Farm Bureau is only effective when members are engaged and leading at the grassroots level. In this high-energy presentation, Jessica will help us consider ways to succeed as mission-driven leaders who increase engagement by implementing five easy-to-remember grassroots leadership practices.
Jessica is originally from South Carolina and has also lived in Chile, Mexico, Texas and now Virginia. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a Master’s degree from Colorado State University. Jessica has over 20 years of experience working in learning, leadership development and engagement. She began her Farm Bureau career nearly 9 years ago at South Carolina Farm Bureau. In 2020, she transitioned to American Farm Bureau in Washington, D.C. where she serves as a Managing Director. Jessica manages the Member Engagement team and provides strategic leadership and direction for the 3 national committees and their associated events and programs. In addition, she oversees AFBF’s youth and collegiate efforts, the national farm Safety and Mental Health networks, the State Awards of Excellence program and she serves as the staff lead for the Farm State of Mind Campaign. Jessica and her husband, David, have two teenage sons and they love travel, watching sports and entertaining friends and family in their home.
Jon Iverson is a 3rd Generation family farmer from Woodburn, Oregon. Iverson Family Farms about 1,100 acres of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, hairy vetch, clover, tulips, industrial hemp, table and wine grapes. Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm a branch of the farm hosts an annual tulip festival which has over 130,000 visitors every spring.
Jon has served on the Clackamas County Farm Bureau Board since 2008 and served as county President from 2013-2017, he currently is the Vice-President. Jon also served on the American Farm Bureau Board in 2021 when he was Chair of the AFBF Young Farmer and Rancher National Committee.
Jon has a passion for international Agriculture and with the help of Oregon State Extension put together Young Farmers seed trips to New Zealand in 2016 and Denmark in 2023.
Make plans to learn from these great speakers! Breakout sessions will be held Wednesday November 15, 2023.
Wednesday Workshop: 9:15 AM
Membership Marketing & Recruitment
Tara’s grandfather was a wheat farmer in Eastern WA, and she always wanted to be a farmer. Prior to farming, Tara was a teacher and spent over 15 years running nonprofits with membership programs. She holds a Masters in Education, a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Tara and Scott started farming 4 years ago in the Snohomish River Valley and were embraced by the Farm Bureau as new farmers.
Wednesday Workshop: 9:15 AM
John Walt Boatright joined AFBF as Director of Government Affairs in November 2022. In this role, John Walt’s portfolio includes farm labor, pesticides, food safety, and specialty crops. This includes legislative initiatives in Congress, as well as engagement with the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Wednesday Workshop 9:15 - 10:15
FB Safety Updates
Washington Farm Bureau has been helping employers with workplace safety, claims management, and workers’ compensation since 1984. The FB Safety program encompasses a comprehensive range of services, including safety training, claims training, workshops, safety program development, L&I inspection preparation, claims management, and member education.
Wednesday Workshop 10:45 AM
"Talking About Farm Bureau"
Jessica has over 20 years of experience working in learning, leadership development and engagement. She began her Farm Bureau career nearly 9 years ago at South Carolina Farm Bureau. In 2020, she transitioned to American Farm Bureau in Washington, D.C. where she serves as a Managing Director.
Wednesday Workshop 10:45 AM
The panel will be moderated by Aimee Osborn, IT Business Senior Manager at Larson Gross. In addition to providing traditional accounting services, Larson Gross also provides a comprehensive suite of IT managed services and support to clients. Aimee leads a team that specializes in business intelligence (BI) services, identifying process and workflow efficiencies through automation, integrating core business applications and project management.
Wedn Workshop 10:45
Matt Yeager is deeply rooted in both technology and agriculture. As a founding member of the Kragworks team, he's been at the forefront of leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to refine decision-making for ag producers. A tree fruit farmer himself, Matt knows firsthand the importance of data in optimizing agricultural practices. Committed to sustaining the family farm and innovation, he champions the use of data to empower farmers to navigate the complexities of modern a
Wednesday Workshop 10:45 AM
Aaron Westfall is a dedicated learner with a passion for product management. With a strong foundation in Electrical Engineering, he excels at aligning client needs with practical, on-farm solutions that drive results. Currently working as a Principal at Loftus Labs, Aaron's journey reflects an integration of wide work experience, technical knowledge, and leadership acumen, placing him in a strong position to address West Coast agribusiness needs.
Wednesday Workshop 10:45 AM
AgVision, New/Beginning Farmers Resources
Casci Smith is a Relationship Manager at AgWest Farm Credit in Sunnyside, WA specializing in agriculture industry lending for the last four years. Casci has degrees in Marketing and Crop and Soil Science. She is also currently pursuing her Master’s in Business Finance.
Wednesday Workshop 1:30 PM
Leadership Development Planning & How to Use your Field Staff
Washington Farm Bureau Field Service Specialists are dedicated to seeing your county Farm Bureau succeed. Heidi Parr, Danny DeFranco and Dan Muir each cover a select region of Washington to ensure WFB members are connected and statewide resources are shared.
Wednesday Workshop 1:30 PM
"What's my Why & How do I share it?"
Washington Farm Bureau Communications and Marketing professionals help communicate Farm Bureau vision, values and messaging everyday. Karlee Hansen, Ben Tindall and Bailey Moon work on the behalf of Farm Bureau members across the state to ensure farm stories are shared and WFB remains a viable resource to all media.
Wednesday Workshop 1:30 PM
“Biden Time” on a Serious Ag Labor Solution
John Walt Boatright joined AFBF as Director of Government Affairs in November 2022. In this role, John Walt’s portfolio includes farm labor, pesticides, food safety, and specialty crops. This includes legislative initiatives in Congress, as well as engagement with the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Wednesday Fireside Chat 3:00 P
Mike Chapman served for a decade as a local law enforcement officer and U.S. Customs Inspector. He then served four terms as a Clallam County Commissioner. He received his master’s degree in Leadership and Liberal Studies from Duquesne University, his bachelor’s in Organizational Management from Northwest College and his Associates of Arts and Sciences from Shoreline College. Mike lives in Port Angeles with his wife, Bobbi, and together they have two sons.
Wednesday Fireside Chat 3:00 P
Kevin Van De Wege is a firefighter, paramedic, husband and father. A lifelong Washington resident, he is serving his 2nd term in the Senate. When he was old enough to serve his community, Kevin became a volunteer firefighter. He went on to earn degrees in fire administration and fire investigation, as well as paramedic certification. He also received a BA in Social Science from Washington State University and an MA in Public Administration from Fort Hays University.