Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI)

What is YDLI?
Graduates
Sponsors
Testimonials

What is YDLI

	The Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) is the premier leadership program in the dairy industry. Young adults, ages 22-45, apply for the program which consists of three phases over a one-year period. Two three-day, interactive meetings bookend tasks that participants complete in their home communities to practice what they learn YDLI Class 13 has 79 participants from 22 states, Ontario, Quebec, and Puerto Rico. Phase I is January 29 to February 1, 2024, while Phase III will be January 27 - 30, 2025, both in Tampa, FL.
Through interactive training sessions and working closely with industry experts and dynamic leaders, YDLI participants will strengthen themselves in areas of: Interpersonal communications Team culture Growth mindset Embracing change Influence Advocacy Community & industry involvement

YDLI Program Content & Schedule

Phase I is a three-day meeting held Monday night to Thursday noon. One year later the group meets again for Phase III in the same date pattern. In between meetings, during Phase II, participants will complete monthly homework tasks. Networking is an important part of YDLI, with many graduates citing they have gained friends and resources for life from the program.

Sample classroom sessions include

Personality self-assessment & interpersonal skills
Team culture & influence
Enabling change & embracing diversity
Consumer communications & media training
Time management
Hot industry topics

Funding and Costs

The Holstein Foundation, through support from generous corporate and individual donors, covers the costs of program development and materials, expert speakers, and meals. YDLI participants are responsible for a $500 tuition fee to offset a portion of the costs over the 12-month duration of the program. Air and ground transportation, hotel and other incidental expenses are the participant’s responsibility. Participants may seek sponsorship on their own to cover program attendance (e.g., from your employer, milk cooperative, feed supplier, etc.). Roommates are arranged (unless a single room is requested) to help offset hotel expense. Enrollment of the program is limited so more one-on-one instruction may be provided.

YDLI Advisory Committee

A volunteer YDLI Advisory Committee offers guidance in program development and serves as mentors for YDLI participants.

Currently serving on the YDLI Advisory Committee are:

Tera Baker, Three Oaks, MI
Nedap - Class 10
Ellen Cushing, Hustisford, WI
Elanco Animal Health - Class 11
Kimmi Devaney, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Progressive Dairy – Class 8
Alisa De Witt, Avondale, AZ
JBS Regional Beef - Class 11
Aaron Harris, Elkton, MD
Land O'Lakes - Class 10
Caroline Knoblock, Dayton, OH
Agrarian Solutions - Class 12
Heather LaPierre, Greenwich, NY
Farm Credit East - Class 10
Spencer Peck, Tulare, CA
Diamond V – Class 12
Rebecca Shaw Pfeffer, Altoona, PA
Maola Local Dairies - Class 10

Still more questions? Contact Holstein Foundation

Graduates of YDLI

Since the first class started in 1994, the Young Dairy Leaders Institute boasts hundreds of alumni from eleven classes. YDLI graduates hail from across the country and are involved in all aspects of the dairy industry.
You will find many names on these lists who have gone on to have a significant influence on the industry.

Distinguished Alumni Leader Award Recipients
Each year, the Holstein Foundation recognizes a YDLI graduate who has shown
exceptional leadership and advocacy for the betterment of the dairy industry.

2024 - Karen Bohnert	2011 - Bonnie Mohr
2023 - Lucas Sjostrom	2010 - Kate Geppert
2023 - Alise Sjostrom	2009 - Laura Daniels
2022 - Mary Knigge	2008 - Jerry Jennissen
2020 - Matt Nuckols	2007 - Duane and Marilyn Hershey
2019 - Rebecca Long Chaney	2006 - Bonnie Burr
2018 - Nate Janssen	2005 - Lolly Lesher
2017 - Melissa Greenbacker Dziurgot	2004 - John and Maria Nye
2016 - Michele Ruby	2003 - Kevin and Marilyn Steffens
2015 - Chandler Goule	2002 - Eric Ooms
2013/2014 - Ray Prock	2001 - Peter Kappelman
2012 - Brad Scott

Nominate a YDLI Alumni for the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Leader Award!
Click here to view the application. Nominations are due October 25, 2024.

