Michael Young
Board Chair · Class 35
Leadership
Board, staff & core faculty.
The team behind every cohort — directors, staff, faculty from our five partner universities, and the alumni council.
Governance
Board of Directors
Our volunteer board sets foundation strategy and stewards every fellowship dollar. The majority are alumni of the California Agricultural Leadership Program.
Joel Kimmelshue
Vice Chair
Correen Davis
Secretary-Treasurer
Yissel Barajas
Director
Karen Caplan
Director
Davidson Pattiz
Director
Denise Godfrey
Director
Helen McGrath
Director
Mike Mendes
Director
Tom Merwin
Director
Paul Parreira
Director
Sal Parra Jr.
Director · Alumni Council Liaison
James Ewart
Director
Judy Sparacino
Director
Paul Crout
Director
Liza Teixeira-Robertson
Director
Manuel Gaitan
Director
Day-to-day
Staff
Based in Monterey, the CALF staff manages programs, alumni engagement, fundraising, and the operational backbone that keeps every cohort moving.
Dwight Ferguson
President & CEO
Meredith Rehrman Ritchie
Director of Education
Jessica Lara
Programs Manager
Megan Byrne
Financial Controller
Anna Nicholson
Administrative Assistant
Rocco Cunningham
Marketing & Communications Manager
Deanna Van Klaveren
Alumni Engagement & Event Manager
Maria Angulo
Donor Relations
Curriculum
Core Faculty & Education Team
Core faculty members from each of our five partner universities discuss curriculum design, scheduling, speaker selection, and fellow progress. Many are themselves CALF alumni.
Dr. Peggy Sears Perry
Core Faculty · Cal Poly Pomona · Class 9
Dr. Peggy Sears Perry
Co-Director of Education
Dr. Erin Gorter
Core Faculty · Cal Poly San Luis Obispo · Class 50
Dr. Athanasios "Alex" Alexandrou
Core Faculty · Fresno State
Dr. Amanda Crump
Core Faculty · UC Davis
Dr. Kasey DeAtley
Core Faculty · Chico State
Dr. Dane White
Core Faculty
Dr. Robert Flores
Core Faculty
Dr. Rolston St. Hilaire
Dean · Fresno State
Manpreet Bains
Education Team · Class 43
Anthony Bozzano
Education Team · Class 43
Alumni-led
Alumni Council
The Alumni Council represents fellows across all 11 regions, ensuring the alumni voice shapes foundation programming.
Ian LeMay
Alumni Council Chair
Yvonne Sams
Alumni Council Vice Chair
Sal Parra Jr.
Board Liaison
Betty Hurley-Lindeman
Alumni Council
Bill Van Skike
Alumni Council
Cameron Boswell
Alumni Council
Ellen Way
Alumni Council
Emily Rooney
Alumni Council
Fidela Irigoyen
Alumni Council
Heather Johnson
Alumni Council
Heather Mulholland
Alumni Council
Jason Cole
Alumni Council
Jodi Litz
Alumni Council
Lesa Eidman
Alumni Council
Mia Mirassou
Alumni Council
Nikki Cossio
Alumni Council
Raven Mariani
Alumni Council
Rob Goff
Alumni Council
Sharon Harney
Alumni Council