Our final day in Washington DC was impactful and emotional, centering around the question we all have in our minds: Where do we go from here? We were fortunate to have three fantastic speakers to share their leadership insights in the morning, and bring our lessons home.
We opened with Jenny Lester Moffit (Class 47), Senior Fellow with American Farmland Trust. (Shout out to AFT for hosting us in their incredibly beautiful office space for the morning – we are so grateful!) Jenny was formerly the Deputy Under Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs for USDA – the first woman to hold this position. Jenny has a powerful background of service in influential positions, many of which she was asked to serve. Jenny stressed the importance of being curious, listening carefully and asking questions. She also talked about how, as a leader, your words carry weight, and you have to be measured and careful with what you say. She also emphasized that building working relationships means you have to learn what motivates others, and it won’t always be the same thing that motivates you. Finally, she shared that the most important advice she received coming up in her career was to not burn bridges, and that while you can disagree with people, the way you disagree with others really matters.
Our next speaker, Dennis Nuxoll, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs at Western Growers, shared valuable leadership insights from his extensive career.
Dennis highlighted that leadership isn’t about adopting a single style. Instead, it’s about learning from various leaders throughout your career and adapting what works best for you. He also recognized his “hard-charging” personality early on and built a team of like-minded individuals to match his drive.
Dennis shared advice he received once from a CFO he worked for: “Modulate—learn to turn your intensity on or off.” Effective leaders know when to push hard and when to ease off, balancing energy for the best outcomes.
Dennis’s session stressed the importance of collaboration and networking, flexibility in leadership styles, the value of relationships, humility and the need for emotional intelligence. Whether you’re leading a team or managing a large-scale initiative, these lessons can help you lead more effectively and with greater impact.
Anne Knapke, Senior Director for Climate and Agriculture at the Meridian Institute shared leadership insights shaped by her experience at Cargill right out of college, as a Legislative Director for a ranking senator on the Agriculture Committee, at the Gates Foundation, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Vilsack at the USDA. Her success is built on empathy, actively listening to diverse perspectives to navigate complex policy challenges. She prioritizes clear, inclusive communication, always asking, “Who else needs to know this?” to ensure transparency. Adaptability has been key in shifting strategies across roles to foster collaboration. Resilience has carried her through setbacks, supported by a strong network. With global experience shaping her cultural awareness, she remains committed to transparency and collaboration, driving meaningful impact in policy and agriculture.
Anne also shared the passion she leverages that keeps her engaged in emotionally laborious work. Someone of her brilliance and incredible talent could coast through life doing far less challenging work, but Anne spoke so thoughtfully about the world she wants her son to inherit. Her conviction was so sincere as she described what she will and will not accept and how she feels called to use her personal power to make the world a better place for ALL people. Anne inspired our class in a way we rarely get to experience and there were few dry eyes in the room when she shared her heart so authentically with us. The way she transforms the deep well of love in her heart into purposeful action- with both empathetic warmth and unmistakeable ferocity- shook us in the most important of ways.
We were so honored to spend time with these three incredible people. Their leadership insights were not only relevant to our own journeys, but they were open and honest with our questions about the reality of the current moment. It is not lost on Class 54 that we are in Washington DC at a pivotal time in our nation’s history. Transitions can always be messy, but we are realizing at the same time that democracy is fragile. It takes commitment, it takes sacrifice and it requires leaders to be unifying, not divisive. How do we bring this home? As we get ready to leave DC, there is a lot on our minds.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” – Martin Luther King Jr.
In order to keep our brains from exploding, our Ed Team let us loose to explore a little more of Washington DC in the afternoon. We were eager to see some of the treasures in our nation’s Capital. We immersed ourselves in the different Smithsonians on the National Mall. Collectively, we visited the Natural History Museum, the American History Museum, the Air and Space Museum, and the Botanical Gardens. This was an inspiring reset for our minds. We embraced curiosity while exploring the different museums, connecting threads between history, innovation, and leadership. In the evening we were lucky enough to have CALF sponsor a Monument Night bus tour for Class 54, allowing us to visit and soak in some of the most iconic destinations in DC.
We walked away from our visits in DC with awe for the things we have accomplished as a nation. At the Natural History Museum and Botanical gardens, we were reminded about ecosystems in nature, and how sensitive a system can be to ripples and waves.. At the Air and Space museum we were reminded that Innovation and exploration are born of freedom, and that our democracy is not to be taken for granted.
“Freedom is not free” – Korean War Memorial
We ended our time in our nation’s capital with a deeply moving and emotional reflection with the group, recognizing that we had reached the halfway point of our program. Our wonderful Ed Team hosted a celebratory dinner, making the moment even more special. During the evening, the fellows exchanged heartfelt toasts, expressing admiration for one another, gratitude for our supporters, and pride in how far we had come. We also shared our hopes for each other’s continued growth, looking ahead to the future with optimism and encouragement. The Diamond Model teaches us that LOVE is the only way we can truly become who we are each created to be, and we all shared and felt nearly indescribable love on our last evening together.
As we return to California, we carry with us the lessons, inspiration, and renewed sense of purpose gained in Washington, ready to apply them to the work ahead. Our industry, our communities and our nation need us.
With gratitude,
-Marisa Alcorta, Lizandro Magana, Tony Shelton and the members of Class 54