Class 12 (2022-2023)

Katelyn Allen
Ashley Bliss
Amanda Borkowski
Jared Bramer
Skylar Buell
Jenn Coyne
Alice Crothers
Erin DeGennaro
Ashley DeWitt
Olivia Dinse
Alycia Drwencke
Sarah Eck
Paige Felten
Hannah Flint
Caitlyn Gibbel
Miquela Hanselman
Ashley Hoover

Curtis Horsens
Cara Itle
Barb Jones
Billie Jo Kiel
Lauren Kimble
Kelsey King
Quade Kirk
Caroline Knoblock
Rachel Kurth
Megan Lauber
Sarah Littlefield
Kritzia Lopez Arvelo
Amy Maxham
Kayla McNett
Allison Melvin
Madeline Meyer
Casey Morey

Erin Morrissey
michael neves
Spencer Peck
Elise Regusci
Brooke Ryan
Natalie Sanders
Jill Seiler
Emily Shaw
Anne Shoemaker
Amy Silver
Brittany Snyder
Theresa Sweeney-Murphy
Emma Van Steekelenburg
Marin Western
Megan Wildman
Scott Zehr

Class 11 (2019-2020)

Cara Biely
Amy Brickner
Katie Brown
Elizabeth Byers-Doten
Eli Caldera
Tyler Chupp
Vanessa Crowley
Ellen Cushing
Anne Davison
Jacquelyn Deeter
Jessica Dizek
Cassie Endres
Gearet FitzPatrick
Michelle Fluty
Keith Gibson
Sage Gray

Henning Haaren
Bo Harstine
Rachel Holtz
Sara Horst
Ben Kinnard
Kendra Kissane
Ashley Lansdowne
Taylor Leach
Christine Leonard
Ashley Martin
Connor McCluskey
Ashley Mohn
Emilie Mulligan
Kelsey Neckers
Sarah Nugent
Lacey Papageorge

Lidia T. Pedrozo
Carlos Alberto Perez
Jess Peter
Laurie Pilgram
Margaret Quaassdorff
Sarah Radachy
Kelly Reynolds
Laura L. Shoemaker
Ben Smith
Alyssa Snyder
Timothy R. Stender
Chandler Stevens
Nathan Ulmer
Pat Wiltzius
Alisa Wood

Class 10 (2017-2018)

Carolyn Abbott
Michael Azevedo
Tera Baker
Alexa Cabral
Erin Carter
Andrea Dicke
Mary Faber
Ellie Fleming
Kelsey Flowe
Ariane France
Lyndsey Frey
Adam Geiger
Patricia Gilbert
Regina Grover
Maija Haggith
Courtney Halbach
Aaron Harris

Amanda Hauck
Melanie Herman
Heather Hunt
Rayne Ives
Marco Antonio Juarez
Mitch Kappelman
Corey Kayhart
Brandon Kruswick
Jess May
Amanda Mitcheltree
Benjamin Newberry
Katherine Nissen
Michael Oosten
Alena Pacheco
Jessica Peters
Jacob Pieper
David Pyle

Nick Randle
Lindsey Rucks
Mandy Schmidt
Ashley Sears Randle
Shannon Seifert
Maggie Seiler
Pete Serne
Rebecca Shaw Pfeffer
Daren Sheffield
Brandon Thesing
Alejandro Torres
Amanda Waite
Emma Watry
Holley Weeks
Shawna Weller
Lindsey Woodrum Redish
Amy Yeiser Leslie

Class 9 (2015-2016)

Abby Bauer
Mark Chamberlain
Amber Cordes
Brian Coyne
Patrick Crave
Bridget Cummings
Libby Eiholzer
Rick Ellerbrock
Elaina Eppinger
Sadie Frericks
Amanda Freund
Jessica Getty
Michael Goeldi
Laura Gordon
Jason Griffin
Emily Hoeing

Chris Holcomb
Amber Horn-Leiterman
Londa Johnson
Michael Johnson
Allyson Jones-Brimmer
Nicole Karstedt
Kristen Kelderman
Amanda Lichtensteiger
Darleen Mann-Sichley
Sarah Meyers
Paula Molhoek
Danielle Mzyk
Larry Nelson
Morgan Overvest
Maureen Phelon
Brenda Reiter

