Reagan Koester is a junior majoring in Agricultural Business in Purdue’s College of Agriculture. Raised on her family’s grain and robotic dairy farm in Southwestern Indiana, she brings a strong work ethic and deep-rooted passion for agriculture.
A proud product of Purdue’s land-grant mission, Reagan began her Purdue journey through Indiana 4-H, later serving as a State 4-H Ambassador and impacting more than 130,000 youth statewide.
On campus, Reagan has held a variety of leadership roles, including President of Purdue Rising Professionals, member of the Ag Week Task Force, and Professional Development Chair for Kappa Alpha Theta. She has also contributed to campus-wide initiatives as a member of the Student Grant Allocation Board and the Student Life Advisory Board. In addition, she serves as a Teaching Assistant for the Careers in Agribusiness course.
Professionally, Reagan has gained industry experience through internships with John Deere in their Marketing Department and Corteva Agriscience as a Stakeholder Engagement Intern. These opportunities have further strengthened her commitment to agriculture and strategic communication.
Reagan’s accomplishments include being named a National Coca-Cola Scholar, a Lilly Endowment Scholar, and receiving both the Outstanding Freshman and Sophomore Awards in the College of Agriculture. With over 30 family members who are Purdue alumni, she brings lifelong Boilermaker pride to her new role as Student Trustee of Purdue University. Outside the classroom, she enjoys podcasts, pickleball, and Purdue athletics
Agriculture Economics Podcast. https://ag.purdue.edu/department/agecon/about/podcasts.html
Maddy Vanderkooy is the Program Coordinator for the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Partnership (WRASAP). With formal training in Human Service Counseling and Community Health Work, she brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her role. As a third-generation dairy farm kid, Maddy’s agricultural roots deeply shape her work and fuel her commitment to supporting the well-being of farm families.
Her unique perspective allows her to bridge an understanding of human behavior with the realities of agricultural life, creating meaningful connections within the farming community. In addition to her work with WRASAP, Maddy has led creative outreach initiatives like Pizza 4 Producers, and she continues to advocate for resources and conversations that support farmers’ mental health and resilience.
Website: www.farmstress.us
Facebook: Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program and Pizza 4 Producers
Nakisha Thompson-McGee is a dynamic mother, grandmother, healthcare advocate, licensed insurance professional, and founder of McGee Medical Advocates, an insurance agency dedicated to reimagining how individuals and organizations engage with health and life insurance. McGee Medical Advocates mission is equal to their value, educating to help improve the health of an organization's financial status and productivity rate. With over 15 years of experience across the healthcare, education, and insurance sectors, Nakisha brings both compassion and clarity to one of the most complex areas of modern life: health coverage access and navigation.
After getting all three of her children off to college, Nakisha was diagnosed with MALS. She had vascular lymphatic surgery in June of 2024. During her healing, Nakisha not only stayed abreast within the insurance industry, she was also able to birth Thompson Tangiers, a facilitated wellness experience. Thompson Tangiers, a wellness initiative offering structured mindfulness and stress management sessions to both university communities and workplace teams. These guided experiences promote focus, reduce burnout, and help build emotionally resilient cultures.
McGee Medical Advocates; https://calendly.com/mcgeemedical/individual-group-plan-consultation
https://galaxyofstars.org/business-listing/mcgee-medical-advocates-llc/
Thompson Tangiers; https://calendly.com/thompsontangiers/thompson-tangiers
https://galaxyofstars.org/business-listing/thompson-tangiers-llc/
ThomMc Ent. Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/share/1JQYYbQYau/?mibextid=wwXIf
Becky Wiseman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R) with more than 30 years of experience supporting individuals, families, and communities—particularly those in New York’s agricultural sector. She currently serves as the Family Consultants Supervisor for Cornell University’s New York FarmNet, a free and confidential support service for farm families across the state.
Becky’s deep roots in agriculture include work with New York Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and long-standing involvement with NY FarmNet. She also serves on advisory boards for both NY FarmNet and the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH), helping to guide critical services that support the well-being of farming communities.
What sets NY FarmNet apart is its unique model: services are farmer-initiated, they combine personal and financial consultation, and the team is committed to working with farm families for as long as needed. Becky’s compassion, leadership, and insight are helping farm families navigate both everyday challenges and long-term transitions with dignity and support.
