New Leadership Announced for 4H Canada
4H Canada and the Canadian 4H Foundation have welcomed a new group of leaders following their annual general meetings. These appointments will guide youth programs and strengthen the future of Canadian agriculture.
Robert Larsen will now serve as chair of the 4H Canada Board of Directors, with Tyler McCann stepping in as vice-chair. David Hansen, who led the board for the past two years, will now serve as past chair.
New directors joining for a three-year term are Bev Jones from Alberta, a fifth-generation 4Her with over 50 years in agri-business, and Mila MacLean from Nova Scotia, who brings aerospace experience and strong community values.
Continuing directors include Danielle Chu, Fawn Jackson, Shelley Jones, Neleah Lavoie, and Amy McConchie. The board also appointed Youth Advisory Committee members Katie MacNeil from Nova Scotia and Austin Olson from Saskatchewan.
“With this new board in place, we look forward to completing the 2025-2028 strategic plan for 4-H Canada. Adding two new members to our board ensures we continue to diversify the perspectives at our governance table and will serve as a real complement to the work of long-serving directors taking on leadership roles, such as Robert and Tyler,” said interim CEO, Hugh Maynard.
At the Canadian 4H Foundation’s AGM, Ben Graham concluded his term as chair and now becomes past chair. The new chair and vice-chair will be announced later. Lisa Ashton, Director of Agriculture Policy at RBC Thought Leadership, joined the Foundation as a trustee.
Returning trustees are Gene Fraser, Jacob Fergus, Arron Madson, Ashwin Ramesh, Ryan Riese, and Valerie Stone Grech. The Foundation continues to oversee 4H Canada’s endowment funds.
"The good work that 4-H does to support youth leaders as they learn to do by doing requires a solid financial foundation and it is thanks to the good work of our foundation trustees that we are able to plan to for the future, even when the economic headwinds are difficult,” said Maynard. “We anticipate that strengthening and diversifying how we build funds will emerge as a priority of the next strategic plan."
He also thanked all directors and trustees for their commitment to supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders in Canada.
Photo Credit: 4-H-Canada-logo