Tyler Ribeiro
Marianne Robinson
Caitlin Rodgers
Amy Schaufelberger
Courtney Smith
Manny Soares
Stacey Stearns
Mary Swearingen
Brittni Treichler
Julie Wadzinski
Heather Weeks
Hannah Worden
Wayne Worden
Amanda Zick

Class 8 (2013-2014)

Ashley Abbott
Jessica Armacost
Lynsay Beavers
Jeffrey Bewley
Danielle Brown
Emily Caldwell
Mary Murray
Ben Cloninger
Rebecca Daubert
Kimmi Devaney
Ashley Edstrom
Amber Elliott
Sarah Englebert
Amy Fletcher

Lucas Fuess
Jean Gallagher
Kelly Greenbacker
Jolene Griffin
Brad Groves
James Hoffman
Aaron Horst
Betsey Howland
Julia Hudyncia
Leah James
LaVaun Janney
Stephanie Jens
Kelly Johnson
Kristi Keilen

Carrie Mess
Meghan Moody
Lana Olson
Michelle Rauf
Mike Reps
Melissa Sankey
Brent Schuler
Alise Sjostrom
Amanda Smith
Stephanie Stout
Kerry Wiebe
Andy Wood
Angela Zwald

Class 7 (2011-2012)

Kate Adams
Will Basham
Andrew Birch
Molly Bliss
Bryce Bonow
Stephanie Bowers
Nicole Breunig
Sara Byl
Christopher Carpio
Courtney Connors
Amanda Cowan
Christina Crowley
Beth Dahl
Kylie Daniels
Katie Davis

Chris Eggert
Nicole Fletcher
Antonio Garcia Ramirez
Beth Heinze
Kathryn Hohmann
McKenzie Klein
Robert Larmer
Andy Lenkaitis
Tracy Nelson
Renee Norman
Matthew Nuckols
Greg Nye
Aaron Palmer
Suzanne Perdue
Theo Pieters

Edward Rusenstrom
Raechel Sattazahn
Carissa Sauer
Andy Schwytzer
Krista Sheehan
Lucas Sjostrom
Natalie Sneller
Juan Pablo Torres
Barrera
Jody Wacker
Jenna Wegner
Morgan Welper
Emily Yeiser

Class 6 (2008-2009)

Catherine Agnew
Stacey Atherton
Jamie Bansen
Brett Barlass
Jared Barnes
Lorne Briscoe
Brent Broaddus
Jeff Campbell
Jonathan Chamberlin
Chris Connelly
Lori Connelly
Jennifer Dingbaum
Steven Echelmeier
Wanda Emerich
Jared Franklin
Joseta Halbur
Lisa Hayes
Joseph Heimerl
Rebecca Heimerl

Joshua Hushon
Brian Kelroy
Kelly Kendall
Charlie Knigge
Mary Knigge
Tara Kocher
Ben Krahn
Michele Lahmers
Michael Lax
Ann Marie Magnochi
Leslie Maurice
Dawn Mausser
Annie McCullough
Jerome Meyer
Amanda Miller
Kim Morrill
Emily Novinskie
Trent Olson
Doug Post

Ginger Post
Michelle Ramaeker
Katie Reichling
Julie Renner
Daniela Roland
Karen Samek
Joanna Samuelson
Jon Schmidt
Lorilee Schultz
Scott Silveira
Allison Specht
Elias Torres Barrera
Eliza Ulness
Steven Van Dyke
Kathryn Walker
Laurie Winkelman
Ashley Yager
Kelly Zepp

Class 5 (2005-2006)

Kylene Anderson
Matthew Berning
Daniel Carroll
Kelly Carter
Jerry Emerich
Beth Ertl
Daryl Fletcher
Roxanne Fletcher
Chandler Goule
Adam Griffin
Jennifer Gross
Marcy Guillette

Philip Halhead
Melanie Hoggard
Betsy Hunter
Venessa Knoblock
Kathy Lascala
Lucinda Longo
Kristin Paul
Lisa Perrin
Kimberly Pokorny
Samuel Potter
Ray Prock
Kylie Quesnel

Rob Rowbotham
Ernesto Santillanez
Christopher Sheahan
Stacy Sheahan
Chris Shepherd
Erik Traver
Jennifer Wackershauser
Laura Wackershauser
Carrie Way
Sarah Wilson
Jeannie Winkelman
Lynnette Wright

