From the moment the first trailer rolled into town, Tulsa was buzzing with the energy of more than just competition. For six individuals, the journey down Route 66 for the 2025 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) led to a green coat and a new chapter of leadership as the newest members of the National Junior Angus Board (NJAB).
It’s a journey that resonates with many, including newly elected NJAA Board member, Keeley Shultz.
“I grew up surrounded by Angus cattle on our family operation in Georgia,” she says. “But what inspired me to get involved with the NJAA was attending my first junior nationals in Perry, Ga., in 2009. Even though I was too young to show, watching those green jackets in the ring lit a spark, I didn’t fully understand at the time. It created a passion that I had no idea would continue fueling me all these years later.”
Developing the next generation of industry leaders is a vital component of the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) mission. Each year, six junior members are elected to serve on the board, where they further develop their leadership skills and represent Angus. The new directors were announced during the awards ceremony at the 2025 NJAS July 4, 2025, in Tulsa, Okla.
The newly elected board members will serve a two-year term, the first year as directors and the second year as officers. The new directors are Adeline Tommell, Fonda, N.Y.; Alexis Koelling, Bowling Green, Mo.; Ava Wood, Willow Spring, N.C.; