CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/29/19

Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry selects 2019-2020 leadership class

By Merritt Melancon

Twenty-five professionals, who represent a wide swath of Georgia’s agriculture and natural resource industries, have been chosen to participate in the 2019-2020 class of Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL).

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 was chosen from 78 outstanding nominations,” said Lauren Griffeth, director of AGL. “These individuals represent a broad array of facets in agriculture, forestry and allied sectors and display a commitment to leadership in the field for their career.” 

The AGL program is designed to bring together leaders from all segments of the state’s agriculture, forestry, natural resources and allied industries. Over 16 months, participants will help one another grow through personalized leadership development training geared toward understanding themselves as leaders, analyzing issues facing their industries, and strengthening connections to become catalysts for positive change.

AGL’s 2019-2020 inductees are:

  • Daniel Atkins, area marketing manager, Weyerhaeuser
  • Toby Bowen, account manager, AGCO
  • Jason Bragg, vice president for government relations, Georgia EMC
  • Sam Brown, owner and CEO, Fiddleheads Garden Center
  • Jordan Carter, director of sales and marketing, Leger & Son
  • TR Clark, regional manager, F&W Forest Services
  • Hillery Culpepper, assistant director of development, FFA Foundation
  • Nicole Duvall, program coordinator, Commission for Milk
  • Dusty Engel, corporate precision ag manager, John Deere
  • Chan Flanders, forester, West Fraser
  • Susan Harrell, financial analyst and timberland owner
  • Aaron Hemmer, regional lending manager, AgGeorgia
  • Matthew Hested, executive director of communications and strategy, Georgia Forestry Association
  • Jessica Jarvholhm, event coordinator, PineyWoods Farm
  • Ben Lancaster, sales manager, International Forest Company
  • Jason Little, director of valuation services, Forest Resource Consultants
  • David Martin, president and CEO, Widget Development
  • Samantha McLeod, executive director, Georgia Pecan Growers Association
  • Frances Mitchell, field sales representative, Bayer
  • Arren Moses, farmer, Edward Moses Farms
  • Sarah Nerswick, agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor, Cambridge High School
  • Erin Nessmith, Young Farmer and Rancher Program coordinator, Georgia Farm Bureau
  • Blake Poole, middle Georgia field representative, Office of Governor Brian Kemp
  • Eric Simpson, farmer and co-op organizer, West Georgia Farmer’s Cooperative
  • Keaton Walker, marketing and sponsorship director, Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter

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, 399 Georgia business leaders, farmers, foresters, educators and other stakeholders have completed the program and become more effective leaders and advocates.

Through AGL, participants will complete five in-state institutes, an advocacy institute in Washington, D.C., and an optional international experience in Chile. This will be the fourth 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 AGL 2019-2020 class.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.
In Georgia alone, there are nearly 400,000 individuals employed in some segment of hospitality. With the unique mix of leisure travel in coastal Georgia and convention travel in Atlanta, HFIM students have a wealth of opportunities to choose the area that suits them best. CAES News
UGA redefines Southern hospitality through a thriving degree program 11/27/24 Claire S. Kinnard
There are nearly 400,000 individuals employed in some segment of hospitality in Georgia. With the unique mix of leisure travel in coastal Georgia and convention travel in Atlanta, University of Georgia hospitality and food industry management students have a wealth of opportunities to choose the area that suits them best. This versatile experience — with its focus on quality curriculum, meaningful interaction with local and national business, and experiential learning — has already begun graduating the next generation of hospitality leaders.
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.”