Calgary, AB – The 2011 Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Development Program is off to a great start, with candidates and their mentors ready to embrace the opportunities afforded by the eight-month mentorship program.
Knowledgeable mentors from across the country have volunteered their time in order to better enable and prepare the CYL candidates to lead the beef industry into a prosperous future. Mentors and mentees come from a wide array of backgrounds and careful thought was given to the pairings, said CYL coordinator Fawn Jackson.
“The level of resources available to the CYL candidates is amazing due to the mentors that have stepped up and volunteered their time,” she said. “We can expect great things out of our candidates and for our industry as the youth become more informed and well connected. I think it is very admirable that the mentors are willing to take the time to mentor these young people; that said the mentors will likely get a lot out of the experience as well as the positive energy of the CYL candidates is infectious,” Jackson added.
A few examples of the pairings:
CYL Candidate: Lyndsay Smith
Mentor: Owen McAuley, Producer and industry advocate
Lyndsay runs her own consulting business, Prime Analytics, out of Taber Alberta. Interested in learning more about Canadian agriculture and politics, Lyndsay was paired with mentor Owen McAuley, a producer from McAuley, MB who has a long list of credentials in this area. For example, McAuley was involved in safety net design and implementation as well as involved in the report card on NAFTA.
CYL Candidate: Christy Goldhawk
Mentor: Dr. Owen Roberts, University of Guelph
A Ph.D Student in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary, Christy is interested in learning ways to bridge the gap between research, producers and the general public. Dr. Owen Roberts is director of research communications for the University of Guelph and an adjunct professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. As founder of the University’s student research-writing program called SPARK, (Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge) and active journalist, Dr. Roberts is an ideal mentor for Christy.
CYL Candidate: Virgil Lowe
Mentor: John Weekes, Bennett Jones LLP
Virgil grew up on a ranch in Nanton, AB and is beginning his first year of law school this fall at the University of Calgary. John Weekes is a veteran of 40 years in the field of trade policy and negotiations and a senior business advisor with Bennett Jones in Ottawa. Virgil plans to utilize this mentorship opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the regulatory and business environment in which the Canadian beef industry operates and what can be done by industry stakeholders to promote its long term sustainability.
Comments (0) Leave a comment