Julia A. Wickard serves as the Executive Director of the Purdue Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association and Constituent Liaison. Previously she served as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Indiana. Wickard also has served as the Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Program Support and the Agricultural Liaison at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) for the State of Indiana. In addition, Wickard served as the State Executive Director for FSA in Indiana from 2008-2017. Before her federal service, Wickard served as the Executive Vice President of the Indiana Beef Cattle Association. She also worked for Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Inc., and served as Deputy Director in the Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture for seven years. She has worked for two members of Congress in Washington D.C., and she serves on several agricultural and community boards and commissions. Wickard graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and political science. She received the Purdue Agricultural Alumni Association Certificate of Distinction and was selected as a College of Agriculture Distinguished Alumni. She is a graduate of the two-year Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program through AgrIInstitute where she has served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors. She received the Purdue Women in Agriculture Leadership Award in 2024 and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Administrator as the Supervisor of the Year, as well. Wickard was a recipient of the Purdue Agricultural Alumni Association Certificate of Distinction in 2022. She was awarded as a 2019 Distinguished Alumni from the Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication Department in the College of Agriculture at Purdue University. Wickard received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 2004 from Governor Joseph E. Kernan, and the Beck’s Hybrids “Beyond the Fence” in 2015. She received numerous national awards during her USDA tenure and was appointed to the Indiana State Fair Board of Directors by Governor Mike Pence in 2015. Wickard, her husband, Chris, and their two young adult children – Jordyn and Jacob, reside in Hancock County on their 100-year homesteaded family farm where they raise registered Angus cattle, Boer goats and assist in operating the farm with her family. Chris also is a graduate of Purdue, BS agribusiness management in 1993, and their kids are students at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.
Reverend Jennifer Coffman—though she prefers to go by Jenn—is a wife, mom, substitute teacher at Wapahani High School, chaplain with the YMCA of Muncie, pastor, speaker, and an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. With more than 15 years of ministry experience, Jenn is passionate about joining in the work God is already doing to build His Kingdom here on earth.
Jenn and her husband, Michael, live on their family farm about eight miles southeast of Muncie, Indiana. Michael is a fifth-generation farmer, and their son, Samuel, is a recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame. Life on the farm is made even better with Pete the pup always nearby.
Jenn holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Ball State University and a Master’s in Ministry from Northwind Seminary. She brings a deep sense of faith, purpose, and compassion to every role she fills—and we’re honored to have her as a guest on Tools for Today’s Farmers.
Jason Barber, known to most people as Duck, lives in a small rural area in southern middle Tennessee. He's an eighth generation cattle farmer, operate a 100+ acre farm, and grows approximately 30 head of beef cattle, and harvest hay. Doing all of this, while at the same time being legally blind. Duck was diagnosed with a retinal disease, retinitis pigmentosa in 1999. He was then deemed legally blind in 2009. With retinitis pigmentosa, at this time, there is no cure or treatment. Duck also serves as the assistant chief at the local volunteer fire department. He is able to accomplish many task on his farm, with the assistance of a lot of assistive technologies. One major contributor is the national AGR ability program. Let's listen to how Duck farms blind.
Find Duck on these socials: https://www.facebook.com/farmingblindwithduck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavOG6AGpwU
https://www.youtube.com/@jasonbarber5643
Colleen Carpenter provides evidence-based training and targeted consultation to build long-term capacity to prevent suicide and improve mental wellness. Her mission is to help organizations and communities tighten their safety nets so that people who are struggling with suicide and mental health issues are identified and helped. Besides providing training and consultation, she is the Director of Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana coalition and Allen County’s Governor’s Challenge veteran suicide prevention project called Action Over Silence: End Veteran Suicide. She also sits on numerous local and state level mental health and suicide-related committees, including the Indiana Suicide Prevention Network’s advisory board. In early 2024 she became a Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) facilitator to help individuals identify the tools that keep them well and create action plans to maintain mental wellness. She has master’s degrees from Loyola University Chicago (sociology) and the University of North Carolina (public health). She has won local and national awards for her work in suicide prevention. She is also a survivor of her Uncle John’s suicide.Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana: Find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram (@stopsuicideneindiana)
Meet Emily Grant, a passionate advocate for mental health in agriculture and a freshman at Purdue University studying Agriculture Communications. With a standout FFA career and a deep-rooted love for the industry, Emily founded “The Whole Farmer”—a social media platform dedicated to the mental, physical, social, and spiritual well-being of farmers, ranchers, and agriculturalists.
Through her work, she collaborates with top organizations to break the stigma around mental health in agriculture. Emily also runs a livestock and western photography business and raises purebred show cattle. Don’t miss this inspiring episode as she shares her journey, insights, and tools for navigating farm stress.
📲 Follow Emily: @thewholefarmer (Instagram & Facebook)
🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!
