News

2025 AAWLI Award Recipients

The Alumni Association of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute (AAWLI) held their annual meeting in Orlando, Florida on July 25 and 26. At the Saturday evening awards banquet, the organization presented four awards to individuals for their contributions to the Wedgworth Leadership Institute (WLI) and the agriculture and natural resource industries.  

Farm Credit of Florida Leadership Award – Marshal (Class XI) and Taylor Sewell  

The Farm Credit of Florida Leadership Award is intended to recognize an AAWLI member who has applied what they learned in the program to make an immediate and/or lasting impact on their industry, organization and community.   

Upon graduating from Class XI, Marshal and Taylor Sewell founded The Mind Your Melon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing among farmers, ranchers, and agricultural families. The Sewells host a 5-star-rated podcast with an international audience, co-authored a successful children’s book in partnership with National Ag in the Classroom, and recently collaborated with Florida Farm Bureau and the UF/IFAS Center for Leadership to sponsor the first statewide farmer mental wellbeing survey. Their efforts to elevate this important conversation have made a lasting impact on agricultural communities in Florida and beyond.

Burl Long Leadership Award – Kate English (Class IV)  

Dr. Burl Long served as the Faculty Program Advisor for the Wedgworth Leadership Institute from its inception in 1992 and played an integral role in the program until his death in 2011.  The Burl Long Leadership Award is intended to recognize someone connected to the Wedgworth Leadership Program who reflects the ideals that Dr. Long embodied, including the belief that “speech without reflection is just chatter”, and the importance of thinking more deeply before speaking or acting. The recipient should also be an individual whose life perspective or mission further developed during, or as a result of, the Wedgworth Leadership Institute program- perhaps through an “ah ha” moment. 

A proud alumna of Class IV, Kate participated in the program under Dr. Long’s guidance and continues to embody his legacy through her leadership and service. Kate has been with Pavese Law Firm since 1994 and became a partner in 2000. Her legal practice focuses on agricultural, environmental, and land use law. In 2024, she was appointed to the EPA’s, Ranch and Rural Communities Committee to represent agricultural interests. She also holds leadership roles with the America Farm Bureau and Florida Farm Bureau, among others. She is a member of the board of directors for Alico, Inc. (ALCO). Kate has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for her work in environmental and land use law and is active in the Lee County Bar Association.

Honorary Director Award – Carl Bauman (Class VIII)  

The Honorary Director Award is presented by the current WLI program director to an individual who has provided exemplary support and assistance to WLI.  

Carl Bauman has faithfully served as the AAWLI Treasurer since 2020, playing an instrumental role in strengthening the program through improved financial processes, alumni engagement, and operational efficiency. As treasurer, he helped transition records into a new constituent management system, align program and alumni data for greater accuracy, and support regional alumni events to foster collaboration between the association and the program. Known for his quiet, steady leadership, Carl’s behind-the-scenes contributions have noticeably improved the quality of WLI alumni programming.

Eugene Trotter Leadership Award – Chuck (Class IV) and Vesna Allison 

The Eugene Trotter Leadership Award is intended to: honor leaders in the agriculture industry who have exemplified personal values, performance, and achievements in Florida and beyond; recognize high standards of conduct, leadership, innovation, and accomplishment for agriculture; and recognize those who as role models for young people entering the industry.  

Chuck and Vesna Allison are the owners of Wild Goose Farms in Umatilla, where they grow over 200 acres of conventional blueberries in addition to cattle, citrus, and nursery crops. Since founding the farm in 2004, they have vertically integrated their operation with a state-of-the-art packing facility and built a reputation for quality and innovation. Beyond their business success, they are deeply committed to community service. They host annual blueberry gleaning festivals to benefit local organizations, support faith-based and youth programs, and contribute to UF/IFAS through the Allison Family Endowment. Together, Chuck and Vesna’s dedication to faith, family, and community makes them outstanding role models for leadership in Florida agriculture. 

Agribusiness Leaders Graduate from Prestigious UF/IFAS Leadership Institute

GAINESVILLE, FL — Twenty-nine Florida agribusiness leaders graduated from Class XII of the esteemed Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources (WLIANR) on Thursday, July 24. The Institute is run by the University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and has been developing leaders in Florida since 1991. 

This milestone marks the successful completion of a rigorous two-year leadership development program designed to prepare agricultural and natural resource professionals for critical leadership roles across Florida and beyond. The program for Class XII included 55 days of immersive training through:

• Ten multi-day seminars across Florida
• A 10-day national study trip to Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, and Washington state
• A two-week international capstone experience in Ghana and Kenya
  

Throughout the program, participants engaged in hands-on learning, touring agricultural operations, exchanging ideas with business leaders, and analyzing complex industry issues. They received intensive training in:

• Communication and interpersonal leadership
• Strategic decision-making and problem-solving
• Understanding policy impacts on agriculture and natural resources
  

This graduating cohort now joins an elite network of leaders prepared to strengthen and advocate for Florida’s agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

“Florida’s future depends on preparing leaders able to address complex challenges,” said J. Scott Angle, University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and head of UF/IFAS. “What makes WLI special is that it fosters leaders willing to engage with different perspectives and find common ground to create solutions.”

