A quick look at the bio of the new Indiana FFA director, and you see a person who is invested in agriculture education and building leaders for the ag industry. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture has tapped Samantha (Sam) Miller for the position, moving up from Assistant FFA Director after almost three years.
Bruce Kettler, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director, made the announcement Wednesday.
“It’s interesting to be able to talk to Sam because you don’t have to talk to her very long to understand that that’s exactly where her focus is when she’s talking about this, understanding our students in ag educations programs and what they’re getting out of an ag education program,” he said.
Kettler told HAT that with experience in FFA at the state level, knowledge of ISDA and government, not to mention her work previously as an FFA advisor and agriculture education teacher at Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Miller has a great working knowledge of what’s ahead.
“She’s very familiar not only with the FFA program and with the department, but with the players, the teachers, other staff members, people in state government that that group has to work with. So, it was really helpful to know that she had those qualifications in addition to something that I believe is very important and fundamental, and that is having classroom experience and having served as a teacher in a classroom and an FFA advisor to be able to lead that team. So, Sam certainly meets all this criteria and just will be a great leader for the organization.”
Sam Miller takes over for Rob Hays, the director who recently died. She said she hopes to uphold his legacy at FFA.
The Indiana FFA Association has 214 chapters serving over 12,500 Indiana FFA members. As director Miller will oversee the Indiana FFA Pavilion at the Indiana State Fair, coordinate the completion of strategic plan initiatives, lead the Indiana FFA Association Board of Trustees and help with leadership training for the Indiana State FFA Officers. She will also manage a team of three FFA and ag education employees within ISDA.
“I am so excited for this elevated role within the Indiana FFA Association,” she said.
Miller is a member of the Indiana AgriInstitute Ag Leadership Program Class 19. She is also a member of the National Association of Supervisors Agricultural Education, sits on the Public Policy Committee for the National Association of Agricultural Educators and is a member of the Agri-Science committee for the National FFA Organization.