Board, Staff & Core Faculty

Michael Young

Mike Young (Class 35) is principal of Wegis & Young and a fourth generation agricultural entrepreneur. He manages the family operations with his father, uncle, brother and cousin. Wegis & Young has several ag-related businesses under its umbrella. The diversified farming operation grows a variety of tree and row crops and manages more than 100,000 acres of agricultural property for individual and institutional investors. Along with the agricultural interests, Mike is a partner in Water Associates, the only OEM (original equipment manufacturer) dealer of Cummins industrial engines in Kern County. Water Associates was named to the Inc. 500/5000 list. In addition, he successfully launched REDtrac systems, an assets management company. Young serves on numerous industry and community boards and is a graduate of University of the Pacific. He resides in Bakersfield with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, Emma, Halle and Jake.

Joel Kimmelshue

Chair

Dr. Joel Kimmelshue (Class 37) is a founding partner and principal agricultural scientist with Land IQ. He has over 27 years of experience focusing on practical and applied solutions for the development and management of agricultural-based soil/water/plant systems. Kimmelshue also has firsthand production agriculture experience from growing up and continuing to participate in a diversified tree and row crop farming operation in Northern California. He holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D. in soil science with concentrations in agricultural engineering and water resources from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and North Carolina State University, respectively. Kimmelshue is also registered as a certified professional soil scientist.

Yissel Barajas

Yissel Barajas (Class 40) is the chief human resources officer for Reiter Affiliated Companies (RAC), the world’s largest fresh multi-berry producer. Prior to her current role, she managed RAC’s philanthropy program, where she launched an initiative designed to prevent obesity and diabetes in the farm worker community. The program was developed in partnership with UC Davis and UC Berkeley, creating a successful model for public-private partnerships for the benefit of public health. She has served on the boards of the California Coalition for Rural Housing, the Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition and the American Red Cross of Ventura County. She currently serves on the Ventura County Farmworker Resource Program committee, the Museum of Ventura County board, the Ventura County Agricultural Museum board and the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety’s external advisory board. Yissel earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA. She and her husband, Jaime, have two children. They live in Camarillo, where they enjoy hikes, bike trails and participating in community events.

Nikki Cossio

Cossio is the founder and CEO of Measure to Improve LLC, which supports fresh produce industry producers and processors in measuring, improving and building credible sustainability programs that generate environmental, social and financial benefits. Part of a multigenerational California farming family, she has served on boards and committees for organizations such as International Fresh Produce Association, Specialty Crops Coordinating Council, the former Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Center for Global Produce Sustainability. Cossio founded the Monterey County Sustainability Working Group in 2011 and was recognized in the 2019 Packer 25, an annual tribute highlighting leaders in the fresh produce industry.

Rob Goff

Secretary-Treasurer

Rob Goff (Class 45) manages the farming operations on approximately 21,000 acres of almonds, pistachios and pomegranates, the harvest of 30,000 acres of pistachios and the research and development department for Wonderful Orchards. His academic background and early career were focused in forestry and natural resources management, however, for the past 13+ years, he has enjoyed a career in the Kern County ag industry. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Rob earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry and natural resources management. He stays involved with multiple industry and community related boards and committees. He is a certified arborist/utility specialist, pest control advisor, qualified applicator and certified crop advisor. Rob and his wife, Joyel, enjoy spending time with their children, Katie and Thomas. They like to visit Central Coast beaches, backpack the Sierra Nevada Mountains and visit family in upstate New York.

Fidela Irigoyen

Vice Chair

Fidela Irigoyen (Class 21) has extensive financial services experience, including more than 35 years with Wells Fargo Bank. She has held numerous management positions and individual contributor roles within the company's commercial banking, international banking and retail banking areas. In her current role with Wells Fargo, Irigoyen is the agribusiness market executive for the Southern and Coastal California, Southwest and Mountain States region, where she leads a team of relationship managers focused on agribusiness companies. Her lending experiences include consumer, agricultural, international, real estate and middle market/commercial lending. Irigoyen has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Santa Clara University and remains involved in her family’s agribusiness ventures.

Sal Parra Jr.