Class 4 (2002-2003)

Devin Albrecht
Holly Ballantine
Adam Barbee
Brian Barlass
Mark Bischoff
Jamie Bledsoe
Randall Blodgett
Karen Bohnert
Christopher Booth
Courtney Booth
Logan Bower
Betsy Bullard
William Bullard
Kenlee Calvin
Jessica Chittenden
Jean Conklin
Cheryl Correll
David Correll
Richard Coulthard
Scott Culbertson
Laura Daniels
Jeremy Daubert
Paul Detwiler
Cade Easley
Tim Echelmeier
Timothy Ewing
Jon Gilbert
Neal Grotsun
Christopher Hannan
Sara Harbaugh
Johannes Heijkoop

Fay Hildebrandt
Roger Hildebrandt
Nathaniel Janssen
Daniel Johnson
Darin Johnson
Kevin Jorgensen
Kenneth Kalscheur
Beth Keene
Robin Keller
Thomas Koetsier
Daniel Koopmans
Rebecca Kramer
Joseph Loehr
Christina Lood
Kelly Lyons
Amy Martin
Emily Martin
Jack Martin
Kara McDonald
Brenda Meyer
Benjamin Miller
Jill Miller
Jay Moore
Keith Niemann
Oren Olsen
Daniel Peapenburg
Sherrie Peeler
Tim Perotti
Thomas Powel
Joyce Rienhardt

Richard Rienhardt
Mark Rodgers
Donny Rollin
Macy (Sutton) Rucks
Matthew Sattler
Rick Scheer
Brian Schnebly
Nic Schoenberger
David Schroepfer
Jolynne Schroepfer
James Schulz
Daniel Scothorn
Dan Siemers
Janina Siemers
Joseph Stanek
Kari Stanek
Kurt Steiner
Robin Steiner
Barbara Sturm
Tami Tollenaar
Angie Ulness
Bradley Vold
Suzanne Vold
Miriam Weber Nielsen
Rick Welsh
Janiece Winke
David Winston
Dorianne Wolf
Mark Ziel
Lyle Zimmer

Class 3 (1999-2000)

Rick Adams
Rebecca Akers
Julie Antonutti
Kyle Averhoff
Scott Bartlett
Cathy Bewley
Owen Bewley
Alfred Brandt
Richard Byma
Todd Cavanaugh
Paul Colgan
Scott Courtney
Jerry Dakin
Brian Dougherty
Max Dunseth
Dan Eichelberger
Katina Eichelberger
Keith Engel
Melissa Greenbacker
Charles Gregg
Randolph Gross
Paul Haskins
Cindy Heins
Paul Heins
Ed Henderson
Jennifer Hill

Tom Hogness
Wanda Hogness
Elizabeth Holtcamp
Lori Houck
Michael Hurst
Seth Johnson
Katharine Knowlton
Lyle Kruse
Krista Luedtke
Christopher Mark
Erin Marotz
Cheryl Marti
Shawn McMahon
Linda Meyer
Ronald Meyer
Gina Meyers Miller
Brenda Mihaliak
Jeffrey Montsma
Duane Nelson
Mary Nelson
John Nye
Maria Nye
James Oechsle
Eric Olstad
Eric Ooms
Steven Peterson

Adelia Pimm
Yvonne Preder
Andrea Quinn-Gasper
Melanie Richman
Renee Rippchen
Timothy Saber
Gretchen Sanford
Kirk Sattazahn
Amy Savage
Stuart Schooley
Brad Scott
Russell Seibert
Keith Shiver
Marie Sipler
Oscar Sipler
Stacia Sonderman
Karla Spencer-Deaver
Debra Spurrier
John Steinhoff
Katherine Swift
William Swift
Brian Vaassen
Tammy Voegeli
Heather Ware
Ronald Welper
Jeffrey Ziegler

Class 2 (1996-1997)

