The fourth cohort of the AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program began February 2016, and will complete in February of 2018.
Cohort IV: Biographies
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Texas A&M AgriLife Research
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M Forest Service
Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Prairie View A&M University
Cohort IV: Sessions
Program Orientation/Induction and Welcome Dinner
College Station, TX (February 9, 2016) – The fourth cohort of the AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program began their day at Disaster City with scenario-based exercises designed to challenge their abilities to communicate and work with one another. A program orientation, hosted by Executive, followed in the afternoon along with an opportunity to listen to Cohort III’s capstone presentation. The day concluded with the graduation (Cohort III) and induction dinner (Cohort IV) where Dr. Mark Hussey, Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences welcomed cohort members, Executive Committee, as well as Agency Deans and Directors
Meeting I: Setting the Course
College Station, TX (April 18-21, 2016) – Cohort IV met at the Texas A&M Forest Service Building for workshops and a tour of their Emergency Operations Center. Three days of meetings kicked off with a networking dinner and welcoming remarks from Dr. Mark Hussey, Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences. Guest speaker was Bob Avant, Program Director Corporate Relations with Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
- Session Agenda
- Advocacy Presentation, Texas A&M Forest Service (Mr. Jake Donellan and Mr. Jason Keiningham)
Meeting II: Leadership Cornerstones
STEPHENVILLE, TX (September 26-29, 2016) – The second meeting for Cohort IV was held in Stephenville at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center. Cohort IV began their meeting with an overview of AgriLife Extension Service 4-H and Youth Development programs leading into the Monday evening networking dinner. Dr. Mark Hussey and Dr. Chris Boleman were the speakers for the evening’s agenda. The Arbinger Institute’s two day presentation addressed the competency, Establishing Vision, Ethics and Integrity. Other program items included Shadowing Reports, Part I; a visit with AgriLife Extension Service Cohort Alumni; tours of the Southwest Regional Dairy Center and the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center. A second competency, Developing a Professional and Personal Leadership Plan, was also addressed with presentations on Encouraging the Heart.
- Session II Agenda
- Advocacy Presentation: Texas A&M Extension Service (Dr. Hurley Miller, Mr. Larry Pierce, and Ms. Lisa Whittlesey) & Video
- Book Review: Leadership & Self Deception (Mr. Jake Donellan, Dr. Wash Jones, and Dr. Qingwu Xu)
Meeting III: Leadership Cornerstones
COLLEGE STATION, TX (January 9 – 13, 2017) – This Leadership Cornerstones session was the third meeting of the AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program, Cohort IV. The full week session coincided with the 2017 Texas A&M AgriLife Conference. Cohort members, together with AgriLife Leadership, had an opportunity to host the Conference Keynote Speaker, Rikin Gandhi, Digital Green, for lunch, listen to his presentation and engage in a Q&A session. Cohort meeting competencies focused on Solving Problems Creatively, Building Relationships and Interpersonal Skills as well as Developing a Professional and Personal Leadership Plan. Guest presenter was Dr. Min Basadur, Basadur Applied Creativity on the topic of ‘Solving Problems Creatively’. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) Cohort IV participants gave an Advocacy Presentation. Book Review focused on “Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership” and the cohort received confirmation of their host selection for their Shadowing Assignment, Part II. As is tradition for this program, the Cohort Capstone Assignment was also presented to the group by Dr. Mark Hussey.
