News & Resources

55th Class Selected for California Agricultural Leadership Program

August 19, 2025

Monterey, California–The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is proud to announce the selection of Class 55 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP), a distinguished group of emerging agricultural leaders who will engage in a 17-month intensive program designed to develop leadership skills and prepare them to lead in California’s dynamic agricultural industry.

The Ag Leadership Program selects individuals who demonstrate strong leadership potential and a deep commitment to advancing California agriculture. Over the course of the program, fellows participate in immersive experiences, including leadership seminars, national and international travel seminars, and hands-on projects that foster personal growth and drive industry impact.

“Class 55 will be challenged to broaden their perspectives, expand their influence, and lead with purpose. They embody the very essence of CALF’s mission, to grow leaders who make a difference. This cohort will carry forward a legacy of service-driven leadership that will help ensure California agriculture thrives for generations to come,” said CALF President and CEO Lesa Eidman (Class 49).

Class 55 represents a wide range of agricultural sectors, including field crops, forestry, rice, tree crops, winegrapes, berries and water and brings diverse perspectives through their work in associations, government, agricultural services, and production.

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation has been cultivating leaders for over 55 years, with alumni contributing to policy development, industry advancement, and community engagement across the state and nation. The Class 55 cohort continues this tradition of leadership excellence.

Class 55 fellows’ inaugural ceremony will take place on October 3^rd in Fresno, California. For more information about the Ag Leadership program or to learn more about the Class 55 Fellows, visit agleaders.org Tickets and additional event information are available at agleaders.org/events

Class 55 Fellows

• Claire Aicken – County of San Diego AWM, Oceanside, CA


• Jordan Albiani – Galt High School, Elk Grove, CA


• Tommy Bottoms – Tremont Farms, Davis, CA


• Morgan Campbell – Westside Water Authority, Bakersfield, CA


• Sam Christopherson – Markon, Sacramento, CA


• Natalie Collins – California Association of Winegrape Growers, Lodi, CA


• Drew Crane – Crane Mills, Tehama, CA


• Kelly Damewood – California Certified Organic Farmers, Santa Cruz, CA


• Jared Davit – Jarran Ag Services, Yuba City, CA


• Josh Enos – Carriere Family Farms, Glenn, CA


• Lauren Fann – Almond Board of California, Modesto, CA


• Omar Alexander Gonzalez-Benitez – Planasa LLC, Watsonville, CA


• Lisa Howard – Tolenas Winery, Fairfield, CA


• Casey Kirchhoff – Kirchhoff Family Wines, Clarksburg, CA


• Kiaran Locy – California Prune Board, Sacramento, CA


• Cesar Mendoza – BASF Corporation, Fresno, CA


• Jordon Navarrot – Reclamation District 108, Grimes, CA


• Jon Neugebauer – McArthur Farm Supply, McArthur, CA


• Logan Robertson Huecker – Sequoia Riverlands Trust, Visalia, CA


• Ryan Scott – Monterey Pacific, Templeton, CA


• Emma Sertich – Center Safe Ag, Ventura, CA


• Sadie Strain – Strain Farming Company, Arbuckle, CA


• Kevin Voorhees – AgWest Farm Credit, San Luis Obispo, CA


• Jeremy Wagner – County of San Mateo AWM, Redwood City, CA

 

About California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is dedicated to cultivating leaders who have the vision and capacity to advance, benefit, and promote California’s agricultural community. Since its founding in 1970, more than 1,400 fellows of the California Agricultural Leadership Program have become lifelong leaders, serving as catalysts for a vibrant agricultural industry and making lasting contributions to their businesses, communities, and families. CALF delivers a comprehensive and diverse leadership curriculum in collaboration with its five partner universities: UC Davis, Cal Poly Pomona, Fresno State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Chico State.

