I’m from the Quad Cities, Illinois, where I was an active member of my local and State FFA chapters and spent much of my time raising a small flock of sheep with my family while also helping with local row crop operations, a dairy goat farm, and wine grape production. I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I majored in Agricultural and Consumer Economics with a focus on Public Policy and Law, along with double minors in Communications and Leadership Studies.

I’m Kayla Bashore, and I currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I work as a sustainability analyst for CHS, Inc. I earned my undergraduate degree in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida, followed by an MBA concentrating in Marketing from NC State University.

Career growth is rarely a straight line. The Cultivating Leaders Webinar brought together Julie Sexton, Scott Kay and Marji Guyler-Alaniz to pull back the curtain on the career moments, mindset shifts and leadership lessons that shaped their journey to executive leadership.

Marji Guyler-Alani, Chief Operating Officer at AgriSompo, opens up the struggle of navigating self-identity when your career changes.

For many professionals, career growth can feel like a ladder: one promotion, one title change, one step up at a time.

For a lot of ambitious young professionals, the path to the top feels like it should be clear. Pick a lane. Become an expert. Get promoted. Keep climbing.

Agriculture Future of America (AFA) welcomes Lynn Parman as President, marking an exciting step forward in the organization’s continued growth and commitment to developing transformational leaders for food and agriculture.

Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Animal Institute, presented by Merck Animal Health, brought together over 100 college students from across the country for an immersive, career-shaping experience in the animal agriculture industry.

Three new industry leaders were appointed to the National AFA Alliance Advisory Council (NAAAC) – a dynamic group of alumni leaders who help strengthen and expand the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) network. Joining the team is Kate Jaeger, Michael Carlson and Luke Altermatt.

High achievers are trained to climb. Get the internship. Land the offer. Earn the promotion. Move up fast. But Jonathan Chase, Vice President of Turf & Utility at John Deere, thinks that mindset is flawed.

n a world that rewards speed, noise and instant answers, silence can feel uncomfortable — even risky. But what if sitting in that silence could be one of the most powerful leadership tools in your lineup?

From posture and hand placement to eye contact and virtual cues, the smallest signals shape whether people trust you, listen to you or dismiss you.

The Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Ambassador Program equips ambitious students to shape the future of the agriculture industry. This year, 41 student leaders representing campuses nationwide were selected to serve as a bridge between AFA and the next generation of agricultural professionals.

Good grades. Important titles. Respected internships. Numerous awards. The recognition is prevalent. Somewhere between chasing the next milestone and preparing for the future, it is easy to loose sight of what is truly important.

The first year of your career is one of the most formative seasons of your life. But can also be one of the most challenging. You just spent the last four years planning around syllabi, striving for high grades and follow clear rubrics.

In food and agriculture, these moments happen unexpectedly and all too often. Once it starts, there’s no pause button. What leaders do in the first hours of a crisis often shapes trust, credibility and outcomes for years to come.

Agriculture Future of America (AFA) selected 12 college students from across the country to serve on the 2026 Student Advisory Team. They are dedicating a year to supporting their peers, creating safe environments and empowering industry growth to ensures AFA continues developing the kind of talent agriculture needs to thrive.

Jarrod Gillig proved his humanity when he found himself navigating one of the hardest decisions a leader can face: the shutdown of Cargill’s Plainview beef plant. Overnight, his role became telling thousands of people that their world was about to change.

The leaders who thrive are up to speed with the newest technology, industry trends and latest challenges. They’re the ones who are curious enough to ask better questions and truly understand the situation.

Learning how to navigate crucial conversations is a leadership superpower.