Hello! My name is Kayla Brown, and I live in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, with my husband, Andrew, our 4-year-old son, Bennett, and our field golden, Ivy. I grew up on a family farm in Tipton, Missouri, and I currently work as an Import Specialist for Merck Animal Health in the Omaha area, where I help import animal health pharmaceuticals and technology solutions. I have been involved in agriculture my entire life, and I spent the past 10 years in the seed industry. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to experience the full lifecycle of seed production, which shaped my professional path and broadened my view of the many career opportunities in agriculture. What I’ve learned along the way continues to shape my work today, and I’m looking forward to the next evolution of my career with Merck.

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling back to the family farm in Missouri to drive the combine or tractors and spend time with family. I also enjoy baking, grilling, and cooking; tagging along with my husband on deer and turkey hunts; and staying active with yoga and evening family walks.

Describe your AFA experience as a student.

My first introduction to AFA came in 2009 when I was selected as a Community Scholarship Recipient after graduating high school. That scholarship included attendance at the annual AFA Leaders Conference. I still remember walking into opening session my first year and thinking to myself that if I wanted a seat at the table, I needed to step it up. The caliber of peers in that room was incredible, and it’s been amazing to watch so many of them go on to do amazing things in the industry. After my first year, I self-paid to attend Track 2 because I didn’t want to be left behind, was an industry recipient for Track 3, and became a Campus Ambassador, while participating in the first Track 4 group. I also had the honor of serving on the Student Advisory Team in 2013-2014. I truly couldn’t get enough of the connections, learning, and experiences AFA offered. Every part of it was an opportunity to grow.

How did your AFA Student experience influence your career journey?

AFA taught me to say yes to opportunities, because every internship and every connection was a chance to learn. My student experience also opened my eyes to the global view of agriculture and helped me realize how much more there is to the industry than what I saw in my small community. As a Student Advisory Team member, I was fortunate to visit St. Louis, North Carolina, and California through industry and partner visits. Those experiences exposed me to citrus farming, large-scale dairy operations, stone fruit production, seed research and development, and ag engineering and manufacturing. AFA helped me develop a big-picture mindset that continues to guide how I evaluate projects, solve problems, and make decisions in my career.

What is one AFA memory, moment or conversation that has stayed with you?

So hard to just pick one! However, one AFA moment that has stayed with me is being selected as an AFA Bridgebuilder finalist in 2023. When Chelsey Busek called to tell me I was one of the three finalists, I was immediately in tears — speechless and overwhelmed in the best way. Being named a finalist felt like such an affirmation of the way I’ve tried to build my career and show up in my work. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and move through career seasons on autopilot, so having an organization like AFA recognize that impact was incredibly humbling. It was a pivotal moment that reminded me how much AFA has shaped my journey and how grateful I am for the opportunity to honor that relationship and give back.

At the time, what did AFA help you understand about yourself, your leadership style or your place in agriculture?

I’ll always remember something Russ Weathers said during the opening session of my first Leaders Conference. He shared the story of the first SAT planning the event and explained that they didn’t want to call it a “leadership” conference because everyone in the room was already a leader. They wanted to create a Leaders Conference for students who were already leading in their communities. That comment stuck with me. It helped me understand that, even as a small-town girl from Missouri, I had a place in agriculture and that leadership can look different for everyone. My leadership style is rooted in listening, observing, learning, encouraging others, and creating space for growth. The reminder that my peers and I were already leaders is something I have carried with me through every conference I attend and into the management roles I have held.

Was there a person, mentor, peer or industry professional you met through AFA who influenced your path? What impact did they have?

There have been countless mentors I’ve met through AFA, starting with every member of the AFA staff — Russ, Nancy, Mark, Chelsey, and so many others. Every interaction with AFA staff has given me a nugget of inspiration or motivation to carry forward. I also deeply appreciate the guidance of mentors like Kellie Bray, Sarah J. Bohnenkamp, Jared Spader, and Adam Carroll. Whether an in-depth phone call, lunch meeting, or quick conversation at Leaders Conference, they have each been there for me when I needed to talk something through or figure out my next step. I believe people come into our lives exactly when we need them, whether to open a door or shift our mindset. The mentors I met through AFA have helped shape the way I set goals, build projects, assess situations, and approach challenges. Even now, knowing they are still just a phone call or email away reminds me how meaningful those AFA relationships continue to be.

What skill, mindset or lesson from AFA has been most useful in your professional life?

Intrapreneurialism.

The mindset I’ve carried with me through every phase of life is intrapreneurialism. I first heard the term from Russ Weathers during my first Leaders Conference, and as a Student Advisory Team member, we explored it further. For me, intrapreneurialism is about balancing professional and technical skills with personal and soft skills, and then bringing all of that together into your role and your life. It has brought a certain cadence or rhythm in my life. Intrapreneurialism has helped me become a lifelong learner in both my career and at home. There is always something more to learn or a skill to sharpen, and I appreciate the emphasis AFA brings to this pillar of their organization.

In what ways do you stay connected or involved with AFA in your professional life? Why is that important to you?

My involvement with AFA has ebbed and flowed with the seasons of life. In my first few years after college, I actively reviewed conference and institute applications, became a Lifelong Member of the AFA Alliance, served on the AFA Alliance Committee (now National AFA Alliance Advisory Council, and attended as many Leaders Conferences as I could to encourage the next generation. As I became a wife and mother and our family grew, my involvement shifted to staying connected with AFA friends and staff in the industry, reviewing applications or resumes, and helping however and wherever I can. When AFA calls or emails, I am always ready to help in whatever capacity is needed. Staying connected is important to me because AFA has given me so much, and I want to support the organization that helped shape my journey.

Finish this sentence: Because of AFA, I…

Because of AFA, I am an agriculturalist, a leader, a mentor, and a lifelong learner. Looking back on my career, AFA has been a constant in my journey since 2009. It opened countless doors for me through internship opportunities, exposure to different facets of agriculture through their institute programming, and the relationships that ultimately helped lead me to my current role. It also gave me some of my best friends. AFA was the spark and catalyst that helped me grow into the person and agriculturalist I am today. I’m forever grateful to this organization and always willing to build a bridge for the next person.