Leadership

Brief Bio: Faith, family and farming has been the basis of my family’s heritage for generations. At a young age, I became interested in the daily operation of my family’s dairy farm in Northeast Iowa. As I got older, I asked for more responsibilities and asked numerous questions to broaden my knowledge. Throughout my development, I realized that this industry is not only my past, but it is my future. Currently, I am eager to enter into my senior year at Iowa State University triple majoring in Dairy Science, Agriculture Communications and International Agriculture. After my college graduation in May of 2022, I anticipate working for a regional or national dairy checkoff organization where I gauge consumer interest, loyalty and trust in dairy products, and modern farming practices.

This past year, I have been honored to serve as the National ADSA-SAD 1st Vice President. Over the year, I have been able to help in selecting competition judges, planning conference sessions, and engaging in monthly meetings with my team in hopes to improve our program. Furthermore, I gained ADSA experience through the Dairy Science Club at Iowa State University as I assisted in the planning of the Midwest Regional ADSA-SAD Conference. As the marketing and promotion committee co-chair, I promoted workshops, tours, and speakers through social media and created logos, t-shirts, and decorations. From all of this, I am confident in my ability to return as a National ADSA-SAD officer. With my experience, I know that the team will be able to make more progressive strides and see further success in the program.

Why serve: We are incredibly fortunate to be among a group of people with a vast array of interests. Of course, we all hold a special place in our hearts for the dairy cow, but we all have a different pathway for our future. This past year as the 1st Vice President, I recognized how this organization encompasses many students with different backgrounds, perspectives on dairy, and desired careers of the industry. As a returning National ADSA-SAD officer, I hope to be able to provide the necessary resources for each member and assist them with the knowledge gained from my prior year of service. From attending national and regional ADSA conferences, I found that we need to be more inclusive and forward thinking.

With this position, I want to create a space where members can go and search for career options in hopes they can find something that suits what they want in their future. Additionally, I hope to create more interaction between university clubs across the nation. Being that we are all across the country, each chapter has unique aspects to showcase. From on-campus creameries to nearby dairy companies, each club has something they are able to share with another. During my time as an ADSA-SAD officer, I hope to continue strengthening interactions among universities so students can be more aware of opportunities and resources. By continuing on the officer team, I am determined to implement my ideas and the ideas of other members. I know that I can help each student feel welcomed and assure them they are in the right place. The dairy industry needs the bright minds of our students and I am proud to be able to help all members find their place.

Brief Bio: At Penn State, I have been actively involved in the Dairy Science Club since I began school in the fall of 2018. Our consignment sale, the Nittany Lion Fall Classic, has been one of the highlights of my collegiate career. I have served in many capacities for the sale, including as Animal Preparation Crew Head and Social Media Manager, and I will be the Chair of the 2021 edition of the sale. I have also played a role in one of our major community outreach events for the past three years as the chair of the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Convention. This role has given me the opportunity to write Dairy Bowl and Dairy Jeopardy contests and coordinate our club participation in running these contests that qualify Pennsylvania Junior Holstein members to compete at the National Holstein Convention. In the fall of 2019, I competed on the Penn State Dairy Judging Team, where we finished in 1st Place in Oral Reasons at the Eastern States Exposition, All-American Dairy Show, and National Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. Additionally, we won 3rd overall team at Eastern States Exposition, 1st overall team at the All-American Dairy Show, and 2nd overall team at World Dairy Expo. Since then, I have served as a teaching assistant for our Introduction to Dairy Judging class at Penn State, where I deliver lectures to the class and also work with students to develop their skills in oral reasons. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to serve as an assistant coach to the Massachusetts 4-H Dairy Judging team, allowing me to give back to the program that developed my passion for the dairy industry.

Why serve: I got my first introduction to ADSA during my freshman year when I competed in the quadrathlon for the Northeast Student Affiliate of ADSA-ASAS. Every year since, I have competed in the livestock judging, quiz bowl, and oral presentation competitions, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to visit other campuses in the Northeast while interacting with students from other universities who are all passionate about the dairy and livestock industries. During my freshman year at Penn State, I served as our ADSA Liaison, where I coordinated our club members’ participation in the National ADSA-SAD contests. Additionally, I have served as the editor of the Penn State Dairyman yearbook for the past three years. I look forward to attending an in-person ADSA-SAD meeting in 2022 and I would love the opportunity to work to plan an in-person meeting for members from all ADSA institutions. ADSA activities have fostered my passion for the dairy industry and have motivated me to pursue a career that will allow me to give back to an industry that has given so much to me. I am eager for the chance to apply all of my personal experiences that I have accrued from the American Dairy Science Association throughout my collegiate career to collaborate with members from across the country while serving as an officer on the national level.

Brief Bio: My name is Jayme Ozburn and I am very proud to be a fourth generation farmer from Lewisburg, Tennessee. I own and care for twenty-five Jersey cattle. I show and exhibit these cattle at local, state, and national shows. Starting at age twelve, I was the main helping hand at our farm, and throughout high school I have taken more responsibility in growing, breeding, and caring for the farm. Growing up, I quickly realized I had a passion for Jerseys. I plan to continue this passion by getting my Bachelor’s in Animal Science with focuses in reproduction and nutrition at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I will use this degree to not only start my own herd, but to grow and develop other herds as well. I am looking forward to the opportunities my life has to offer me.

