Foundation News

Thank you, Emily!

After 11 years with the foundation, CALF Development Coordinator Emily Lazzerini left in January to focus on her career in wedding planning.

As development coordinator, Lazzerini focused on critical support of donor relations and the foundation’s expanding development program. During her time with CALF, she also helped organize special events, especially those involving fundraising, while tracking donations, managing the database, assisting with website maintenance and overseeing various other tasks. She especially contributed to Common Threads as the staff lead for those events.

“Emily was an incredibly valuable, reliable and respected member of our team for more than a decade,” said CALF President and CEO Dwight Ferguson. “We are grateful for her longevity with the foundation, excellent organizational skills, willingness to take on new projects and consistently positive attitude.”

We know Emily will excel in her exciting wedding planning endeavors and we wish her the best.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT - WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!

To our alumni, friends and other stakeholders who generously invested in Ag Leadership in 2022 – a sincere THANK YOU!

Whether you contributed financially or by volunteering, your investment helps sustain, grow and enhance the excellent programs we produce to strengthen California agriculture. Together, we will ensure Ag Leadership continues growing leaders who make a difference.

If you did not have a chance to donate before the end of 2021 and wish to do so now, please visit www.agleaders.org/about/how-to-give/.

Also, if you would like to engage in alumni activities in 2022, please contact CALF Alumni Engagement Manager Deanna van Klaveren (32) at dvanklaveren@agleaders.org.

On behalf of the CALF team and board of directors, thank you again and we wish you a prosperous and healthy 2022!

Ag Leadership Holiday Open House

Thank you to our alumni and friends who attended our holiday open house in Monterey on Dec. 16. We were excited to visit with all of you, show off our new office and share some holiday spirit. If you are in town and want to visit, please stop by!

Class 52 Application Now Online

Applications for Class 52 are now available on the Ag Leadership website. Phase one applications are due April 27 and phase two applications are due May 25. We need your help identifying and mentoring candidates for the program. Please start thinking about and talking with friends and colleagues who would be ideal candidates. You can find downloadable PDFs about the program and readiness indicators for candidates at www.agleaders.org/resources.

POSTPONED AG LEADERSHIP ALUMNI CONFERENCE 50 YEARS OF CALF CELEBRATION

The Alumni Conference and 50th Celebration event committee recommended postponement of the events set for Feb. 4-5, 2022 due to attendance concern. Board leadership supported this difficult and prudent recommendation.

Review of the current situation indicated that it would be challenging to have an event that both supports our values of integrity, excellence and respect and gives alumni the opportunity to engage, learn and reconnect. Therefore, these events will be postponed to October 2022.

Please contact Dwight Ferguson, Abby Taylor-Silva (45) or Deanna van Klaveren (32) with any questions.

Class 50 Commencement

50 50

Congratulations to Class 50! The fellows celebrated their commencement at Fresno State on Feb. 5 following a reception and dinner in their honor the night before. Thank you to the family members, friends, colleagues and others who participated in these special and momentous events.

The spring issue of Horizons will include a feature story and photos from commencement.

Class 50: We proudly welcome you as new members of the Ag Leadership alumni family!