More than 30 New York county dairy promoters attended the New York State Dairy Ambassador Training Seminar hosted by ADA North East. Interactive workshops provided training to strengthen their skills in consumer communication, social media engagement, media interviewing, leadership and teamwork, dairy promotion and advocacy, and professional confidence.
The two-day program featured an interactive workshop with Syracuse Stage, a theater team, that provided engaging activities and improvisation exercise to help promoters prepare for interactions with consumers.
Media training with Keith Kobland, former TV personality and media expert with Syracuse University, offered interviewed strategies, on-camera presence, and techniques for staying calm and confident under pressure.
A social media workshop focused on preparing and sharing content. Three dairy farmer social media personalities – Val Lavigne, Dairy Gal Val, Sarah Lyness, Spring Run Dairy and Jennifer Orr, Harmony Acres Dairy – shared tips and tricks for posting content.
Dairy farmer and registered dietitian Abigail Copenhaver shared current nutrition conversations, consumer interests, and ways ambassadors can communicate dairy’s role in a balanced lifestyle.
Several former state dairy ambassadors participated in an alumni panel, sharing their competition experiences, personal growth, career impact, leadership lessons, and how the dairy ambassador program shaped their future. Participants included Addison Brown, Justin Mesch, Olivia Maslyn and Arianna Aman.
ADA North East explained the role of dairy checkoff and offered key messages to help build consumer trust in dairy.
For more info about the dairy ambassador program, contact ADA North East Director of Consumer Confidence Director Beth Meyer at bmeyer@milk4u.org.