Images) CAES News
The women and stress behind rural farming in America 11/19/24 Leigh Hataway
Recent research from the University of Georgia suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running. “If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” said Anna Scheyett, lead author of the study and a professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”
TiftonCampusSunset2 CAES News
CAES Transfer Pathways Program expands enrollment access for rural students 11/12/24 Emily Cabrera
The Transfer Pathways Program is opening new doors for rural students who dream of attending the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). In partnership with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and Southern Regional Technical College, students who complete required coursework at these institutions can transfer to CAES to complete bachelor’s degrees in one of three majors — agribusiness, agricultural education, and agriscience and environmental systems. 
Kevan Lamm teaching undergraduate students CAES News
CAES researchers prepare students to address complex challenges of the future 10/29/24 Emily Cabrera
Over the next three years, researchers in the University of Georgia’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication aim to transform undergraduate education in agricultural and environmental sciences by integrating systems thinking — an approach that encourages students to see the bigger picture by understanding how different components within a system interact.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.