Meet Your YF&Rs
State Committee
Shannon Douglass, Chair
shannondouglass@hotmail.com
Shannon is a graduate of California State University, Chico and coordinator of the Pathway to PCA program. She and husband Kelly and son Heath live in Orland where they raise commercial beef cattle, specialty crops and direct market their beef. Shannon is a past winner of the CFBF Discussion Meet and is a 2008 graduate of the CFBF Leadership Farm Bureau program.
District 1:
Stephanie Leimgruber
Counties represented: Imperial, San Diego
stephanie@horsehayforsale.com
Stephanie currently works for Ronald C. Leimgruber Farms, her family's hay and grain operation. She is responsible for the office administration work and online marketing and also assists in hay sales and production work. Stephanie also owns and raises a small herd of replacement heifers. She received her bachelors degree in classical civilizations from Duke University in 2008. Her involvement in Farm Bureau includes chairing of the Imperial County Young Farmers & Ranchers committee, as an advisory director for the Imperial County Farm Bureau board of directors and is a member of the CFBF Leadership Farm Bureau program Class of 2010. She is also a member of the Imperial Valley Young Professionals Organization and Christ Community Church.
District 2:
(Vacant)
Counties represented: Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo-Mono
District 3:
Kevin Robertson, 2nd Vice Chair
Counties represented: Los Angeles, Orange
calagr@gmail.com
Born and raised in San Joaquin County on a family farm, Kevin attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Purdue University. Since college he has been continuing in the family tradition of progressive, diversified farming and community involvement. Kevin is a 2008 graduate of the CFBF Leadership Farm Bureau program and is currently the manager at Del Terra Farms in Tracy.
District 4:
Chris Garmon
Counties represented: Santa Barbara, Ventura
cgarmon@venturacountyfair.org
Born and raised in Ventura County on his family ranch, Chris assists in the day-to-day tasks as they farm barley and raise cattle. He is currently the exhibits representative for the Ventura County Fair and is responsible for contracting judges, receiving entries and arranging volunteers. In his spare time, he enjoys promoting agriculture as a 4-H leader, educating schools about Ventura County agriculture, serving as a Junior Fair Board Advisor, and, of course, surfing in the Southern California. “Where else can you farm and enjoy the surf and sunshine than the great Ventura County?” –Chris G.
District 5:
Jenny Holtermann
Counties represented: Kern, Kings
jkbertagna@yahoo.com
Jenny was born and raised in Butte County on her family’s almond and walnut farm. After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in agribusiness marketing and fruit science, she moved to Kern County where her husband farms almonds. Together, they own a custom almond harvesting business. Jenny also works for Sun World, a grower, packer and shipper of table grapes and sweet peppers, as an Outside Grower Relations and Export Specialist. Jenny participated in the 2010 Almond Board Industry Leadership Program. She revived the Kern Young Farmers and Ranchers program in 2010 and is currently the Chair. Jenny is also on the Board of Directors of the Kern County Farm Bureau.
District 6:
Karen Whaley, Secretary
Counties represented: Tulare
kjoy0210@yahoo.com
Karen was raised on her family's dairy farm operation in Texas, where she developed a passion for agriculture at an early age. After graduating with her bachelors degree in finance, she moved to California to take a job that combined her skills in finance with her love for agriculture. Karen currently is employed at Passport Capital Management, a nationally recognized hedge fund. She is an intricate part of the agriculture team at Passport that researches and invests in food and agriculture businesses across the globe. After her "day job," she works alongside her husband, Jordan, managing a cow and calf operation specializing in Angus cattle.
District 7:
Michael Efird
Counties represented: Fresno
mefird@pearsonrealty.com
Michael works with Pearson Realty specializing in the sales of agricultural properties ranging from permanent plantings, row and annual crops, dairy facilities, wineries, and other agriculture related properties. He graduated from California State University, Fresno with a degree in business and an emphasis in real estate and urban land development. Michael’s agricultural experience is derived from working on his family’s multi-generational farm in Fresno County that produces almonds, walnuts, pistachios, wine grapes and raisins. Michael’s life is driven by helping and serving others, while building meaningful relationships.
District 8:
April Mackie
Counties represented: Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo
aeengland@hotmail.com
April Mackie is the Food Safety and Farm Programs Manager for a large family grower in the Salinas Valley, Martin Jefferson and Sons. She focuses on regulatory compliance issues that deal directly with the farming operation and participates in many agriculture/community organizations. April is currently the vice president of activities for the Monterey County Farm Bureau, incoming chair of Ag Against Hunger, Central Coast District Director for California Women for Agriculture and California Young Farmers and Ranchers, and is president of the San Benito County Stewardship Council. In her "spare time" she enjoys snow skiing, water sports and entertaining friends and family.
District 9:
Ranetta Bron
Counties represented: Madera, Mariposa, Merced
ranettavk@yahoo.com
Ranetta received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business from Fresno State and is a 2007 graduate of the Leadership Farm Bureau program. She has a lifetime of experience working on the family farm in Madera County, and continues to assist with farm operations. Also a licensed real estate broker, she specializes in farm and ranch properties. Ranetta and her husband, Mark, live in Madera with their sons Barrett and Henry.
