Nebraska LEAD Group 39 participants have been announced by the program’s director, Terry Hejny. The two-year program will begin in September.

The newest members of Nebraska’s premier two-year agricultural leadership development program are involved in production agriculture and/or agribusiness in Nebraska.

“Once again, it appears that Class 39 is filled with outstanding individuals from throughout our state, and I am excited to get started with them,” Hejny said. “Our task will be to prepare and motivate them for future leadership roles in their community, our state and beyond.”

Fellows in the Nebraska Leadership Education/Action Development program will participate in monthly three-day seminars across Nebraska, a 10-day national study/travel seminar and a two-week international study/travel seminar. The goal of the program is to develop problem solvers, decision makers and spokespersons for agriculture and Nebraska.

Seminar themes include leadership assessment and potential, natural resources and energy, leadership through communication, agricultural policy, international trade and finance, Nebraska’s political process, global perspectives, nuclear energy, social and cultural issues, understanding and developing leadership skills, agribusiness and marketing, information technology, advances in health care, the resources and people of Nebraska’s Panhandle, and other areas designed to develop leaders through exposure to a broad array of current topics and issues and how they interrelate.

The Nebraska LEAD Program is sponsored by the nonprofit Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council in cooperation with the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and 12 other institutions of higher education throughout Nebraska.

Nebraska LEAD 39 Fellows by hometown are:

• Albion: John Krohn
• Arthur: Jason Christensen
• Bellevue: John Bronner, Derek Brown
• Blue Hill: Alex Buschow
• Clarkson: Mike Podany
• Clatonia: Monte Murkle
• Colon: Jeff Meduna
• Columbus: Justin Lorenz
• Cozad: Zack Jenner
• Elgin: Tiffany Hemenway
• Grand Island: Andy Paul
• Holdrege: Molly Trausch
• Hordville: Rebekah Nortrup
• Kearney: Elyse Schlake
• Lincoln: Travis Harrison, Laurel Mastro, Blythe McAfee, Brett Muhlbach, Tony Sibert
• Mullen: Kory Phillips
• Neligh: Koryn Koinzan
• Omaha: Craig Davidson, Benjamin Grabenstein, Ashley Peters
• Stromsburg: Cale Pallas
• Sutherland: Thomas Kelly, Zachary Paulman
• Sutton: Jesse Mohnike
• Utica: Mindy Wolf