The graduates of Class XII include:

• Lucy Abell, Abell Livestock Company, Venus, FL
• Sydney Allison-Stoyka, IMG Citrus, Sebastian, FL
• Miles Armstrong, BASF Agricultural Solutions, Palmetto, FL
• Myles Basore, TKM-Bengard, Wellington, FL
• Kim Bonner, Mabry Carlton Ranch, Sidell, FL

• Daniel Bott, PGIM Agricultural Investments, Vero Beach, FL
• Jake Brown, Tater Farms, Hastings, FL
• Jason Chandler, Grimmway Farms, Mayo, FL
• Krystin Chapman, The Development Group, Zolfo Springs, FL
• Chance Clay, Clay Ranch, San Mateo, FL
• Danny Collins, Duke Energy, Monticello, FL
• Tiffany Dale, Florida Strawberry Growers Assn., Wauchula, FL
• Tyler Duda, The Viera Company, Melbourne, FL
• Cheryl Flood, Florida State Fair, Bartow, FL
• Rachel Garland, Nutrien, White Springs, FL
• Todd Gentry, Cherrylake Inc., Clermont, FL
• Kyle Hill, H&C Harvesting, Apopka, FL
• Kristen Hitchcock, Parkesdale Farms, Inc., Lakeland, FL
• Rochelle James, No Worries Property Management, Royal Palm Beach, FL
• Erin Jenkins Banas, Jenkins Landscape Company, Hobe Sound, FL
• Jason Johnson, Wedgworth’s Inc., Sebring, FL
• Dan Kimble, Harplyn Inc., Bradenton, FL
• Nina Krause, Nuveen Natural Capital, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Sandy McArthur, NG Wade, Jacksonville, FL
• Riley McKenna, McKenna & Associates, Sebring, FL
• Clay Pederson, Agromillora, Ocala, FL
• Zak Seymour, Farm Credit of Florida, Gainesville, FL
• John Small, Cal-Maine Foods, Okeechobee, FL
• Janyel Taylor, Ralph Taylor’s Nurseries, Bradenton, F

Applications for Class XIII will open in Spring 2026. For more information, contact Christy Chiarelli at ccw@ufl.edu.

Morgan McKenna Porter named President of the Citrus Research Development Foundation

Morgan McKenna Porter (Class XI) was recently named President of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF.)

CRDF is a non-profit corporation organized under Florida State laws as a Direct Support Organization of the University of Florida.  It’s Mission is to “Advance disease and production research and product development activities to ensure the survival and competitiveness of Florida’s citrus growers through innovation and research.”

The organization is headed by a 13-member Board of Directors, ten of whom are required by statute to be growers. The others are from academia and government.  The COO handles the day-to-day management of business affairs, and Project Managers oversee the research and commercial product delivery project portfolios.

Learn more about CRDF on https://citrusrdf.org/.

Sara Sebring (Class XI) to serve as a Supervisor for the Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District Board

Sara Sebring was elected in November 2022 and sworn in on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 to serve as a Supervisor for the Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District Board. She will represent Seat 5 for a 4 year term.  

The Board of Supervisors govern the operation of the District, conducting a monthly board meeting and staying abreast of issues facing the Agricultural Industry. Established in 1942, the Highlands District continues to partner with Highlands County, the Florida Department of Agriculture and USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Services, to provide technical and financial assistance to agriculture land owners in conservation efforts. These programs assure the protection of valuable natural resources while our farmers continue to produce a variety of food commodities in Highlands and surrounding counties. The Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District office is located at 4505 George Blvd., Sebring. 

Scott Emerson (Class III) Recognized as 2021 CARES Recipient

Florida Farm Bureau’s County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) program publicly recognizes Florida farmers and ranchers who demonstrate exemplary efforts to protect Florida’s natural resources by implementing Best Management Practices. 

Scott Emerson of Emerson’s Little Dam Farm, Alachua County, was recognized as a 2021 CARES recipient. Emerson is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Wedgworth Leadership Institute, Class III.

AAWLI Honors Award Recipients

The Alumni Association of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute (AAWLI) held their annual meeting in Clearwater last weekend, August 6-7. At the Saturday evening awards banquet, the group honored four outstanding individuals for their contributions to the Wedgworth Leadership Institute (WLI) and the agriculture and natural resource industries.  

U.S. Department of Agriculture official named to lead UF/IFAS

The University of Florida has named J. Scott Angle, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to lead the university’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) into the next decade. He is expected to assume the role as vice president for agriculture and natural resources on July 13.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2020/05/04/u-s-department-of-agriculture-official-named-to-lead-uf-ifas/