News – Wedgworth Leadership Institute

by Anne ParrishFebruary 3, 2023 News0 comments

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/.

by Anne ParrishJanuary 6, 2023 News0 comments

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.

by June 15, 2020 Announcements, News0 comments

COVID-19: Consumer Trends and Food Supply Chains

A new WLI podcast is available. You can listen to “Covid-19: Consumer Trends and Food Supply Chains” featuring Ms. Anne-Marie Roerink, President of 210 Analytics, as she discusses how consumer trends have shifted in light of COVID.

Click Here to Listen

by May 20, 2020 Announcements, News0 comments

Podcast: 10 Best for Leaders in Selling Agricultural Products Online (Part 2)

Interested in selling agricultural products online? Check out the Part 2 of this episode from the Wedgworth Leadership Institute Podcast featuring Dr. Lauri Baker.

Listen Now

by Kevin KentMay 20, 2020 Announcements, News0 comments

Podcast: 10 Best for Leaders in Selling Agricultural Products Online (Part 1)

Interested in selling agricultural products online? Check out the latest episode of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute Podcast featuring Dr. Lauri Baker.

Listen Now

by Kevin KentMay 4, 2020 News0 comments

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/

by Kevin KentApril 1, 2020 Announcements, News0 comments

Tools and Technology for Leading Remotely

Working remotely presents a number of challenges, especially if it’s something new for you and your organization. Technology can help us make the most of the situation by keeping our organization and stakeholders connected. There’s no “one perfect solution,” but rather a plethora of tools that can help with certain aspects as needed.

Videoconferencing and Communication

How do I keep in touch with my team? Whether it’s an individual check-in or a weekly team meeting, technology can help facilitate the next best thing to an in-person meeting. Depending on the size of your organization and the level of communication you want to maintain, some of the options below may help you stay in touch with your team and stakeholders.

ZOOM – You are probably already using ZOOM as it has become the industry standard in online/virtual meetings. Meetings are easy to create and invitations can be sent to individuals or groups via link. You have the ability to share your screen which allows you to make presentations and review documents. ZOOM is great for larger organizations where you might have a large group of people on one call.
Microsoft Teams – If your organization has already invested in Microsoft Office, you likely have access to Microsoft’s newest office app, Teams. A mix between chat, file sharing, and virtual meetings is one of the best ways to describe Teams. Within the app, you can create multiple “teams” for different groups. This is useful when you are managing multiple groups or teams of people.
Slack – If you’re looking for something to reduce email and remain in constant contact with your team, Slack is one of the best options out there. Its easy-to-use interface allows you to create different channels for chats, file sharing, video or voice calls and more. Slack has the most integrations with other app that you may already use.
Google Hangouts – If you’re already using the Google suite of tools, this may be a great option for you. Similar to ZOOM, you can share links to meetings and integrate with you email and calendar.
Spark Mail App – You’re probably overwhelmed with email at this point (if you weren’t already). The Spark Mail app is one of the best apps I’ve seen for handling email madness and preventing email fatigue. Exciting features include snoozing emails, reminders to follow-up, and a smart inbox to help you sort different types of messages. Sorry PC users, this is an Apple and Mac device app only.
Mailchimp – You also are probably sending more email now than ever. Consider creating a digest or daily update and send it at a consistent time every day. Also consider using a tool like Mailchimp, where you can create a template and plug in your content. Add links, photos, GIFs, and organize your information more effectively using the email designer. You are also able to track who opens your email message when sent with Mailchimp.

Collaboration and Project Management

Okay…you’ve conducted your first virtual meeting and everyone is on the same page. How do I share files, task lists, and manage progress? Consider of the collaboration tools or project management apps below. It’s important to identify the best solution for you and your team in an effort not to introduce too much change/challenge at once.

Basecamp – Basecamp is my absolute favorite project management system. It pulls together fire sharing, calendars, to-do lists, messaging, and so much more into one space. Create automatic check-ins with each of your team members. Also a great way to include clients or customers that are outside of your organization in projects and conversations.
Trello – Don’t need a full project management system? Consider giving Trello a try. Create boards, lists, and cards to share with your team. Great for managing projects and what’s the status of each progress.
Notion – This app combines documents, project management, spreadsheets, and databases in a very flexible environment. If your organization requires a lot of freedom, flexibility, and data – this would be a great solution for you.
Mural – The most productive meetings for me are when I’m able to draw something out on a whiteboard. Mural is a digital whiteboard that has a lot of really neat features where you can invite your team to collaborate with you. Great for brainstorming or creative sessions!
Things – Just need an app to make lists? Things is an award-winning app that lets you create powerful lists, assign deadlines, and organize by project or area. Today and This Evening lists are automatically populated so you know exactly what to start on next.
Airtable – More of a spreadsheets type of person? Airtable is an awesome spreadsheets app with tons of features and integrations. Create different views, attach files to records, and format cells to include check boxes and more. A lot of really cool features that make spreadsheets even more useful.

