Nebraska LEAD Class 44 completes national study and travel seminar
Fellows in the Nebraska Leadership, Education, Action Development (LEAD) Program Class 44 recently completed their National Study and Travel Seminar, a 10-day immersive experience designed to deepen their understanding of public policy, global markets, leadership, history and the future of food and agriculture.
The seminar, held Feb. 4-13, included visits and briefings in Kansas City, Mo.; Washington, D.C.; Chicago and Moline, Ill.
The experience is a cornerstone of the two-year Nebraska LEAD Program, providing fellows direct access to national leaders, policymakers, industry executives and cultural institutions.
Bringing leadership to life
Throughout the seminar, Class 44 engaged with organizations representing nearly every facet of agriculture and public life – from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Mo. and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Pork Producers Council and the American Soybean Association.
Fellows also met with members of Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and staff, visited foreign embassies, including the Embassy of Mexico and the Embassy of Canada, both in Washington, D.C., and toured historic and cultural sites such as Arlington National Cemetery, the White House and Gettysburg National Military Park.
“This seminar brings leadership to life,” said Kurtis Harms, director of the Nebraska LEAD Program.
“Classroom discussion is important, but there is no substitute for sitting across the table from decision-makers in Washington, D.C., hearing directly how policy is shaped and implemented and then connecting it back to Nebraska farms, ranches and rural communities. It challenges our Fellows to think bigger and lead with greater perspective,” Harms continued.
Emphasizing historical context, civic responsibility
In Kansas City, fellows explored agricultural innovation and market dynamics, including discussions with economists at the Federal Reserve and sustainability leaders at Dairy Farmers of America.
In Washington, D.C., they examined federal regulatory processes, trade policy and farm bill priorities while engaging directly with national commodity groups and Congressional leaders.
The seminar also em-phasized historical context and civic responsibility.
At Gettysburg, fellows reflected on leadership during pivotal moments in American history.
“The visit to Gettysburg was especially impactful,” said Shane Wohlgemuth, a Class 44 fellow, farmer and business owner.
“Standing where history was made and then coming back to Washington, D.C. to discuss modern policy issues really put leadership into perspective. It reminded me decisions matter and strong leadership can change the course of a nation.”
Highlighting policy-focused conversations
Another fellow in the class, Erika Coulter, territory manager with Beck’s Hybrids, highlighted the policy-focused conversations in the nation’s capital.
“Meeting with national organizations and hearing firsthand how they advocate for producers helped me better understand how Nebraska agriculture fits into the bigger picture. It gave me confidence to be more engaged in policy discussions at home,” she said.
The final leg of the seminar included visits in Chicago and Moline, Ill., where fellows explored food access initiatives at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, urban agricultural education at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences and global manufacturing and innovation at John Deere facilities.
Harms said the breadth of the experience is intentional.
“We want fellows to see the full food and agriculture system – from production and processing to policy, trade and consumer engagement,” he said.
“This seminar stretches them geographically and intellectually. When they return to Nebraska, they bring back not just knowledge, but relationships, perspective and a renewed commitment to serve,” he added.
Nebraska LEAD
Class 44 fellows
Nebraska LEAD Class 44 fellows who participated in the National Study and Travel Seminar are Katie Hespe of Ainsworth, Neb.; Jaclyn Frey of Albion, Neb.; Amanda Schultz of Aurora, Neb.; Erika Coulter of Bassett, Neb.; Alexis Corman of Bridgeport, Neb.; Britanie Brewster of Butte, Neb.; Jake Beam of Byron, Neb.; Stacey Guthard of Callaway, Neb.; Daniel Hogsett of Champion, Neb.; Tana Pankoke of Clarks, Neb.; Valerie Bohuslavsky of Columbus, Neb.; Shane Wohlgemuth of Funk, Neb. and Kelsey Harms of Glenvil, Neb.
Others who participated were Colt Foster of Hemingford, Neb.; Justin Morton of Howells, Neb.; Garrett Elfeldt, Chase Hoffschneider and Camille Koehn of Kearney, Neb.; Matthew Cross of Leigh, Neb.; Jacob Schlick, Dillon Kuehn and Katelyn Leibhart of Lincoln, Neb.; Sarah Zimmer of Mason City, Neb.; Brandon Miller of Merna, Neb.; Trey Bahler of North Platte, Neb.; Peter Martin of Omaha, Neb. and Erin Slieter of Red Cloud, Neb.
The Nebraska LEAD Program includes Nebraskans currently active in production agriculture and agribusiness and is a two-year leadership development program under the direction of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, in cooperation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. For more information, visit lead.unl.edu.
