Conference Agenda
Conference Agenda
Conference Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Shannon Douglas
2023 Ag Ambassador State Conference
Opening Keynote Speaker
Shannon Douglass was elected first vice president of the California Farm Bureau Federation in December 2017 and was re-elected in 2019 and again in 2021.
Douglass is a director of the Glenn County Farm Bureau and a former chair of the CFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers State Committee. She is a graduate of the Leadership Farm Bureau program and participated in the American Farm Bureau Federation Partners in Advocacy Leadership program. She won the California YF&R Discussion Meet in 2007 and also graduated from the California Agricultural Leadership Program.
She is an owner of Douglass Ranch, which raises beef cattle, sunflowers, pumpkins, corn and forage crops, and founded CalAgJobs, an online listing of employment opportunities in California agriculture.
Douglass serves on the Glenn County Fair Board of Directors and the advisory board for the Hamilton City FFA chapter and chair of the Orland High School Career Technical Education committee. She is a former director of the Glenn County Resource Conservation District.
Her previous experience includes serving as a consultant on talent recruitment, social media and communications for agricultural clients; lecturing on agricultural topics at both Butte College and California State University, Chico; developing a career-awareness program for the California Association of Pest Control Advisers; and serving as outreach and retention coordinator for the CSU Chico College of Agriculture.
Douglass earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s degree focused on agricultural policy, each from CSU Chico.
Brad Dodson
2023 Ag Ambassador State Conference
Closing Keynote Speaker
For 43 years, Dr. Dodson has been involved in Agricultural Education. He taught high school agriculture at Lemoore High School for six years teaching agricultural production courses. He then accepted a lecture position at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and his duties included coordinating the statewide in-service program for high school and community college teachers as well as teaching undergraduate courses such as the CTSO advisement, teaching methods, and early field experience for teachers. While at Cal Poly, he received his Master’s degree.
After six years at Cal Poly, he enrolled at Texas A&M University as a PhD graduate specializing in youth leadership development. On a teaching assistantship, he taught Agricultural Education and Leadership courses, advised students and the Collegiate Leadership club. He was then hired by the California Department of Education as a regional supervisor for the Northern California area. He provided technical assistance to high school agriculture teachers, hosted leadership conferences and competitions, advised a team of youth leaders. He also served as the Assistant State Advisor while with the department.
Dr. Dodson recently retired from his position as the coordinated the Teacher Education program here at California State University, in Chico, California. He taught Agricultural Education and Leadership courses and advised undergraduate and graduate students. He lives in Chico with his wife, Debbie, of over 47 years. Debbie was a high school CTE teacher and school counselor at Paradise High School and currently counsels students and adults dealing with fire trauma. They have two children, Bryan and Breanna. Bryan is a high school Agricultural Welding teacher and Bree teaching 6th grade in a nearby community.
Dr. Dodson enjoys listening to and playing music (amateur guitarist, ukulele and banjo player). He loves to read and watch a good movie. He is an avid sports nut keeping up with high school and collegiate athletics of all kinds. He loves to attend sporting events and cheer on the local athletes.
Industry Speakers
Bonnie Baxter
Bonnie Baxter graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in Agriscience. After earning a Master’s Degree with honors distinction and teaching credential from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, she entered the teaching profession in 2007. While serving as the Department Head at Los Molinos High School, she concurrently served as a seven-time CT/LST, community college adjunct professor and CTE curriculum specialist. She has led the efforts of the California Teach Ag Campaign for the past eight years, while additionally serving as a CSU, Chico University Supervisor for over forty student teachers. As the demand for agriculture teachers continues to rise, Bonnie’s efforts focus on the recruitment and retention of quality teachers needed for Agriculture Education to thrive in California.
Sarah Cenedella
Sarah Cenedella is Sales Development Supervisor for Holt of California and Holt Ag Solutions, based out of Pleasant Grove, CA. Holt of California is the exclusive Caterpillar dealer for 16 counties in California based around Sacramento and Stockton. Holt Ag Solutions is the AGCO Dealer from Merced, CA up to the Oregon/Washington border. She has spent the last 13 years of her career supporting both these companies marketing efforts, managing the yearly marketing plans and events for Holt Ag Solutions from 2017 to 2022. In her role as Sales Development Supervisor, Sarah manages the Sales funnel, ensure timely response times to sales leads, quality qualification of leads prior to assigning to the sales team, works with the marketing specialists on marketing campaign ROI and manages sales coverage studies to ensure the different territories of the companies are adequately covered for current customer needs and sales growth. Growing up in Chico, Sarah graduated from California State University, Chico in 2004. Sarah currently lives on a small farm in Elverta, CA with her husband and their three daughters where they raise Boer goats. The whole family is active in the Pleasant Grove 4-H Club, where Sarah served as Community leader for five years, baking project leader for six years and currently co-leads the Market Goat project group with her husband. Fun fact – Sarah and her husband got married on his family’s rice and prune ranch in Marysville, CA where Sarah was brought in on what she now considers a competitive high horsepower tractor.
Joyce Pexton
Joyce Pexton graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2015 with a BS in Animal Science. During her time at Cal Poly she was an active member of Agriculture Ambassadors and the Cal Poly Polo team. Since graduating from university Joyce has held a variety of animal science related jobs. She currently works at UC Davis researching dairy waste and nutrient management for Dr. Deanne Meyer, and manages databases for the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program.
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith is a Chico State Grad from the Plant and Soil Science program. He is a licensed California PCA and has been working in the agriculture/landscape industries for about 10 years. He currently works at Vantage Sierra Cascade which has become the leading provider of precision agricultural solutions.