District 10:
Chase Renois
Counties represented: San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz
chase.renois@driscolls.com
Chase Renois was raised in the San Joaquin Valley where he farmed citrus on his family farm. After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in agribusiness in 2008, Chase moved to Watsonville to take a position at Driscoll's Strawberries where he continues to serve as a business manager. Chase and his wife, Bernadette, make their home in Watsonville where Chase is also an active member of the Santa Cruz Young Farmers and Ranchers committee.
District 11:
Karissa Adams
Counties represented: Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano
karissa.aa@gmail.com
Karissa's family roots span over five generations in rural Dixon, California. Growing up she raised sheep and poultry throughout high school and proudly holds the American Farmer degree with the National FFA Organization. After graduating with a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis, Karissa worked in Sacramento politics for a number of years managing political action committees. Karissa has since returned to Dixon to her family's insurance agency, Rohwer Insurance Agency, and is one of the licensed insurance specialists selling and servicing the agency's Farm & Ranch and Commercial accounts. In 2010, Karissa assisted in establishing the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee in Solano County and currently lives in Woodland with her boyfriend, Derek, and their chocolate lab, Drake.
District 12:
Tyler Blagg
Counties represented: Calaveras, San Joaquin
tablagg@gmail.com
Tyler graduated from California State University, Fresno, with a degree in animal science with emphasis in dairy production management. He lives in Lodi with his wife, Amy, and son, Nathan. They raise replacement dairy heifers on pasture.
District 13:
Corinne Santos
Counties represented: Stanislaus, Tuolumne
csantos@bankofstockton.com
Corinne has been involved with the Stanislaus County YF&R program since 2005 and the San Joaquin County YF&R program since 2007. She was awarded the Excellence in Agriculture Award for 2010 from CFBF. Corinne is currently employed a as business banking officer with the Bank of Stockton and work closely with farmers and ranchers on a daily basis. Her responsibilities consist of providing financing for farmers for land, livestock and equipment purchases, operating lines of credit, analyzing their financial position and advising them on making sound business decisions. Corinne grew up on a family dairy in Turlock and currently raises and exhibits registered Hereford cattle. She is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.
District 14:
Michael McDowell
Counties represented: Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento
mcdowellhp@riverdeltawireless.com
Michael is a third generation farmer in Walnut Grove where he farms pears, alfalfa, corn and wheat with his father. Michael also owns a hunting preserve and raises pheasants and chukars. He and his wife, Amber, make their home in Sacramento County with their daughter, Sierra.
District 15:
Sarah Reynolds, 1st Vice Chair
Counties represented: Butte, Nevada, Yuba-Sutter
sjrfarming@yahoo.com
Sarah currently resides in Gridley with her two dogs, Hartley and Bella. Sarah is currently the marketing and sales manager for Llano Seco Rancho where they practice both conventional and organic farming and ranching. She also farms rice with her family in nearby Colusa County. Sarah is a 2009 graduate of the CFBF Leadership Farm Bureau program.
District 16:
(Vacant)
Counties represented: Colusa, Glenn, Yolo
District 17:
Johnnie White
Counties represented: Marin, Napa, Sonoma
johnniejr@pinavineyards.com
Johnnie is a sixth generation Napa County farmer. He resides in St. Helena where he currently works for Pina Vineyard Management as an operations supervisor. He is also an engineer for St. Helena City Fire Department. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing and farming.
District 18:
Beau Moore
Counties represented: Lake, Mendocino
beau@moorefamilywinery.com
Beau Moore is a fifth-generation farmer, born and raised in Lake County. Beau works on his family's organic, estate winery, where he is the vineyard manager and winemaker. He also builds wine caves for a family business. In his free time Beau loves to spend time outdoors with his family. He lives in Cobb with his wife Gabriella and their four children: Syrah, Wyatt, Bodhi and Sage.
District 19:
(Vacant)
Counties represented: Lassen, Modoc, Plumas-Sierra
District 20:
Christa Miguel
Counties represented: Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity
cmiguelsoranch@aol.com
After growing up in a non-agricultural area for most of her young life, Christa's family moved to Redding in 1999 and purchased a small ranch where Christa is now the ranch manager. Her family is raising a small commercial cattle herd and performance American Paint and Quarter horses. She is currently working on her AA in agricultural science at Shasta Junior College and is hoping to transfer to California State University, Chico to receive her bachelors degree in animal science with a minor in sociology. She also hopes to further her education by earning a masters segree and receiving her teaching credential.
District 21:
(Vacant)
Counties represented: Del Norte, Humboldt
Frost Pauli, Past Chair
fpauli@pauliranch.com
Frost graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a degree in agribusiness and a minor in viticulture. He moved home shortly after graduation and has been working on his family’s farm growing Bartlett and Bosc pears along with winegrapes in Potter Valley, Redwood Valley and Ukiah.
YF&Rs in the News
- Shannon & Kelly Douglass
- Dan and Meghan Dresselhaus
- Jesse Lopez
- Portraits of a new generation of farmers (California Country September/October 2009)
- Roll models: Rice farmer and sushi chef create unique partnership (California Country May/June 2010)