Blog Post

Lynn Bartholomew graduated from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications. She was the website and social media chair at the Beta Zeta chapter and served as the fundraising chair for the alumnae chapter. Lynn served as a National Chapter Consultant from 2019 to 2021. She is a communications specialist at Kuhn North America and this fall will begin her master’s degree program in Student Affairs Administration from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. In her free time, Lynn likes to farm with her family and spend time with her friends.

Kayela Statom- Tennessee is home, but Kayela moved to Upstate NY (Troy) in the fall of 2017. Kayela graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a minor in Theatre. She currently is the 4-H and Adult Agriculture Extension Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County. In her free time, Kayela enjoys theatre (watching and performing), teaching Zumba, and getting outside whenever she gets the chance.

Lurinda Gilliland lives with her husband on his family’s century farm and works in the crop insurance industry. She has three stepchildren and three grandchildren. Lurinda graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science, Double Major in Agriculture Business and Animal Science and with a master’s in agriculture. She was a founding member of the Sigma Alpha Alpha Beta Chapter at Northwest Missouri State University and served as the advisor. Lurinda is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership through Gonzaga. In addition to being a marketing representative for a crop insurance company, Lurinda’s career path includes agricultural and commercial lending, consulting with farmers and small businesses on a variety of business issues, and as instructor in the Agriculture Department at Northwest Missouri State University. She enjoys reading, crafting, gardening, and running. Lurinda’s passion is helping others learn and utilize their strengths to live their best life.

Ashley Hauptman is a Midwest girl at heart! Growing up in Bloomington, Illinois and attending her hometown college of Illinois State University, she graduated in May of 2019 with a degree in Agriculture Communications & Leadership. Post-graduation, Ashley did not want her time in Sigma Alpha to end, so she continued her love of the sorority serving as the Region 7-Chapter Consultant for Sigma Alpha and is finishing her term this July. Ashley ialso currently works for Pinnacle Hospital in Crown Point, Indiana as a Marketing Assistant.

Marissa Bradsher was raised in Southern California. She spent summers in Western New York with her family, gaining a love for agriculture. Marissa graduated California State University Chico, where she majored in Animal Science and Biology. Through an internship with Driscoll’s Strawberries, she discovered plant science. After graduation, Marissa took an internship working for Pioneer and was later offered a job at Seminis Vegetable Seeds in Idaho. At Seminis, Marissa worked her way up to the role of Crop Specialist for sweet corn. Now, Marissa manages sweet corn parent material across the globe for Seminis Vegetable Seeds.

Dr. Anna Daniel Reddish is the Associate Director for Veterinary Career Services with the American Veterinary Medical Association. In this role she manages the AVMA Veterinary Career Center, develops career resources for veterinarians and oversees Pre-Veterinary Student Outreach.  Anna grew up on a small farm in Jackson, GA.  She earned a BS degree in Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia, where she was named to the All-American Livestock Judging Team. She was an active member of the Alpha Omicron Sigma Alpha chapter serving as her pledge class president and member of the professional development and farm safety committee. Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Reddish completed a Masters of Animal and Dairy Science with an emphasis in Ruminant Nutrition. She is a 2013 graduate of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, she practiced mixed animal medicine in central Georgia. Anna is based in Atlanta, GA. She and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their first son, Hudson, in January 2020.