Parra Jr. (46) is the director of farming for Burford Ranch, a multigenerational family operation that grows nuts, vegetables and row crops. He is also an owner and partner of Coyula Farms, a family-owned operation that grows almonds, pistachios, wheat, alfalfa, corn and Angus beef cattle. Parra serves on boards for the Fresno County Farm Bureau and James Groundwater Sustainability Agency. He is a member of Class VII of the Western Growers Future Volunteer Leaders Program. Parra Jr. earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business in 2008 and MBA in 2015, both from Fresno State. He is a member of Class 46 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program and previously served as a CALF Education Team liaison on the Ag Leadership Alumni Council. He lives on the farm with his wife Ramona, and their daughter, Linda.

Paul Parreira

Paul Parreira (Class 44) is a third-generation agriculturalist with more than 40 years of experience in almond farming, hulling, shelling, processing and marketing and byproduct market development and sales. He is a partner in Parreira Almond Processing Co. LLC, an almond hulling and shelling business which serves more than 24,000 acres of almonds for outside growers, in addition to 1,800 acres of their own trees. He is also a partner in RPAC, LLC, an almond processing and marketing company which supplies quality California almonds to customers in the United States and to more than 75 countries. He manages strategic planning, business development, sustainability and innovation for both Los Banos-based companies. Additionally, he is co-founder of HermetiaPro, a Black Soldier Fly vertical farming company, which converts agriculture waste products into high protein livestock feed. Paul serves as vice chair of CDFA’s feed inspection advisory board, vice chair of the Almond Board of California’s biomass working group and chair of the Almond Alliance of California’s co-products committee. He is a longtime member of the Merced County Spring Fair Board and helped found the Spring Fair Heritage Foundation.

Davidson Pattiz

Davidson Pattiz has worked for Zenith Insurance Company, a leader in property and casualty insurance for the California agriculture industry, since 2005. He began his current role as CEO in January 2025 after spending 19 years in various roles within the company, including president and chief operating officer. As CEO, he is responsible for overseeing a nationwide operation comprised of more than 1,400 professionals. Pattiz earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and psychology from Brown University and a J.D. from Georgetown University. After law school, he and his wife, Debby, spent a year in Fairbanks, Alaska, where he clerked for the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. They moved back to the East Coast, where Pattiz began his legal career for the international firm of Skadden, Arps. Ten years of practice with Skadden, moves to Los Angeles and then the San Francisco Bay Area, and the birth of two children, also saw him begin handling litigation matters for Zenith Insurance. He and Debby split their time between the Los Angeles area and the Central Coast town of Los Osos. They enjoy hiking, travel, entertaining and the beautiful wine region between Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo.

Michael Frantz

Michael Frantz has been President of Frantz Wholesale Nursery, LLC since 1998. His second-generation family farm grows trees, shrubs, native grasses, fruit and citrus plants on over 600 acres, serving retail and landscape customers across the Western United States. The nursery operates with a customer-first philosophy — focused on helping its partners succeed from the field to the sales floor while maintaining good stewardship through recycling green waste, water capture and reuse, and on-farm solar generation. Mr. Frantz is passionate about growing beautiful plants and ensuring the success of his employees and customers.

Erin O'Donnell

Erin O'Donnell is the founder and CEO of Sustainable Ag Advisors, a consulting firm focused on helping California growers and processors capture more value from their sustainable practices. Prior to founding the company, she spent more than a decade with Sun Valley Rice, where she most recently served as vice president of sales. Erin has worked throughout the agricultural value chain, helping connect grower sustainability efforts with market opportunities and customer demand. A Certified Sustainability Practitioner and alumna of the California Agricultural Leadership Program Class 50, she completed the Chief Sustainability Officer program through MIT Professional Education and holds a master's degree in physics from Brandeis University. She lives in Northern California with her husband, Brendan, and their two children.

Gladys Wotring

Cherie "Cher" Watte

Lesa Eidman

President & CEO

Lesa Eidman (Class 49) began her tenure as CALF president and CEO in February 2025. She brings to the role 20 years of extensive experience with agricultural producers and associations. From 2015 to 2025, she worked for Superior Farms – North America’s top processor and marketer of lamb – first as director of producer resources and sustainability and for the past five years as vice president of sales. From 2003 to 2015, Eidman was the executive director of the California Wool Growers Association and California Pork Producers Association. She is a third-generation agriculturalist with a family heritage rooted in education and production agriculture. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and management from Fresno State and a master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics from UC Davis.