 

 

Media Contact:
Media Contact:
Jessica Lara
CALF Marketing and Communications Manager
jlara@agleaders.org

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California Ag Leadership Foundation Hires New Alumni Engagement and Event Manager

July 01, 2025

MONTEREY, Calif. — The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is pleased to announce the hiring of Anna Nicholson as its new Alumni Engagement and Event Manager, effective June 26, 2025.

In this newly restructured role, Nicholson will lead statewide alumni engagement strategies, coordinate impactful alumni programming, and strengthen relationships across CALF’s broad network of more than 1,400 program alumni. Her focus will include developing alumni programs, coordinating events, and fostering a culture of lifelong connection, service, and leadership among CALF graduates.

“We are thrilled to welcome Anna to our team,” said Lesa Eidman, CALF President and CEO. “Her background in relationship management and executive search, combined with her strengths in project coordination, communications, and stakeholder engagement, make her a dynamic fit for this position. Her energy and professional experience will immediately support CALF’s mission to grow leaders who make a difference.”

Nicholson brings over seven years of experience in relationship-focused roles, most recently serving as a Client Manager at 3P Partners, a national executive search firm specializing in food and agriculture. There, she partnered with top industry companies and successfully led recruitment efforts across a wide range of roles. Earlier in her career, she worked in donor relations and event coordination at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California, where she supported fundraising events and managed key donor communications.

“It’s an incredible honor to join the CALF team and serve such a passionate and accomplished alumni community,” said Nicholson. “I'm inspired by the impact CALF graduates have across California agriculture, and I’m looking forward to creating meaningful ways for us to stay connected, celebrate each other’s work, and keep growing together.”

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Seattle University and is fluent in Spanish. A Northern California native, Nicholson will be based in Sacramento and travel frequently across the state to support alumni events and initiatives.

ABOUT CALF
CALF is dedicated to growing leadership in agriculturalists who have the capacity and potential to advance, benefit and promote California agriculture. 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 and make a significant difference in the agricultural industry, their businesses, communities and families.

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California Ag Leadership Welcomes Chico State as New University Partner

June 24, 2025

MONTEREY, June 24, 2025 – The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is proud to announce that California State University, Chico has been formally added as a partner university for the California Ag Leadership Program (CALP). This strategic collaboration marks a significant expansion of CALP’s reach, strengthening its statewide network dedicated to cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders. 

The California Ag Leadership Program, operated by the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is one of the premier leadership development experiences in the United States, designed to equip fellows with the advanced skills necessary to amplify their impact across various sectors. With over 1,400 distinguished alumni, the program consistently produces influential leaders and active contributors in agriculture, community development, government, business, and other vital areas. 

Chico State joins an esteemed group of existing university partners, including California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; California State University, Fresno; and the University of California, Davis. The sustained engagement of these universities with CALF is critical to ensuring a continuous pipeline of highly skilled graduates, essential for meeting the evolving demands of enlightened leadership within agriculture. 

“The addition of Chico State significantly strengthens our collaborative network with agricultural institutions across the state,” stated Lesa Eidman, CALF President and CEO. “By extending our presence into Northern California, we gain a unique opportunity to share invaluable leadership insights and collectively foster the continued growth and impact of our program.” 

For nearly seven decades, the College of Agriculture at California State University, Chico has played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life throughout California and across the nation by educating and empowering agricultural leaders. This new partnership with the California Ag Leadership Program will further amplify this shared objective of developing leaders who are poised to make a profound difference. 

“Chico State is honored to join the California Ag Leadership Program as a partner university,” said Chico State President Steve Perez. “Our College of Agriculture and University Farm are cornerstones of our academic excellence and community impact. For decades, they’ve shaped future leaders across sectors like crop science, horticulture, animal science, ag education, business, land management, and more. This partnership will allow us to deepen that legacy and expand our reach, preparing the next generation to lead with purpose across the agricultural landscape.” 

ABOUT CALF
CALF is dedicated to growing leadership in agriculturalists who have the capacity and potential to advance, benefit and promote California agriculture. 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 and make a significant difference in the agricultural industry, their businesses, communities and families.

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