Meet the Social Media and Publicity Committee Chairs

Hi!

My name is Malorie Bankhead, and I am a second year agriculture science/communications major at Cal Poly with a concentration in animal science. This is my second year in Western Bonanza. Last year I was on the Media and Publicity Committee. Our hope this year is to continue the success of the fairly new Social Media and Publicity Committee and develop it further into its existence as a part of Western Bonanza.
A few of our responsibilities in the Social Media and Publicity Committee are to maintain and update the Facebook page, manage the BRAND NEW Western Bonanza Blog, Livestream the livestock rings the weekend of Western Bonanza, and provide tools for the media to capture Western Bonanza's story! We hope to have a very successful 27th Western Bonanza February 18-20, 2011, and we hope to see you there!

I am very excited to serve as a committee chair for the Social Media and Publicity Committee of Western Bonanza. I grew up on a small cow/calf operation in Livermore, CA. I have had a passion for agriculture all my life. I raised hogs, steers, and lambs in 4-H and FFA for eight years of my life. This past summer, showing as a 5th year member of the Livermore FFA, I exhibited the Alameda County Fair Champion Market Hog! It was my greatest accomplishment in showing livestock. Although I only showed my first steer at one jackpot, I really like the livestock show atmosphere. The smell of competition and perfection in the air really makes me happy for the youth who are working hard to showcase their passion:  their livestock. I have served as many offices in 4-H and FFA including secretary and president. I also served the North Coast Region FFA as Vice President my junior and senior years in high school. I served as a charter member of the Alameda County Fair Youth Advisory Group, helping form decisions about the livestock show at my county fair. I have also worked at the Alameda County Fair in the exhibits department the past three summers, and I have assisted with Livestock DNA sample collection facilities at the California State Fair for the past two summers. In 2009 I won the CA FFA State Prepared Public Speaking Contest and placed among the top 16 at the National Contest in Indiana at National Convention. I also served as the 2009 CA Beef Ambassador, and this past year I served as a member of the National Beef Ambassador Team. As a part of that five person team I traveled to eight states helping run various consumer promotion events like the Boston Marathon Beef Booth, the New York State Fair Beef Culinary Stage, and the D.C. Cooking and Entertaining Show. This year I look forward to being a charter member of the National Beef Speakers Bureau, targeting consumers and educating them about the importance of beef in a healthy diet as well as sharing the beef production story. I am also serving as the Cal Poly Young Cattlemen's Committee Secretary this year, as well.

I am very excited for Cal Poly's 27th Western Bonanza, February 18-20, 2011. Don't forget entries close February 1, 2011! You can enter online, here!

Please check back DAILY on this blog for information about Western Bonanza! I, personally, am VERY excited about this blog! We hope you enjoy it! Also, don't forget to let us know how we are doing in the comment section below! Thank you!

Best wishes,
Malorie