The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Board of Directors is comprised of 12 individuals who serve three-year terms and govern the 4,200 member junior organization. Each year, four new members are elected at the Junior National Hereford Expo. This year there are seven candidates vying for a spot on the board.
Sarah Birdsall, Torrington, Wyo., is the 18-year-old daughter of Dennis and Heather Birdsall. She will be a freshman at Kansas State University this fall and plans on double majoring in agricultural business and marketing. She has been an active member of the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) both in and outside the showring, and has attended the BOLD and Faces of Leadership conferences. Birdsall has held a leadership position within the Wyoming Junior Hereford Association for the past four years and is now serving as their state president. Despite her leadership experience, Birdsall is quick to realize that real leadership is not about fame; it’s about being present when it matters most, listening with intention, and helping others reach beyond what they thought was possible. “If I can help lead younger members the way I was once led, I will have found and achieved my passion and goal as part of the NJHA,” Birdsall says. “I want my actions to inspire the youth of the Hereford breed to reach beyond ordinary and strive for extraordinary.”
Kendall Boatman, Rockford, Ill., is the 18-year-old daughter of Tom and Tammy Boatman, and will be a freshman at Lake Land Community College this fall. She plans on completing an agricultural transfer degree and then major in agricultural communications and business once she has transferred to a university. Boatman has taken full advantage of the programs offered by the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA), attending BOLD, Faces of Leadership, participating in the NJHA Feed Steer Shootout program and Bridging the Gap. She has also been a twelve-year member of the Illinois Junior Hereford Association, where she has served as secretary, board member and chairman of the preview show awards committee. Boatman, a generational Hereford breeder, expresses her deep respect for the people, values and traditions that comprise the NJHA. Boatman says, “Together I believe that we can build a stronger Hereford association that supports and inspires each junior member for generations to come.”
Jordan Mitchen, Vale, N.C., is the 18-year-old daughter of Wayne and Crystal Mitchem. She just finished her senior year in high school and plans to attend North Carolina State University, where she is majoring in animal science and biochemistry. She has served as president of North Carolina Junior Hereford Association for the past three years, was presented with the Commissioner of Agriculture Award—the highest honor in North Carolina’s 4-H program—and was named the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Senior Contestant of the Year in 2024. Mitchem realizes that the programs that shaped her the most were through the Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE), in which her goal to serve as a National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) director was to involve more junior members on a state and regional level. “I want every Hereford youth to have the same experiences I have had and be prepared to go out and conquer the world,” says Mitchem. “I plan to bring my energy, passion and determination to the board.”
Jeb Painter, Gandeeville, W.V., is the 19-year-old son of Matt and Michelle Painter. Painter finished his senior year of high school and will be attending WVU Potomac State College, where as a freshman, he will major in agribusiness management. Painter has been an active member of the West Virginia Junior Hereford Association, serving as president for the past two years. He has received his state farmer degree from the National FFA Organization and has participated in a wide variety of contests at the Junior National Hereford Expo (JNHE). For Painter, creating a sense of belonging within the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) is a priority. He believes every junior should feel included, no matter their hometown or how many cattle they bring to the show. Painter says, “I want to be the kind of person others trust, who brings people together and who is fully invested in the future of this great association.”
T.R. Putz, Otley, Iowa, is the 20-year-old son of Don and Bellana Putz, and a junior at Iowa State University, where he is obtaining a degree in agricultural studies, multidisciplinary, with an emphasis in animal science, agricultural business and supply chain management, while also pursuing a sales certificate. A twelve-year member of the Iowa Junior Hereford Association, he most recently held the title of director and was a member of the Iowa State Fair Governor’s Charity Steer Show Committee. Putz acknowledges that serving as a National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) director is both a responsibility and a privilege, while maintaining the legacy of the Hereford breed. “My goal is clear,” says Putz. “To lead by example, support youth development and strengthen the future of the Hereford breed through education, mentorship and service.”
Gavin Rhode, Stewartsville, Mo., is the 19-year-old son of Jeff and Susan Rhode, and a sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he is majoring in agribusiness management. Demonstrating a strong commitment to leadership across all areas of involvement, Rhode has served as the Missouri Junior Hereford Association president, a Mizzou Litton Leadership Scholar at the University of Missouri-Columbia and served as Missouri State FFA Secretary. If elected to the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) board of directors, Rhode’s primary goal is to make an impact — “Making an impact on each junior I will meet while wearing the maroon jacket will be unique and different and that difference is what excites me most about the challenge.”
Maddie Weaber, Wamego, Kan., is the 19-year-old daughter of Bob and Tami Weaber, and a sophomore at Oklahoma State University, where she is working towards a bachelor’s degree in animal science. Weaber is a committed member of the Kansas Junior Hereford Association, holding a director’s position on their board. She excelled in FFA, where she was the sixth overall National FFA Agriscience Winner in the animal systems category, and attended the Kansas State University Animal Science Leadership Academy. Weaber acknowledges that the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) has a place for everyone, from the show ring to the pasture, to becoming a better leader or simply finding your people. As a candidate for the NJHA board of directors, she says, “I believe in rising through experience — through learning more, doing more and preparing ourselves for roles beyond a backdrop and banner.”
