Manager of Member Engagement and Former FFA Student Member Interviewed by Growing Our Future Host Aaron Alejandro
The Accidental Introduction to FFA Blossoms Into A Passionate Career Living the FFA Motto as a Leader at the Latino Corporate Directors Association - Mission Matters Podcast Agency
Mission Matters Podcast Agency distributes the Growing Our Future podcast.
Justin Bradley Reyes is the Manager of Member Engagement within the Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA). Reyes explained “I am grateful for life and the colleagues and friends that I have had the opportunity to meet and learn from. Grateful for these spaces and thankful to have a voice as a young professional in the Midwest,” said Reyes passionately.
Reyes explained how a health issue led to his accidental introduction to the FFA during high school. He questioned where he was going to fit in? He landed in an Agriculture 101 with Teddy Byrd, who turned into a mentor. “Teddy saw something in me. I was full of passion, joy and love but, not confident in myself to express that. And, it all started with the FFA creed. Mr. Berg provided me an opportunity to get dressed up in that FFA blue jacket that we all love and remember… It took off from there… leadership development events, career and development experiences…All of the events provided me the opportunity to gain professional development and network with young students across the country. We can say that is where Justin was born,” He recalled excitedly.
Reyes pursued an agricultural science degree and studied at Texas A & M University. After graduation, he applied for a public policy internship. ”It was a chance to go from the fields to the halls of congress. [I was] attending meetings about public policy that affected agriculture and by extent, our lives,” Reyes said. This internship landed him his first role in association management and non-profit management. “In week two, I was interacting with the senior policy officials for the entire U.S. It was a phenomenal experience,” he added.
As Reyes continued to accept opportunities, one included going back to a familiar organization working in Dallas, Texas with a local FFA chapter. Reyes and his wife, also an FFA alumna, taught in the program. They had an opportunity to help the association that had given him so many opportunities. “We used our connections in the agricultural world to achieve success,” he explained. His work journey continued to evolve and he landed at the National Association for Homebuilders. Membership and education was his focus in this industry. Because of his personal experience of becoming a product of various associations, he has been able to use that to catapult him into his current role. “Today, I work for the Latino Corporate Directors Association as the manager of member engagement. Every day is like a holiday. I am getting a chance to interact, to support and to build a community for Latinos in corporate America. And more importantly, getting them onto the boards of publicly traded companies…And the foundation of it all was because of my Texas FFA student experience,” said Reyes passionately.
Reyes continued to explain that the FFA really allowed him to understand that success and failures are all a part of life and that there are so many opportunities available. Failures are not the end of a chapter. “Learning is lifelong. Giving me a space to learn and grow. If I failed, I wasn’t criticized but supported,” Reyes said with conviction. He ended with “Live the FFA motto. Learn to do, doing to learn, earning to live and living to serve.”
Listen to the full podcast interview by Aaron Alejandro with Justin Bradley Reyes on your favorite podcast channel
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In this podcast, the host covers:
Justin, what are you grateful for today?
Take us through your FFA journey that created the opportunity for your professional position today.
Through the FFA, what are some of the skills and traits that FFA gave you that give you the success that you have today?
If you were to give an FFA member advice for leadership development, personal and career success, what would the three tips be?
Justin, is there something else that you would like to share with us?
What is the best concert that you have been to?
About the Podcast Host and Guest
The Texas FFA Foundation’s purpose is to strengthen agricultural education and the Texas FFA program, so each student can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace.
Learn more about the Texas FFA Foundation at mytexasffa.org
Learn more about Justin Bradley Reyes and the Latino Corporate Directors Association at www.Latinocorporatedirectors.org
Media Communications
Mission Matters Podcast Agency distributes the Growing Our Future Podcast
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