Foundation News

Statewide Alumni Events and 50th Anniversary Update

We very much want to acknowledge our 50th anniversary, and plan to do so with a special commemorative directory this year. We had hoped to also have our in-person 50th anniversary celebration, but COVID-19 has made that infeasible. While we’d love to facilitate that event in 2021, we don’t believe it will be realistic this year due to the continuation of the pandemic. Instead, we plan to focus our attention on meeting the goals set in our strategic plan, one of which is an annual statewide event for alumni to reconnect. Our Alumni Council met in May and will meet again in November to work on tactics related to all of their strategic goals, including this one. We recognize the importance of providing opportunities for our alumni to connect in person, and we believe we will be able to facilitate such events beginning in 2022.

Class 50 to Resume 50 50 In-Person Seminars We are excited to announce that Class 50 is scheduled to resume in-person seminars this fall, beginning with the San Rafael seminar in September. We are working with Sen. Jim Nielsen (5) and state officials to do everything we can to make a visit to San Quentin possible. We are also planning for a full slate of speakers and presenters who can provide fellows with an impactful seminar as they come back together. In an effort to provide the best possible experience for everyone – while keeping safety as a top priority – we will continue to follow CDC guidelines and board determinations, as well as requirements set forth by venues, campuses, airlines and the countries we intend to visit.

Class 51 Selection

51 51 The phase one and two application processes have ended and selection committees conducted interviews throughout the state in July. Thank you to everyone who helped identify, recruit and mentor candidates for the program. Due to your efforts and the program’s continued influence, we are pleased to announce that we had a record number of applicants. Fellows will be announced this fall.

New Monterey Office NEW Address Location for CALF In order to facilitate our continued growth 80 garden cOURt and be more accessible to our alumni, in suite 270 July we moved our office to a location in

Monterey, CA 93940 Monterey. The change will give us more space to collaborate, the ability to host meetings and will also include a place for visiting alumni to work. The new workspace will allow us to continue to meet the needs of the program, the foundation and our alumni as we begin work on the goals identified in our strategic plan, while ensuring that our fellows experience an exceptional program. If you are in the area, we welcome you to stop by for a visit!

CALF Director of Education Departs Foundation

CALF Director of Education Shelli Hendricks resigned from her position effective April 30. The change comes in order for Hendricks to provide support and care for her family in the Phoenix, Ariz. area.

Hendricks served CALF for more than two years, working directly with classes 48-50, and collaborating with the CALF Education Team to navigate continued seminars and contingency planning throughout the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also guided the foundation’s reintroduction of alumni learning activities.

“We are very appreciative for the working relationship we enjoyed with Shelli, and her contributions to our programs. We are certain she will continue to have an important impact in the field of leadership development throughout her career, and we are grateful to her for having shared her talents with our foundation these past two years,” said Dwight Ferguson. Dr. Peggy Perry (9) and Dr. Robert Flores have been named interim co-directors of education for CALF. Read more about the transition on page 6.

Jeff Elder Steps Down After 13 Years of Service to CALF

Jeff Elder (35) announced this spring that he would be stepping down from the CALF board of directors. Elder joined the board in 2008 and served in many capacities, including as chairman and most recently as immediate past chair. As a board member, he was involved in the 2010 strategic planning process and supported the strategic alignment process with the Alumni Council in 2015 and 2016. He has also been a generous supporter of alumni activities and hosted many Alumni Council meetings. We are grateful for his support of Ag Leadership and thank him for his many years of service.

First Fridays

Alumni learning opportunities are an important component of the education that the foundation is proud to produce and provide. In 2019, CALF reinstated alumni learning opportunities, beginning with First Fridays sessions for alumni and current fellows. These webinars focus on discussion of complex topics that link back to current class curriculum. We hope you will join us for our upcoming First Fridays!

Aug. 6 | 12 p.m. | Understanding the Importance and Nature of Change During this intriguing session, Dr. Lattore will present on the nature of personal and organizational change.

Sept. 3 | 12 p.m. | Historical Leadership Lessons: The Good and the Bad We will be drawing from examples of leadership gone awry and show what is missing from Dr. Pat Lattore’s Diamond Model of Leadership. Alumni will engage in reviewing examples with insight from Dr. Lattore.