Dr. Dane White

Director of Education

Dane joined the foundation in November 2022 as the new director of education. He is responsible for CALF’s curriculum – in coordination with the four partner university deans – and for delivery of the leadership content presented in the campus and travel seminars. He works closely with the core faculty from the four campuses, as well as CALF's president and CEO. He will also support other CALF educational programs. Dane has a background in empowering leadership, learning design and instructional practice. A former high school agriculture teacher, he developed curricula that are used in more than 200 California schools. He previously consulted to the California Department of Education and worked for Vivayic, Inc., a learning solutions company. Dane earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from California State University, Chico. He is a self-described student of learning philosophy, leadership principles and educational theory who seeks to learn from and leverage unique experiences in order to do good in the world.

Judy Sparacino

Programs Manager

Judy supports the fellowship program, the fellow selection process and the domestic and international seminars, as well as serving as the foundation’s archivist. Judy also assists with efforts to sustain and expand the D.C. Exchange, California Exchange and County Exchange. She grew up in Sacramento and currently resides in Monterey. In her free time she can be found in a dance studio either teaching or taking class. From an early age, Judy has been very passionate about dance and it continues to play an important part of her life. She also enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her amazing friends and family.

Maria Angulo

Financial Controller

Maria began her role as CALF’s financial controller in August 2024. Her responsibilities include oversight of the foundation’s accounting and clerical functions, including coordination of the fiscal year-end audit and tax returns. Maria previously served as the controller for The Club at Pasadera and the accounting manager at Troon Privé Club of Distinction. Prior to these roles, she was the office manager and assistant controller at the Del Mesa Carmel Community Association. Maria earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Guadalajara and studied accounting at Monterey Peninsula College. She also holds certificates in accounting and HOA community management and has taken courses on California human resources law and ethics.

Mia Mirassou

Administrative Assistant

Mia joined the foundation staff as administrative assistant in February 2022. Her role is providing office support for the foundation team. Mia’s duties include implementation of development activities as well as helping illustrate the vision, mission and values of the foundation. Her previous work includes over 25 years of administrative support in the ag industry. In addition, over the last eight years, Mia was active and coordinated local, national and international service and advocacy programs for Palma School in Salinas. She enjoys hiking, traveling and spending time with her family.

Jessica Lara

Marketing and Communications Manager

Jessica joined the Ag Leadership staff in June 2025, In her role, Jessica is responsible for planning, developing, and executing comprehensive marketing and communication strategies that align with CALF's mission. She brings over nine years of experience in marketing and communications. Most recently, she served as a Marketing Communications Specialist at the California Strawberry Commission, where she contributed to the development and execution of successful marketing campaigns. Her areas of expertise include content creation, social media management, video production, and community engagement. Prior to that, Lara worked as a Creative Services Producer for local television networks, where she honed her skills in storytelling and visual media. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and taking on various DIY projects.

Anna Nicholson

Alumni Engagement and Event Manager

Anna Nicholson joined the foundation in June 2025 as the new alumni engagement and event manager. She is responsible for leading CALF’s statewide alumni engagement strategies, coordinating events, and strengthening connections across the network of more than 1,400 program alumni. She works closely with alumni, staff, and partners to foster a culture of lifelong connection, service, and leadership among CALF graduates. Nicholson brings more than seven years of experience in relationship-focused roles across the agriculture and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, she served as a client manager at 3P Partners, a national executive search firm specializing in food and agriculture, where she led recruitment efforts for a wide range of industry roles. She previously worked in donor relations and event coordination at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento. A Northern California native fluent in Spanish, Nicholson is passionate about building community and supporting leaders who make a difference in California agriculture.

