Louisville Agricultural Club celebrates second Kentuckiana Agribusiness Leadership Program graduates
Pictured left to right: Annie Tolle, Dr. Jacqueline Jones, Donald Taylor, Destinee Steele, Will Jay, Nico Phillips, Adam Steckler, Taylor Thompson, Jackson McCoun, Landon Peach, Michael Aldridge, Marcus Tyler, Bill McCloskey (LAC board of directors), Hannah Sharp-Johnson, Kameron Mucker, Emily Jeffiers and Dr. Jeffery Young (LAC president). Not pictured is Amir Hussein.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (November 21, 2025)—The Louisville Agricultural Club (LAC), established in 1948, celebrated the second graduating class of the Kentuckiana Agribusiness Leadership Program (KALA). Sixteen professionals representing a diverse group of agricultural, food, beverage, government, financial, tourism and non-profit entities completed the 10-month program, which connected them to local and state agricultural leaders.
“The Kentuckiana Agribusiness Leadership Academy is more than a professional development program—it’s a strategic investment in the future of agriculture in our region,” said Dr. Jeffery Young, LAC past-president and director for urban Extension at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “By equipping emerging leaders with the tools, connections, and confidence to lead, the Louisville Agricultural Club is helping to ensure that our food systems, rural communities and agribusinesses continue to thrive. This program strengthens the entire agricultural ecosystem by cultivating informed, engaged and visionary professionals.”
The graduates included Michael Aldridge, managing director of Farmington Historic Home; Amir Hussein, farmers market coordinator at Catholic Charities; Will Jay, artisanal distillery coordinator at Heaven Hill Distilleries; Emily Jeffiers, business development specialist at Kentucky Center for Agricultural and Rural Development; Dr. Jackie Jones, owner of Amour Honey and financial empowerment counselor at Louisville Urban League; Jackson McCoun, Sullivan University; Kameron Mucker, credit analyst at Farm Credit Mid-America; Landon Peach, project manager at the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy; Nico Phillips, urban agriculture program coordinator at Louisville Parks and Recreation; Hannah Sharp-Johnson, board and special projects manager at the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy; Adam Steckler, local sourcing specialist at What Chefs Want; Destinee Steele, loan associate with Rural 1st; Donald Taylor, owner of Stillpoint Wellness Center; Taylor Thompson, commodity marketing specialist at Kentucky Farm Bureau; Annie Tolle, animal health and compliance for expositions at Kentucky Venues; and Marcus Tyler, customer resource manager at Farm Credit Mid-America.
The KALA program is designed to recognize, develop and empower early-career professionals in agribusiness and food systems to become effective leaders in their organizations and communities.
Throughout the 10-month curriculum, participants explore a wide range of topics, including:
Group dynamics and leadership styles
Key organizations impacting Kentucky agriculture
The economic impact of agriculture and food systems in Louisville and across Kentucky
State and federal agricultural policy
International trade and its influence on Kentucky agriculture
Public discourse and conflict resolution
The role of finance and credit in agribusiness
The economic significance of the distilling, convention, and tourism industries
Each cohort member commits to attending monthly workshops, developing an individual leadership plan and completing an agricultural literacy project. This past year, the cohort participated in a cooking demonstration at the Kentucky State Fair, showcasing a classmate’s family recipe made with local, Kentucky Proud ingredients.
“Being a part of KALA educated me on agriculture and leadership,” Mucker said. “This program ignited a desire to continue to advocate/speak about Agriculture in our beautiful state!”
KALA is sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America, Kentucky Farm Bureau, CoBank and the Kentucky Corn Growers Association.
Applications for the next cohort are now open. Interested individuals or sponsoring organizations can learn more and apply by visiting www.louisvilleagclub.org/leadership-academy. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, offering a chance to invest in the future of Kentuckiana’s agricultural leadership.
For more information, contact Jennifer Elwell at jennifer.elwell@uky.edu.