Focus Agriculture, Class XXV Graduates

November brings graduation to the locally based national award-winning Focus Agriculture program. A ceremony and reception was held at the Pajaro Valley Historical Association’s Bockius-Orr house on Beach Street in Watsonville on Friday for Class XXV of the Focus Agriculture program.

Focus Agriculture, a program of the organization Agri-Culture is a “first-in-the-nation” program that allows community leaders to learn firsthand about agriculture in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley. The nine-session program covers topics such as ethnic groups in agriculture, labor, new technology, land use, politics, the environment and health care.

The members of the graduating class for 2014 are: • Steve Bennett – Development Director, Second Harvest Food Bank • Alan Burt – Sheriff Sergeant, Santa Cruz County Sheriff • Juan Castagnino – Production Planning Analyst II, Driscoll’s Strawberry Associates • Trina Coffman-Gomez – Watsonville Council Member • Bud Colligan – Founder and CEO, South Swell Ventures, LLC • David Doolin – Partner, Petrinovich Pugh & Company, LLP • Keisha Frost – Director of Community Giving & Marketing, United Way of Santa Cruz County • Beverly Grova – VP of Philanthropy, Dominican Hospital • Robert Kitayama – President/CEO, Kitayama Brothers, Inc. • Rick Longinotti – Marriage & Family Therapist • Philip Martinelli – Orchard Analyst, S. Martinelli & Co. • James Mekis – Retired • Stacy Philpott – Associate Professor and Heller Chair in Agroecology, UCSC Dept. of Environmental Studies • Stephen Rider – Assistant Production Manager, H.A. Rider and Sons • Elisabeth Russell – Special Projects Manager, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments • Leigh Hays Selby – Nutrition Writer, Researcher. Speaker and Consultant • Jackie Strong – Program Assistant, Regional Water Management Foundation • Scott Walecka – Private Investor • Julie Walker – Accounting Assistant/Purchasing, Germains Seed Technology • Alec Webster – Machinist and Board Member for the Helen & Will Webster Foundation • Sarah Wood – Editor and Publisher, Edible Monterey Bay

The graduation ceremony included a graduation certificate plus an Assembly Certificate prepared and presented by Assemblyman Luis Alejo’s office. President Bontadelli stated, “This was an excellent class. We are appreciative of the speakers and participants for giving their time during the year.”

If anyone is interested in applying for the next class, which will begin in March 2015, please contact the Agri-Culture office at (831) 722-6622 or you can email your request for an application to agri-culture@sbcglobal.net.   Your name will be placed on a mailing list for applications that will be released in late November.

 

Focus Agriculture Class XXV – 2014

(L-R)

Top Row: James Mekis, Stephen Rider, Steve Bennett, Bud Colligan, Alan Burt, Scott Walecka, Juan Castagnino, Robert Kitayama, Rick Longinotti

Middle Row: Elizabeth Russell, Keisha Frost, Philip Martinelli, Beverly Grova, Leigh Hays Selby, Julie Walker

Bottom Row: David Doolin, Jackie Strong, Trina Coffman-Gomez, Stacy Philpott, Sarah Wood

Tractor: Alec Webster, Jess Brown