- Session III Agenda
- Advocacy Presentation, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (Ms. Terry Dobrovolsky and Dr. Binu Velayudhan)
- Book Review: Reframing Organizations (Ms. Arvitta Scott, Dr. Jamie Foster Malone and Dr. Susanne Talcott)
Meeting IV: External Relations
AUSTIN, TX (March 27-30, 2017) – External Relations was the fourth gathering for the AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program, Cohort IV. The three day program competencies were Managing Power and Influence, Strategies for Professional Communication and Developing a Professional and Personal Leadership Plan. Book Review covered “Caught Between the Dog and the Fireplug”, cohort participants from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences gave the advocacy presentation; and the focus of The Leadership Challenge was a presentation by Executive Committee member, Dr. Clint Allred, on “Challenge the Process”. Guest speakers, throughout the meeting, included Dr. Kenneth Ashworth, speaking on the topic of understanding the role of a public servant from a public service aspect; Ms. Jennifer Sarver on communicating your message, media and advocacy; as well as several commodity panelists on topics related to working with the legislature. In addition, cohort members met with new members of the legislature, staffers, Austin Interns as well as Joe Cox, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Cristina Cornejo, Program Coordinator, External Relations, Texas A&M AgriLife. The cohort toured the new TAMUS Government Relations Office, attended the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee Hearing and attended presentations by Reeve Hamilton on Media and the Legislature; Stanton Calvert on Higher Education and the Legislature; as well as Jamie McWright on Fundraising and the Legislature. The meetings ended with a visit to the Bastrop State Park and a tour of recovery efforts from the 2011 Lost Pines/Bastrop forest fires hosted by Jim Rooni with Texas A&M Forest Service.
- Session IV Agenda
- Advocacy Presentation, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Dr. Jim Petrick, Dr. Tri Duong, Dr. Amir Ibrahim and Dr. Susanne Talcott)
- Book Review: Caught Between the Dog and the Fireplug (Dr. Paul DeLaune, Dr. Megha Parajulee and Ms. Lisa Whittlesey)
Meeting V: Leadership Cornerstones
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (August 14 – 17, 2017) – Cohort IV gathered in Corpus Christi, TX for the fifth session of the AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program. Over a three day session, the program competencies focused on Valuing Diversity and Developing a Professional and Personal Leadership Plan. The meeting was ‘launched’ aboard the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay for a networking meal and tour with invited guests from TAMU Corpus Christi as well as AgriLife Leadership, Dr. Bill Dugas, Mr. Donnie Montemayor and Dr. Juan & Mrs. Consuelo Landivar. Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center hosted the group and made presentations on various program initiatives ongoing at the Center. Book review was ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ and advocacy presentation was made by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Shadowing Reports, Part II continued to be presented by the cohort and, focus for The Leadership Challenge was ‘Inspire a Shared Vision’ presented by Mr. Steve Schulze, Executive Committee member. Guest presenter for this meeting was Dr. Amy Tolbert from ECCO International who spoke on the topic of ‘Reversing the Ostrich Approach to Diversity: Pulling Your Head Out of the Sand’. The meeting concluded on Thursday, following a presentation panel and tour at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
- Session V Agenda
- Advocacy Presentation: Texas A&M AgriLife Research (Dr. Paul DeLaune, Dr. Jamie Foster, Dr. Megha Parajulee, Dr. Qingwu Xue)
- Book Review: The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Dr. Hurley Miller, Ms. Terry Dobrovolsky, Dr. Tri Duong and Mr. Jason Keiningham)
Meeting VI: Leadership in Action
College Station & Prairie View, TX (October 9-12, 2017) – Leadership in Action was the title of Cohort IV’s sixth meeting. The three day program addressed these competencies: Leading Groups Through Conflict and Change; and, Developing a Professional and Personal Leadership Plan. Program started with a networking dinner at Christopher’s World Grille. A full day with guest speaker, Merna Jacobsen on the topic of Leading Groups Through Conflict and Change followed with The Leadership Challenge ‘Enable Others to Act’ presented by Cady Auckerman and cohort Shadowing Reports, Part II. A tour and visit to Prairie View A&M University included hands on activities, advocacy presentation and a special luncheon themed ‘A Taste of African Heritage’. Cohort IV nominated their two representatives to serve on Executive Committee for 2018-20 and presented their capstone presentation to Texas A&M AgriLife Administrators.
- Session Agenda
- Advocacy Presentation: Prairie View A&M University (Wash Jones, Arvitta Scott)
- Book Review: Conflict Management for Managers: Resolving Workplace, Client and Policy Disputes (Jim Petrick, Larry Pierce, Binu Velayudhan, Amir Ibrahim)