Timothy Aggen
Carl Aschoff
Corinne Banker
William Banker
Kerri Belsito
Jackie Bennett
Betsy Bierdek
Brad Brainard
David Cagle
Carrie Chickering Sears
Karen Coleman
Gary Cooper
Julie Cooper
Sandra Cordes
Lisa Coyne
Cameron Davis
Kathleen DeBruin
Robert Doughty
Jeffrey Dunklee
Tammy Edmonds
Scott Faber
Donnette Fisher
Ralph Frerichs
Judy Gordon
Tamie Goss
Carla Gunst
Willis Gunst

Linda Hanson
Sharon Harriger
Mark Helgemoe
Shellie Kappelman
Andrew King
Bryan Knoper
James Koebke
Krisanne Koebke
Constance Kramer
Jayne Krull
John Kuegel
Alan Kuehnert
David Lentz
Lolly Lesher
William Lesher
Christie Lincoln
Rebecca Long Chaney
Douglas Lueking
Corinne Lull
Barrett Lyons
Janet Molhoek
Barbara Natzke
Kathy Neil
David Paddon
Cliff Passino
Becky Payne

Michele Payn-Knoper
Traci Pierson Loonstra
Rhett Proctor
Leigh Randall
Mark Roberts
Michele Ruby
Irene Santos
Wendy Schilter Erbsen
Gregory Schweiger
Joan Seidel
Dennis Sheppard
Sheila Shultz
Denise Skidmore
Vinton Smith
Jill Stahl Tyler
Kevin Steffens
Marilyn Steffens
Susan Summers
Dawn Thompson
Daniel Ulmer
Penny Ulmer
Elizabeth Weas
Cynthia Weimer
Brian Wesemann
Jodi Wright
Melanie Ziegler

Class 1 (1994-1995)

Lonnie Achenbach
Kurt Alexander
Frank Ausman
Jacqueline Barends
Timothy Baumgartner
Thomas Bell
Paul Berning
Deborah Boyd
James Brown
Julie Brown
William Neil Brown
Kenneth Brubaker
Bruce Brunner
Mary Ann Buckley
Holley Burford
Bonnie Burr
Connie Cihak
James Cihak
Catherine Conhiser-Andera
Peter Coyne
Karen Cramer
Mark Crave
Myron Czech
Jean DeBruin
Wayne DeBuhr
Kevin Douma
Mark Douthat
Terry Downs
Kelly Eich
Terry English
Glen Feldpaush

Ronald Fluegel
Jerry Gaffner
Katherine Geppert
Louis Guimond
Robert Haight
Jeffrey Harding
William Hay
Robert Heerspink
Brian Herr
A. Duane Hershey
Marilyn Hershey
Kevin Holtzinger
James Houser
Carl Jardon
Jerry Jennissen
Peter Kappelman
Kyle Knutson
Charles Koenn
Scott Kriebel
Marcia Lahmers
Julie Lincoln Pellett
Denise Lloyd
Herbert Lutz
Kerry Lynn
Dennis Marsh
David McGlothlin
Steve Moff
Bonnie Mohr
John Mohr
Jill Nelson
Mark Newbill

Bethann Niederman
Daryl Nunes
Kathleen O'Keefe
Michael Opperman
John Pagel
Paul Rice
Leroy Rocha
Jerome Rosa
Mark Rueth
John Neal Scarlett
Lynae Schott
Daniel Scott
Ray Scott
Martha Seifert
Darwin Sneller
Leon Sollenberger
Brenda Sosnovske
John Sparrgrove
Peggy Sparrgrove
Paul Trapp
James Umphrey
Rodney Volbeda
Terry Weaver
Margery Webster
Keith Weltzien
Robert Wonderlich
Mark Yeazel
Brian Young
David Yutzy

YDLI Class 13 Sponsors

The Holstein Foundation is sincerely grateful to the following organizations for their sponsorship of YDLI Class 13. We commend and thank these sponsors investing in leadership development for the dairy industry by supporting Young Dairy Leaders Institute.

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Land O’Lakes, Inc.

GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.

Sponsorship Opportunities

If your organization is interested in becoming a YDLI sponsor and investing in the future of the dairy industry, contact The Holstein Foundation to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

YDLI Alumni Testimonials

YDLI has inspired and empowered the lives of people involved in all areas of the dairy industry across the country and beyond. From dairy farmers to dairy professionals, graduates say they've brought back the lessons learned to their personal and professional lives. Here's what YDLI graduates have to say about their experience!