Class 21 of AALP Announces New Leadership Participants

The Rural Ontario Institute Welcomes Class 21 Of The AALP

• Bonnie Johnson
• August 01, 2025
• Media Article

The Rural Ontario Institute introduces Class 21 of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP), bringing 18 new leaders to advance Ontario’s agri-food sector with strong leadership and skills.

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The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) is proud to announce the eighteen current and emerging leaders selected for Class 21 of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP). These participants, representing diverse agricultural sectors, will begin their leadership journey in August 2025.
 

AALP Class 21 Participants:
 

• Mike Barun, Georgetown, Egg Farmers of Ontario – Director of Finance
   
• Alicia Becker, Clifford, Farm & Food Care Ontario – Community Engagement Manager
   
• Sunit Chandan, London, Farm Credit Canada – Manager Business Development
   
• Julie Danen, Shakespeare, Danzel Holsteins – Owner
   
• Greg de Vos, Guelph, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness – Manager, Strategic Coordination & Initiatives, Agriculture Development Branch
   
• Lindsay Dykeman, Kincardine, Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative Inc. – General Manager
   
• Paige Handsor, Wallaceburg, Match Realty Inc. – Farm Realtor and Co-Owner
   
• Mel Karpenko, Grand Valley, Grand River Farm – Co-Owner
   
• Kaitlin Lake, Elora, Maple Lodge Farms - Director, Grower Services
   
• Aodin MacDonell, Williamstown, Greenfield Global Inc. – Grain Sustainability Lead
   
• Andrew Munro, Oshawa, Caldwell Securities – Community & Client Development
   
• Katie Normet, Arthur, River's Edge Goat Dairy – Owner and Farmer
   
• Kristy Nudds, Tillsonburg, Glacier FarmMedia's publication Farmtario – Editor
   
• Kelsey Randhawa, Angus, Rural Ontario Institute – Leadership Programs Coordinator
   
• Mackenna Roth, Strathroy, Rural Policy Advocate and Cut Flower Farmer
   
• Liam van Steekelenburg, CosMic Plants Inc. – Maintenance Manager
   
• Angela Zilke, Embro, Zilke Enterprises Inc. – Secretary/Treasurer
   
• Melinda Zurbrigg, St. Marys, Libro Credit Union – Relationship Manager
   

“Congratulations to the selected Class 21 participants,” says Gabrielle Ferguson, ROI Leadership Programs Director. “You are about to embark on a transformative leadership journey—one that will challenge you to reflect deeply and grow into the leader you are meant to be. In today’s complex global environment, strong leadership is more important than ever to ensure the continued success and resilience of Ontario’s agri-food sector.”
 

Over the course of the program, participants will engage in seminars, webinars, study tours, and group analysis projects focused on agriculture, food, and rural community issues. AALP provides a learning environment that builds leadership skills while tackling real-world challenges.
 

The program’s impact is underscored by comments from Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, who states, “We are proud to support opportunities in experiential education and leadership development like those provided by AALP.”
 

Class 21 participants represent various agricultural industries including livestock, media, grain, and agri-business. Their leadership journey will shape the future of Ontario’s $51 billion agri-food sector.
 

Photo by: ruralontarioinstitute.ca