Emily Meckel is the founder and executive director of Hancock County Poss-ABILITIES. Emily alongwith her husband Justin and daughter Emery own and operate Sunshine Valley Farm in Carthage,Indiana. She also works with Justin, at Meckel Construction. She is most importantly Emery’s mom,the inspiration for Poss-ABILITIES. Emily is a lifelong Hancock County resident and met her husbandJustin in 2010, they later married and after the birth of their daughter, Emily wanted to developsomething that Emery could be involved in with her peers; que the birth of Hancock County PossABILITIES.Because of Emery, Emily has become an avid advocator for her daughter and all children who areunique. Emery is the Sunshine in Emily’s life and she has taught Emily resilience, determination, andhas completely enriched her life.Emily’s heart is truly fierce for Hancock Couty Poss-ABILITIES. She is truly passionate about advocatingfor all children and letting children know that it is okay to be yourself, even if that means different.Watching her daughter, Emery, thrive with her peers and in the barn, she knew she needed to sharethis opportunity with the youth in her community. “Creating a fun environment where my daughtercan be like all her peers is something I was striving for. Something to share with kiddos like mydaughter, who bear a disability. A chance for her to be who she is, a little girl. My goal is to breakinvisible barriers, and create a fun, happy, learning environment for all the youth and familiesinvolved; all while incorporating livestock.”Follow on Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/hancockcopossabilities
Join us as we talk with Rosalind Kidwell, the 2025 Miss American Angus. She is a freshmanat Purdue University studying Biochemistry with the intention of going to Pharmacy school to be aVeterinary Pharmacist. Rosalind is a 5th generation Angus breeder and has been around cattle her entire life. She hastraveled all over the country exhibiting cattle and continues travelling but with a new goal,advocating for the amazing Angus cattle!Find her on social media: Facebook- American Angus AuxiliaryInstagram- missamericanangus2025
Don Lamb is the Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, re-appointed by Governor Mike Braun on Dec. 23, 2024. He reports directly to Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith, who serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Don is a second-generation farmer for Lamb Farms in Boone County where, alongside his father, brother, and nephews, they produce corn, popcorn, seed soybeans and seed wheat. They also own two other enterprises, including AgRecycle which is a composting business and Lamb Farms Agronomy which provides neighboring farmers with agronomy products and services. Don stays involved in management aspects of the farm and joins in operations whenever he can.
Blaine Hitzfield is the CEO of Seven Sons, a five-hundred acre regenerative farm he operates and cofounded with his parents and six brothers. Blaine’s entrepreneurial spirit ignited early, helping transformSeven Sons from a struggling family farm into a thriving business that serves 20,000 families annuallywith regenerative foods. Beyond Seven Sons, Blaine co-founded GrazeCart, an e-commerce platform thatempowered over 400 farms to direct-market $70 million in regenerative foods annually. In late 2023,Blaine and his partner successfully sold and exited this bootstrapped business.Blaine’s expertise in regenerative agriculture has led him to deliver keynote addresses at numerousagriculture conferences. He’s co-host of the Food-Chain-Wars Podcast, where he and his brother Brooksteach farm-to-fork brands how to scale their businesses. He also co-leads workshops on his family’s farm,sharing unique principles that have shaped Seven Sons’ success. His family farm has been written aboutand mentioned in publications such as Scientific American, The Washington Post, Women’s Health, andMidwest Living.Despite his business accomplishments, Blaine’s greatest pride lies in his family. He’s been married to hishigh school sweetheart, Charis, for 18 years, and together they homeschool their six children. His faith inJesus Christ is the foundation of his life, providing hope, strength, and redemption through everychallenge.Blaine’s story reminds us that even in the midst of life’s toughest seasons, there’s always a path toredemption and growth. He’s passionate about helping others recognize the potential for renewal inboth their businesses and their personal lives.
Find them on their social media:
- https://www.facebook.com/sevensonsfarms/ - https://www.instagram.com/sevensonsfarms/?hl=en- https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaine-hitzfield-50694839
Brian Reisinger grew up on a family farm in Sauk County, Wisconsin and lives to tell the hidden stories of rural America. A columnist and consultant, Reisinger worked with his father from the time he could walk, before entering the worlds of business journalism and public policy. He has been published by USA Today, Newsweek, Yahoo News, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network, PBS/Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life,” The Daily Yonder, RealClearPolitics, The Hill, The Wisconsin State Journal, The Cap Times, Saving Country Music, and many other news, policy, outdoor, and cultural publications. Reisinger’s writing has won awards from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, first place in the Seven Hills Literary Contest, a Solas Award, and more. He lives with his wife and daughter, and helps lead Midwestern-based Platform Communications, splitting time between a small town in northern California and the family farm in southern Wisconsin. Land Rich, Cash Poor is his first book. Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561679438759
Amazon link to book:
https://www.amazon.com/Land-Rich-Cash-Poor-Disappearing/dp/1510779981/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 Website: https://www.brian-reisinger.com/
Dr. Kelli Werling is the Deputy Director of the Animal Programs Division and the Director of Swine Health at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. In this role, she oversees development and implementation for a variety of regulatory animal health programs, including but not limited to livestock disease preparedness and response activities.
