Twenty-one community leaders have been selected for Class XXVII of the Focus Agriculture program. This “first-in-the-nation” program is designed for community leaders to learn about agriculture in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley. Class XXVII members include: Stephen Gray, Chief Administrative Officer, Sutter Health, Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center; Jacques Bertrand, Councilmember, City of Capitola; Cynthia Druley, Executive Director, CASA; Josh Schneider, President, Bluewater Construction, Inc.; Angela Gile, Field Representative, California State Assembly – Mark Stone; Rachel Kippen, Director of Programs, Save Our Shores; and Bruce Nicholson, Co-Founder/ Principal, The Nicholson Company.
The program consists of once-a-month, daylong seminars, held over a period of nine months. The first session will be held on Friday, March 11. Speakers ranging from farmers to elected officials to representatives from environmental groups will address the class. The sessions will cover such topics as ethnic groups in agriculture, new technology and diversity of commodities locally grown. In addition, there are many farm tours and hands on experiences. The participants will spend one day working on a farm.
In announcing the selected participants of Class XXVII, Agri-Culture President Steve Bontadelli, stated, “Community leaders will find this program beneficial and, in turn, growers who present information to the class will learn the public’s current perspective of local agriculture. The program is designed to be a two way learning process.”
The Focus Agriculture program received a national award for its innovated approach to bringing the public and the agricultural community Focus Agriculture Press Release
•••
Focus Agriculture Class XXVII
Jacques Bertrand – Councilmember, City of Capitola • David Brody – Executive Director, First 5 Santa Cruz County • Cameron Chabre – Conservation Land Manager, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County • Doron Comerchero – Executive Director, FoodWhat • Marie Cubillas – Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County • Cynthia Druley – Executive Director, CASA of Santa Cruz County • Marcelle Dupraw – Managing Senior Mediator & Facilitator, CSU Sacramento, Center for Collaborative Policy • Angela Gile – Field Representative, California State Assembly – Mark Stone • Stephen Gray – Chief Administrative Officer, Sutter Health, Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center • Jan Kamman – Community/Corporate Relations Director, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County • Kathie Keely – Retired – Director of Sales, Santa Cruz Seaside Co. • Rachel Kippen – Director of Programs, Save Our Shores • Erin Larrus – Agriculture Teacher, Pajaro Valley Unified School District • Barbara Mendenhall – Senior Trial Attorney, Zenith Insurance Co. • Bruce Nicholson – Co-Founder/Principal, The Nicholson Company • Josh Schneider – President, Blue Water Construction, Inc. • Francisco Rodriguez – Assistant Vice President/SBA Loan Officer, Santa Cruz County Bank • Keith Rushing – Realtor, Self-Employed Coldwell Banker Realtor • Mary Russell – Broker/Principal, Mortgage Results • Mike Watson – Property Manager, Shikuma Farms • Jenni Veitch-Olson – Preschool Founding Director, United Presbyterian Church of Watsonville