We were fortunate to start our day out with Colonel Stephen Randolph, The Historian of the U.S. Department of State.  In the hour and a half we were able to spend with him, he shared with us key leadership heuristics he’s defined from his leadership experiences.  Among those that stuck with us were “People aren’t the only thing, but they are the most important thing” and “The opposite of leadership is pessimism.”  These resonated with us because in our own lives, personal and professional, we see how important it is to build and nurture positive relationships. 
At the end of the discussion Col. Randolph provided us a tour of Navy Hill.  As we walked through the site we were amazed to see just how important this location was to our country.  Here leaders in the Navy developed oceanography, our public health system began with a medical center for maritime workers, and the intelligence community began.  Experiencing history in this way has been a common thread throughout our seminar and a powerful way make a connection.

In the afternoon, we took advantage of a long lunch break to walk the mall one last time and view the Constitution.  Upon arriving at the USDA building we were fortunate to meet with the Under Secretary of the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse, the Under Secretary of Research, Education and Economics Dr. Cathie Woteki, Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service Phil Karsting, and many others.  The briefings we received provided us with a good understanding of the breadth of the USDA and just how much US agriculture, especially California agriculture, impacts the world.


 















We concluded the day with synthesis.  Fellows shared their personal takeaways as they relate to our leadership and the ways we are able to impact our communities.  We also discussed our impressions of just how difficult and important it is that we engage in the governmental processes at the national level.


We are thankful to the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation, the donors and alumni for allowing us the opportunity to see firsthand how our government works.  We also want to thank our families, coworkers and employers for their support on our journey.  While the east coast has been fun, we are looking forward to seeing our loved ones and being back home.

PFs of the day,

Dominic, Johnna and Randy


 
 

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