Laurie Mays has served as the Senior Workforce Development Project Manager (WFDPM) at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation for six years.

Connie Sizemore serves farmers in Leslie County by managing the Conservation District office, but her passion lies with teaching the youngest citizens about the environment.

“Try different areas of agriculture; there are so many to choose from. If you are given the opportunity to get an internship or apprenticeship, take it and see if that is the right path for you.”

“Start young!!! Work with the older generations to learn the ways of farming and conservation, and get involved with FFA and Agriculture when you are in school. The world is changing fast, and if we don't get kids involved when they are young, we may not have a world good enough for the future to live in.”

“There are many different fields that have an Agriculture background. Search all the different choices before making a final decision.”

“Get your hands dirty as early in life as you can. Help raise a garden, get involved in your FFA Chapter, get a summer job helping a local farmer or farmer's market, and get to know your local Conservation District.”

My advice for a career of any kind . . . find what you love and throw yourself into it with all your passion. I have always told students and interns that no matter what field they choose, there are always excellent jobs for smart and passionate people.

“Follow what makes your heart happy, and don't listen to the naysayers. The world relies on agriculture, and there are SO many careers in this field to explore!”

Grace enjoys that her career allows her to experience something new every day. She was intrigued by a career field in agriculture, as it presented her with the opportunity to focus on her strengths while also expanding her knowledge on everything she wanted to know.

Finding a place to belong was tough for Jahqethea Johnson as a student. But a chance meeting with the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) team provided her the clarity of sight toward a field of study and career.

Sheldon McKinney is the Executive Director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation and has held the position for the past eleven years. She says working in Kentucky agriculture has been her dream job and that she found her place after she became a member of her local FFA chapter.

Laura Knoth is the Executive Director for the Kentucky Corn Growers and the Kentucky Small Grain Growers and has held this position since 2010. Prior to that, Laura served as Public Affairs and Program Director at the Kentucky Farm Bureau from 1991-2010.

Adam has been KyCorn’s program director for 11 years, where he manages the association’s membership, market development, and farmer leadership programs. He also organizes and mobilizes KyCorn’s grassroots base, which means he encourages farmer members to get involved in policy issues and public affairs.

Few people share the extreme passion and openness that Nikki Whitaker has displayed in her time with the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association. Going on 18 years with KCA, For 17 years, Nikki served as the Membership Coordinator, where she oversaw all aspects of membership services, including being a liaison between the state office and 99 county chapter affiliates.

Lindsay’s primary responsibilities include working with customers looking for lending on rural and farm-based homes, a job where building personal relationships is critical. In fact, she says that is the best part about her job.

Amanda is a sixth-generation registered Angus cattle farmer from Russell Springs and was an active FFA member, holding chapter and regional officer titles. Her initial career plans were to become an agriculture teacher. She studied agriculture education at Western Kentucky University and went on to earn her Master’s in gifted education.

“I always loved horses and Thoroughbred racing, so I knew I wanted to do something within this industry. Growing up in Michigan, I wasn't exposed to much of it, so when I graduated, I started at the bottom and figured out what exactly I wanted to do as I went.”

Nancy Cox is the Vice President for Land-Grant Engagement and Dean of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Nancy started her career in agriculture 22 years ago and has previously been the Associate Dean for Research and the Agricultural Experiment Station.

While growing up in the suburbs of Louisville, the closest Matt Hilton ever got to agriculture was at the grocery store shopping for food. That wouldn’t last for long, though, as Matt was hired 11 years ago to be a video coordinator for Kentucky Farm Bureau. These days Matt is “knee deep,” telling agriculture’s story throughout all of Kentucky as Director of KFB Studios.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and for Emily Goins, capturing some of the cattle showman’s best moments is a privilege for her. Emily is a junior at Western Kentucky University, where she is majoring in Recreation Administration, but in her spare time, she is a photographer for The Bullvine magazine at the major dairy shows around the country, including World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

As the social media and graphic coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), Alexis Smith has the pleasure of creating content daily to elevate the importance of Kentucky’s farm families and their impact on our everyday lives. She also helps coordinate KDA’s print and digital graphic design content.

We interviewed Division Director Sharon Spencer of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture about how she began her life and career in agriculture. From humble beginnings in Frankfort County to her promotion as Director of the Direct Farm Marketing Division in 2017. Throughout her years of experience, she imparts some wisdom to all those looking to make their own impact and help move the agricultural industry forward.

After receiving her bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky and her master's degree in Ruminant Nutrition from Virginia Tech University, she landed herself at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as an International Trade Specialist in Washington, D.C.

Kimberly’s primary job is to coordinate the efforts of National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) field enumerators and territory supervisors, who collect data on behalf of NASS. That may include organizing training workshops and sending out regular communications about why and how data should be collected.

Even though his official job title is futures broker, Boyd Brooks, a Cynthiana native, says he is truly a risk management specialist who helps farmers turn a profit in an industry of financial uncertainty.

Terry Paschall grew up on a small family farm in Murray, Kentucky, where they grew tobacco, soybeans, and corn. His plan growing up was to continue farming for his entire life, as there was no substitute for being able to work daily with parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents and learning the lessons of life.

Jamie Guffey is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Poultry Federation (KPF). This non-profit federation fosters, promotes, and encourages the improvement of production and marketing of all types of poultry, poultry products, eggs, and egg products in Kentucky.

Sarah Coleman is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Council and has been part of the organization since October 2020. She moved to Kentucky in 2004 to work with multiple equine- and agriculture-related publications.

Ms. Crystal Renfro joined the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts in 2018 as the first Executive Director for the Association, with over 18 years of experience in working directly with Kentucky’s Conservation Districts and helping to improve and conserve natural resources across the Commonwealth.