Board Members & Staff
Board of Directors
Matt Frank
President
Board member since 2015
Matt from Roseville is currently the Senior Director of Vineyard Operations at Trinchero Family Estates.
Pat Kirby
Secretary/Treasurer
Board member since 2017
Pat currently works for A.L. Gilbert and is from Wilton.
Ken Mitchell
Director
Board member since 1995
Ken is a fifth generation farmer in Elk Grove. He currently raises turkeys and farms walnuts.
Dan Roemer
Director
Board member since 1990
Dan currently farms hay and has an annual pumpkin patch under Roemer Farms in Sacramento.
Jim Vietheer
Director
Board member since 2007
Jim raises and shows purebred beef cattle under HAVE ANGUS in Wilton.
Walter Hardesty
1st Vice President
Board member since 2004
Walt manages his family's cattle ranch, WH Beef, in Elk Grove.
Ken Oneto
Executive Member
Board member since 1994
Ken farms along the Cosumnes River in South Sacramento County under KLM Ranches. He grows cherries, artichokes, alfalfa hay, wine grapes, tomatoes, field corn, fresh market tomatoes, and dry beans.
Michael Neuharth
Director
Board member since 2019
Michael manages his family's diversified crop farm in Courtland. He also has does custom harvesting in the Delta.
Mike Tudesko
Director
Board member since 1991
Mike runs beef cattle in Sloughhouse.
Mike Wackman
Director
Board member since 1990
Mike is a fifth generation farmer in Elk Grove. He is the owner and winemaker at McConnell Estates Winery. Mike also serves on the Ag Foundation Board.
Jerry Spencer
2nd Vice President
Board member since 2003
Jerry works for Van Vleck Ranching and Resources Inc. out of Rancho Murieta.
Virginia Hemly-Chhabra
Director
Board member since 2008
Virginia is a fifth generation farmer in Courtland. She currently manages Greene & Hemly packing shed and Hemly Cider.
Kyle Quinn
Director
Board member since 2019
Kyle from Elk Grove currently is a sales representative for AgSeeds Unlimited.
Russell vanLobenSels
Director
Board member since 2004
Russell is a pear, wine grape, and row crop farmer in Courtland, Russell is very involved with current issues surrounding the Sacramento Delta.
Miranda Blagg
YF&R Representative
Miranda works for the Dairy Council of California. She is the current chair of Sac YF&R.
Office Staff
Amber McDowell
Executive Director
Amber started as a county YF&R, served 3 years on the State YF&R Committee, participated in the Leadership Farm Bureau program, and worked 4 years at San Joaquin Farm Bureau. She has worked at SCFB since January 2022.
Madeline Schenken
Membership & Events Program Director
Madeline has been an active YF&R member since 2019 and graduated from the Leadership Farm Bureau program in 2022. She has worked at SCFB since September 2022.