Why Serve: Growing up on a dairy farm, my passion for the dairy industry started at a young age as I watched my dad's desire to work hard everyday grow constantly. For years we milked over 200 head, that then decreased when my father had to get job away from the dairy and I had to step up. It was my turn to get up early and milk the cows before getting ready for school to them come back home and make sure milking was done before bed. I had started to put my passion to the test and early morning became earlier and late nights became later as heifers were added to the show string. Adding these hours to my day allowed my passion to grow as I started to realize the joy my father got from working hard in the dairy barn. These responsibilities pushed me to further ones in the dairy industry. A responsibility to help dairy farmers to further advance their operations, a responsibility to lead aspects of the industry such as ADSA and other organizations, and a responsibility to share the truth and story of dairy and the farmers behind it. Being an ADSA SAD officer would allow me to better prepare myself for these responsibilities as well as allow me to connect and network with industry leaders.

Brief Bio: My name is Leigh Wardlaw and I am a Senior at NS State majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Agricultural Business Management. I have been an officer in my Dairy Science Club for 3 years and I have been a Regional ADSA officer for 2 years and am the current First Vice President.

Why Serve: This organization has given me so many great opportunities and allowed me to meet so many amazing individuals. I would love the opportunity to play a bigger role in this community.

Brief Bio: I'm a rising 4th year at the University of Georgia studying Animal Science and Biological Science. I am minoring in Dairy Science, Biology, and Political Science. I was not raised on a dairy farm, but I have gotten valuable experience while studying at UGA on not only our dairy farm but also our beef, sheep, swine, and equine farms as well. I know that this makes me an outlier in the industry, but I feel like my unique experiences will make a great contribution to this organization. Outside of being the Treasurer and Commercial Show Co-Chair for our Dairy Science Club I am also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, and a Policy Advisor for the Student Government Association. I run the Training Committee for the Arch Society which is a small group of students who are the goodwill ambassadors for UGA, and on the Large Animal Emergency Critical Care team at the UGA Teaching Veterinary Hospital. I will also continue to serve on the STAMPS Scholars Board for the upcoming school year and be joining UGA?s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Advisory Board. Additionally, I am the Teachers Assistant for an Honors Introduction to Disease course in the Spring, complete undergraduate research on skeletal muscle dysfunction in the Call Lab, and work as a Student Assistant in the Department of Pathology in UGA?s College of Veterinary Medicine. I feel as though these organizations highlight my diligence and attitude to succeed which I believe will be very important if I am elected to one of the officer positions. I commit to doing my absolute best and I believe that the experience I have gained at UGA and previously will be vital in my success if elected.

Why serve: I want to serve as an ADSA SAD officer because I have been learning so much about the Dairy Industry and this opportunity would be the perfect way for me to apply my knowledge while still in school. I believe the Dairy Industry is very important and as a student this is the best way for me to maintain a strong involvement and investment in this community. I also believe that in this position I will be able to advocate with other students about the importance of maintaining pour dairy industry across the nation. If I can walk away knowing I increased other people?s knowledge, then I will be content and happy with what I accomplish if elected. One other thing that I feel is important to mention is that in my time at UGA I feel as though the one area where I have enjoyed my classes the most is in the animal science department and specifically those focused on dairy cows and production. What I take away from this is not only are they very interesting but also the people involved and invested in them are super nice and helpful. Everyone who I have met in these environments is a great person and getting the opportunity to work with more industry professionals is an experience that I would love to have. Any opportunity to increase my own knowledge is one that I believe is worth pursuing, and with that being said these are the reasons why I want to serve as an ADSA SAD officer.

Brief Bio: My name is Gianna Novak, and I am a rising Junior at Virginia Tech in the dairy science 3+1 program for Veterinary school. I am originally from a small beef and hay operation in New Jersey but moved to Virginia when my dad took another job. I have been in 4-H since I was 10 years old and raising my own small herd of Brown Swiss Cattle since I was 11. Throughout the time since I went into 4-H, I have been a Hunterdon County 4-H Ambassador, Hunterdon County Dairy Princess and National Brown Swiss Ambassador. I also did things in my community such as being a volunteer firefighter, liturgical minister, and leading children’s masses. Once I got to college, I began to take on new leadership roles through various clubs. Currently I am the recruitment chair of Sigma Alpha, as well as the Little All American chair for Dairy Club and being the 2nd Vice President Southern ADSA. I am also a member of Young Farmers as well as Beef Leadership Council. I really enjoy being a part of various activities on campus and especially holding leadership roles that will help better the organization.

Why serve: I am extremely invested in the dairy club at Virginia Tech. It was the first club I joined at Virginia Tech during my freshman year. Being as ADSA is the organization that oversees the dairy club, it only makes sense that I want to be as equally invested in that as well. I was apart the Virginia Tech quiz bowl team in 2020 and we had won the southern contest. We were supposed to head to the national contest of Florida but due to the national pandemic, we were unable to attend. Other than that, I attended the Southern ADSA in 2020 at Clemson and the virtual one in 2021. During the online meeting for southern meeting, I won a seat as an officer. I am currently the 2nd Vice President for Southern ADSA. I have really enjoyed being a part of that officer team with trying to plan the next southern meeting as well as meeting so many new people. I hope to be a ADSA SAD officer because I want to be more involved as well as making new connections and helping other dairy clubs to make their programs better.