dairy<\/a> ambassador really prepared me for those moments in life. Being able to just talk to people is a life skill that you can use forever,\u201d Brown said, recalling how the program helped prepare her for national leadership competitions and impromptu interviews.<\/p>\nThose communication skills also helped reshape her future.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned that I really love connections,\u201d she said. \u201cMy goal right now is to go into agricultural policy. We need to educate our lawmakers about ag \u2014 the people who are making decisions on behalf of our farmers and consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former New York State Dairy Ambassador Gabby Taylor says the program provided skills she now relies on every day in her career as a policy analyst with New York Farm Bureau.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery single day I work with farmers, legislators and our members to talk about why agriculture is so important and the issues that matter to them,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cThe public speaking and farmer and consumer communication skills I developed as a dairy ambassador are something I use every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her advice to future applicants is simple:<\/p>\n
\u201cBe confident. You\u2019re there because someone believes you can do this\u2014so you can.\u201d<\/p>\n
For former New York State Associate Dairy Ambassador Olivia Maslyn, the program opened doors she never expected.<\/p>\n
Initially reluctant to compete, Maslyn now describes the opportunity as one of the most influential experiences of her young professional career.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gave me way more opportunities,\u201d she said. \u201cI know how to network. I know how to connect with people. Even though I\u2019m not in a field directly with dairy cows today, I\u2019m still educating people about the industry because it comes naturally now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Justin Mesch, former New York Associate Dairy Ambassador, said the experience strengthened his appreciation for agriculture and reinforced the importance of sharing its story.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs every generation gets further removed from the farm, it\u2019s important that those of us who are part of it are passionate and willing to share,\u201d he said. \u201cThe program gave me a new appreciation for agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n
The teamwork and leadership skills he developed continue to influence him today.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have the possibility for greatness,\u201d Justin said. \u201cI think there are three things that contribute to that: passion, purpose and people. Find your passion, discover your purpose and surround yourself with great people. American Dairy Association North East gave me that opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former New York Dairy Ambassador Ariana Aman, currently in law school, admits public speaking was once her biggest fear. Today, she encourages future ambassadors to embrace new challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cBe kind and challenge yourself,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019re a lot more capable than you think you are. Keep pushing yourself, even when you feel exhausted\u2014you can always take one more step forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many alumni also say one of the most rewarding parts of the experience is the relationships they built with their teams. Promoters who began the year as strangers often leave as lifelong friends, staying connected long after their service ends.<\/p>\n
The New York State Dairy Ambassador Program is managed by American Dairy Association North East and prepares young leaders to represent New York dairy farmers through consumer events, media interviews, classroom visits, social media, and industry events. Participants receive professional communications training while developing leadership skills that benefit them in college, their careers and their communities.<\/p>\n
For Brown, the biggest lesson is to embrace every opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake every chance and talk to everyone,\u201d she said. \u201cYou never know what\u2019s around the corner.\u201d<\/p>\n
For additional information on the New York State Dairy Ambassador program, contact ADA North East Director of Consumer Confidence Beth Meyer at 315.491.3892 or [email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014American Dairy Association North East<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SYRACUSE, N.Y. \u2014 American Dairy Association North East hosted a panel of former New York State Dairy Ambassador…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314308,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[29747,5854,9,11,10,49,51,50],"class_list":["post-314307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-dairy","tag-leadership","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-new-york-state","tag-new-york-state-headlines","tag-new-york-state-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314307"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314307\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}