Professional Development

I feel really lucky that I randomly selected agricultural communications as a major when I started college in 2001. I knew I wanted to be in ag, but didn't really know how I wanted to be in ag. So, on a whim, I entered up in the program. From that point forward, I've met some of the neatest, most fun, yet professional individuals that are out there.

Ag Media Summit (AMS) has long been one of my favorite professional development events. In fact, I even did my master's thesis on the professional development needs of ag communicators who attend AMS. I know all of you are just itching to read the 200+ page document that got me through grad school. It's available upon request.

I first attended AMS when it was held in Tampa in 2004 as a junior at the U of A and member of ACT (Ag Communicators of Tomorrow). Back then ACT met every other year with AMS and every other year with ACE (an extension group that's not near as cool). So in 2005, we went to San Antonio with ACE. In 2006, I went to AMS as a Red Raider when it was held in Portland, Oregon. That year, we got to white water raft on the White Salmon River in Washington.

Last year, I attended AMS as a professional for the first time rather than going as a student. I was there as editor Ozarks Farm & Neighbor when it was held in Louisville, Ken. I actually have a scar from that AMS, but I'm not telling that story...hahaha!

So, this year I went as a communications director rather than an actual media representative. But, since I've gotten to know all of these people over the years, it made sense for me to continue those relationships, especially since my job now is to communicate with the media.

The only challenge of having gone to this since I was in college is a lot of people still think I am in college...

Did I mention how much I love this meeting? These people mostly are just good ol' ag writers, photographers and publishers, and, let me tell you, they know how to have a good time.

When we got there, word on the street was some of the guys had gone deep sea fishing the day before and were having a fish fry in Diane Johnson's room. Diane Johnson is the executive director of Livestock Publications Council, and probably one of the coolest people I know. This woman can plan everything.


So, we went over to Diane's and it was like a family reunion. I knew just about everyone in the room, and most of them I hadn't seen since last year's AMS.

As I mentioned in my last post, the meeting was held at Saddlebrook Resort north of Tampa. You basically never need to leave and there's a BEAUTIFUL golf course.

And a couple of gators.


During the day, there are sessions where you can learn to be a better writer or photographer or blogger or professional in general.

The sessions are always good, but the real "networking" begins at night when we all gather for a big party.

One night it was a beach party in a giant tent on the resort.

The next night it was a "Dive In Party" in the resort's 50,000 gallon "super pool" where we watched Caddyshack and floated around with drinks and beef kabobs. That night was likely on of the best nights ever at AMS.

I found a cover-up that I thought I'd wear that night, and I was told I looked like Chrissy from Three's Company. Nothing like a good throw-back cover-up to set off a good beach party.

(Me and Hannah Lipps with National Sorghum Producers- she works next door to me in Lubbock)

The last night of the conference is always wrapped up with an awards ceremony, cocktail hour, dancing and a dinner.


I know you guys are likely thinking, "Ok, I've seen you wear that dress to like three events in the past three weeks!" Get over it. You know I don't own many dresses.

Seriously, though, this all sounds like a bunch of partying, but you wouldn't believe the networking you can really accomplish in all of this. People are relaxed, social and eager to catch up with everyone.

From my past college advisers and friends...

(Me, Cindy Akers - my adviser at Texas Tech, and Erica Irlbeck - we shared an office at Tech)

...to professionals I worked with in my internship...

(Jennifer Bremer and Holly Martin with the High Plains Journal)

- all of these people have played a huge role in the career path and decisions I have taken.

The ag communications "community" is unique in that we all know each other - even though my former ag media colleagues say I went to the "dark side" by getting into public relations - we all have one common ground, and that's communicating agriculture.