Dr. Werling grew up on a Central Indiana sheep and grain farm and attended Purdue University's College of Agriculture, where she graduated with a degree in Animal Sciences with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and a minor in Biological Sciences in 2013. Dr. Werling graduated from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 and joined the Indiana State Board of Animal Health as a field veterinarian and began serving as the agency's Director of Swine Health. In 2024, Dr. Werling was named the Deputy Director for the Animal Programs Division.
Annie Cole currently serves as the Youth Leadership & Resilience Manager for a national Nonprofit called Bring Change to Mind. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and is currently a master’s candidate at IU Indianapolis and will graduate in 2025 with a Masters of Public Affairs with a concentration in Innovation & Social Change.
She is a passionate educator and advocate with a commitment to youth. Annie has a background in trauma informed care and psychology and started her career in the public-school classroom teaching 4th grade. She uses her classroom experience to amplify student voices and bring change to the way in which we approach mental health in our communities. She is a firm believer we can change the world by starting with our youth.
Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), co-founded by actress Glenn Close in 2010, is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating dialogue around mental health, and to raising awareness, understanding and empathy. In 2015, BC2M launched a student-led initiative at the high school level aimed at increasing awareness and education about mental health in a supportive environment. Their evidence-based, youth-led club program gives tweens and teens a platform to share their voices, empowers students to educate one another, and creates a culture of peer support within schools. Currently, they work with over 540 high schools, in 43 states and empowering 12,000+ students each school year. Indiana, one of BC2M’s largest regions, has a mighty community of 90 high schools and 40 middle schools across the entire state.
When she’s not working or going to school, she loves enjoying a cup of coffee with a friend or a walk with her 2 y/o pup, Poppy.
Website: https://www.bringchange2mind.org
IG: @bringchangetomind @bc2mhighschool @annie_bc2m
Tiktok: @bringchangetomind Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/annie-cole-7a7a9411a
Amanda Radke is a fifth generation rancher from Mitchell, SD. Alongside her husband, Tyler, and their four children, they operate Radke Land & Cattle, an Angus seedstock operation.
A former National FFA Extemp Speaking Champion and National Beef Ambassador, Radke has spent nearly 20 years on the road fighting to keep agricultural families on the land, rural main street businesses thriving, and an abundance of food on the dinner table.
Amanda is an entrepreneur at heart and wears many hats, in addition to being a ranch mom. She’s the host of “The Heart of Rural America” podcast and radio show, a syndicated columnist, a western retailer, a cattle industry consultant with CK6, a partner in a new auction platform called Bid On Beef, and a children’s book author focused on promoting ag literacy in schools.
She also currently serves as an appointee on the National Agriculture Campaign Advisory Council, where she provides industry insights on ag policy discussions to the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee.
And when she’s not on the road, you can find her wrangling cattle and rowdy kids. She’s most at home on the ranch, where her love of the land, livestock, and community is rooted in boots-on-the ground work — with plenty of muddy boots and dirty coveralls to prove.
Follow on socials
www.amandaradke.com
www.bidonbeef.com
www.radkelandandcattle.com
www.ck6consulting.com
www.ck6source.com
I’m on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, TikTok & my podcast, “Heart of Rural America” airs on Wednesdays on Apple + Spotify
Calli Thorne is a keynote speaker, global leadership trainer, mindset coach, and multi-business entrepreneur. She is married to her husband CJ and they have three young children. Calli grew up on her family’s farm and ranch in northwest North Dakota and today they operate multiple enterprises including a backgrounding feedlot, cow/calf operation, and sell beef directly to consumers. They just recently took on a new endeavor and purchased a local beef processing facility. My speaking/training/leadership page: https://www.facebook.com/PioneeringLegacy
Our ranch page: https://www.facebook.com/TriangleMRanchAndFeedlot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callithorne/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callithorne/ My personal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/calli.thorne/
Join us with Maddy and Brady from the NJSA as we talk all things swine, leadership, and even mental health in the shows. Maddy and Brady are unique in their fields and experience.
Renee Wiatt serves as the Family Business Management Specialist for the Purdue Institute for Family Business housed in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. She also serves as the research and extension specialist for the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, where she studies the intersection of rural businesses and healthcare. Renee works on Extension and applied research in family-business interface and balance, succession, and family business management. She is a member of the Purdue Extension Succession Planning Team, working on programming and directly with families to guide them through some steps in the succession planning process. Ed is a Purdue Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources and County Extension Director in Huntington County. He has degrees in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Education from Purdue University. His focus areas are field crop production and farm business management. Prior to pursuing a career in Extension, Ed worked with farmers in New York and Indiana as a loan officer. His roots are in southwest Indiana where his family has a farming operation