Helle Ruddenklau farms with her husband, Bruce, near Amity, Oregon. They have a diversified cropping operation including seed crops, vegetables, wheat and hazelnuts. Helle believes it is important to expose students to agriculture and give them a basic understanding they can carry with them in their lives. Helle volunteers with various agricultural organizations and has participated in the AITC ag literacy program as an Oregon Women for Agriculture member. Helle is excited to help keep AITC a vibrant partner with Oregon schools by providing relevant and updated materials that are easy for teachers to access and utilize.
Anna grew up working on a ranch with her grandparents, which sparked her love for all things agriculture. She attended Oregon State University, where she received a bachelor’s in animal science. After working in journalism and public relations for five years, she went back to Oregon State to pursue a master’s in agriculture education. Anna spent one year substitute teaching in Iowa and then served as the agriculture science teacher and FFA advisor for 4 years in Bonanza, taking over for her own ag teacher when he retired. She currently works for AgWest Farm Credit as the relationship manager for the Klamath Falls office working with producers in Klamath, Lake, Siskiyou and Modoc counties helping fulfill their financing needs to help their businesses and communities thrive.
After graduating from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Animal Science, Liz moved to Eastern Oregon to lead Training and Development at Beef Northwest Feeders. She is responsible for onboarding and hands-on training for operations employees, ensuring they have the tools and ability to understand how and why they execute protocols and processes. Liz plans, creates and leads company-wide training and development that revolves around the goal of putting cattle first and producing safe, quality beef. She facilitates the demo and launch of new projects and cutting-edge technology, like drones and GPS, to improve and advance the cattle feeding industry. Outside of work, she loves spending time on the Columbia River, finding a new place to camp or attending concerts with her friends. Liz’s favorite cut of beef is a New York Strip Steak, cooked on the grill!
Growing up in eastern Oregon, Brecklin enjoyed working on a family friend’s alfalfa farm, showing sheep in FFA, and working at the OSU experiment station in Ontario, Oregon. She discovered her passion for agriculture through these experiences. Her rural background, and her coursework in Agricultural Business Management at Oregon State University led her to pursue a career in sales at Stahlbush Island Farms in Corvallis, Oregon. Before attending OSU, Brecklin served as a state officer for the Oregon Future Farmers of America (FFA) Association and continues to be involved with the FFA in Oregon. While attending OSU, Brecklin was an intern for Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom. She enjoyed getting to know teachers and students from across the state and help with AITC’s programming and events. Brecklin looks forward to helping support Oregon’s teachers and students as an Oregon AITC board member.
Rikki Heath is the Director of K-12 Programs for the Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Her main responsibility is leading forest education opportunities for students and teachers around the state. OFRI relies heavily on partnerships, forestry field trip bus funding and professional development to accomplish these goals. Before joining OFRI, Heath worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 11 summers, including positions in botany, firefighting and leading Oregon Youth Conservation Corps crews. She also taught physical education in Bend and in Klamath Falls. She holds a master’s degree in education from Concordia University with a focus on environmental education and a bachelor’s degree from Lewis-Clark State College in kinesiology, sixth-to-12th-grade health education and K-12 physical education. Rikki grew up in Central Oregon, so being outdoors is what gives her the most joy. Her favorite outdoor activities are running and rafting with her family.