Live Video/Recording & Podcasting

You’ve got your team and organization all connected now. What about your customers and stakeholders? Maybe you have a conference or training planned that now has to be virtual. Consider one of the following tools to help keep your stakeholders informed about what’s happening with your organization.

Switcher Studio – If you’re looking to stream a conference or product launch, Switcher Studio is a great option. Use mobile devices or computers as sources to capture, switch, and stream video to your Facebook, YouTube or other places. Upload and use your own photos, graphics, and video to be shown as well.
Vimeo – A favorite for hosting video, Vimeo also offers livestreaming and opportunities for paid content. If you want to embed a lot of videos into your current website, Vimeo is a great option.
Facebook Live – Let’s not forget one of the easiest tools available to us, Facebook Live. Go live from your mobile device anywhere you have a good internet connection. I’d recommend investing in a small tripod for your phone to avoid shaky video. Facebook Live is a great (and easy) way to keep your stakeholders informed.
Adobe Premiere Rush – Need to put a video together but not at your main desktop? Download Adobe Premiere Rush to quickly edit and share quality videos right from your mobile device. If you’re a Premiere Pro veteran, the interface will look very familiar. New to video editing? Premiere Rush is super easy to learn. Shoot, edit, and share video all on the same device.
Anchor – How about starting a podcast? Anchor makes it really easy to record, edit and share from your computer or mobile device. Invite others into the conversation connecting with them using the Anchor app. Anchor published your episode on all of the major podcasting platforms and is completely free.

As you can see, there are a lot of different tools and resources out there to assist in leading remotely. Don’t implement everything on this list into your remote leadership strategy. It’s important to determine your needs first – is it primarily communication or project management that technology can help with? Equally important is understanding who you are leading remotely – are you leading a small leadership team, your entire organization, or a group of stakeholders? After determining each of these, introduce the technology to your team or group with patience and understanding. There’s a lot of change happening right now, so adapting to a new workflow or process may take some time. To help with the transition, make sure to highlight how this technology will help simplify or make tasks easier and provide time for exploring and training if needed.

by Kevin KentMay 7, 2019 News0 comments

Christy Chiarelli Named Director of Wedgworth Leadership Institute

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Christy Chiarelli has been a part of the agricultural community for as long as she can remember. Whether she was helping out on her grandfather’s farm or participating in 4-H and Future Farmers of America, she wasn’t afraid to step up, eventually becoming the national FFA vice president for the southern region.

Chiarelli will continue taking the lead as the next director of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute. As director, she will also be an Extension assistant scientist in the agricultural education and communication department, part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“The future of agriculture and natural resources in Florida depends on strong leadership, and I’m confident that under Ms. Chiarelli’s direction, WLI will continue growing a community of world-class leaders,” said Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources.

The mission of WLI is to develop and refine the leadership skills of members of the agricultural and natural resources sectors. Initially called the Florida Leadership program for Agriculture and Natural Resources, the institute was established 1989. In 2003, the name changed to honor George Wedgworth and his contributions to Florida agriculture. Since its founding, approximately 300 alumni have participated in the program, which takes 22 months to complete.

Chiarelli is the third director of WLI, following UF/IFAS professors Gene Trotter, who established the institute, and Hannah Carter.

“Dr. Trotter and Dr. Carter’s leadership established the Wedgworth Leadership Institute as one of the premier programs in the country,” Chiarelli said. “I am looking forward to continuing to build on their legacies as we begin expanding our alumni programming, launching Class XI and finding meaningful connections between the program, the agricultural education and communication department and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.”

Chiarelli got involved with the institute while she was completing her master’s degree in agricultural education and communication in the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

“I surveyed the WLI alumni association for my thesis research. In 2011, Dr. Carter invited me to serve as the WLI program adviser, allowing me to travel on the national and international seminars with Class VIII,” she said. “Traveling with this class set an extremely high professional standard for me and encouraged me to succeed in my role with UF/IFAS Advancement. Given my past experience, when I saw the chance to work with the program, it was opportunity I could not pass up.”

During her time with UF/IFAS Advancement, Chiarelli rose to the rank of senior director of development administration, securing $1.7 million for the Wedgworth Leadership Institute and raising more than $13 million for UF/IFAS overall.

While fundraising is certainly one of her strengths, Chiarelli’s passion is helping others develop as leaders.

“Leadership development has a domino effect,” she said. “It’s exciting to think about how WLI class members will use their experience in the program to then make a positive difference in their local communities and industries.”

Keeping up with alumni and their accomplishments is also a high priority for Chiarelli.

“I am looking forward to meeting more of the alumni of the program and learning about their experiences both as a class member and an alumni member,” she said. “I hope to utilize their perspectives to ensure future classes have a meaningful experience.

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The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS works to bring science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. Visit the UF/IFAS web site at ifas.ufl.edu and follow us on social media at @UF_IFAS.