Amanda Ardantz

Development Coordinator

Dr. Amanda Crump

Dr. Amanda Crump is a lecturer and researcher in international agricultural development at University of California, Davis. She has over 10 years of university teaching experience and currently teach courses for undergraduate and graduate students in international agricultural development theory and practice, program management and evaluation and social change. Her research focuses on improving educational outcomes for women and other underserved adults. She has managed over $40 million in international and domestic agricultural research projects and her mentees now work as gender equity specialists, program managers and evaluators in Mali, Rome, Chile, El Salvador and many other places. She earned a Ph.D. in education from UC Davis, a master's degree in plant pathology and weed science from Colorado State University and a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from the University of Idaho. Crump grew up on a farm and likes to spend her free time in her garden.

Dr. Erin Gorter

Dr. Erin Gorter (Class 50) is third-generation born and raised in San Luis Obispo. She attended San Luis Obispo High School, where she was an active member of the FFA, graduating in 1999. Gorter earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science from Texas Tech University in 2004. She then spent time in the telecommunications industry prior to returning to school to complete her teaching credential at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She obtained her master’s degree in agriculture education from Cal Poly in 2011. She recently earned an Ed.D. in agricultural education in the Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University Doc @ Distance Program. Gorter taught agriculture and leadership courses at San Luis Obispo High School (2008-2010) and Templeton High School (2010-2014). She is a part-time lecturer teaching some classes and supervising student teachers. She currently serves as the president-elect for the California Agricultural Teachers' Association. Gorter was influenced by her high school agriculture teachers to choose agriculture education as a career and hopes to instill the same passion in others. She and her husband, Travis, live in Atascadero with their two dogs TJ and Lady. She enjoys gardening and has recently started an extensive home brew operation with her husband, where they are looking forward to brewing with their home-grown hops.

Dr. Kasey DeAtley

Kasey DeAtley (Class 52) is a native northern Californian and is currently a Professor of Animal and Range Science at CSU, Chico in the College of Agriculture. She completed her M.S. and PhD degrees in livestock reproductive physiology and genetics at New Mexico State University before returning to Chico State as a faculty member. Dr. DeAtley’s courses at CSU, Chico include advanced beef cattle production and management, grazing ecology and management, agricultural experimentation, principles of rangeland management, and livestock reproduction. Her research focuses on applied beef cattle management, rangeland science, and character development in undergraduates. Dr. DeAtley was raised in northern California, and she currently helps to manage Two Doc’s Land and Cattle with her family in McArthur, CA. She enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, reading and hanging out with her niece and nephews in her spare time.

Dr. Julie Lee

Yunkyung (Julie) Lee is a dedicated scholar whose passion and experience greatly enhance the fields of applied economics through her research, teaching, and industry engagement. Her research focuses on modeling the market and welfare effects of food policy and agricultural technology, integrating heterogeneous consumer and producer preferences within multi-market frameworks to analyze sector-wide impacts. She also works closely with stakeholders in the almond, date, avocado, dairy, and emerging plant-based food industries, conducting applied research and outreach that support innovation, sustainability, and economic development across agricultural value chains.

Dr. Natalie Baumgartner

Dr. Natalie Baumgartner was born and raised in Gustine, CA, before moving to Lemoore during high school. There, she became an active member of the FFA program, where the encouragement of her agriculture teachers inspired her to pursue a career in agricultural education. Raised on a dairy and deeply connected to her Portuguese heritage, Natalie developed a strong appreciation for agriculture, community, and education that continues to shape her work today. Natalie serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and Agricultural Education at Fresno State. She earned her Ph.D. in education from Oregon State University in 2024, a master's degree in agricultural education from Cal Poly in 2018, and a bachelor's degree and teaching credential from Fresno State in 2013. Before joining the university faculty, Natalie spent time in the high school classroom, teaching at Kingsburg High School from 2014 to 2018 and Vintage High School from 2018 to 2021. Natalie's research focuses on school-based agricultural education, particularly the experiences of teachers working with English language learners and how SBAE teachers support these students. More recently, she has expanded her research to agricultural teacher preparation, examining how structured mentoring partnerships foster pre-service teachers' professional growth, teaching philosophy development, and readiness to enter the profession. Natalie, her husband Jordan, and their son Baylor live in Fresno. They enjoy spending time with family throughout California and Oregon. Outside of work, Natalie enjoys CrossFit and salmon fishing with her husband.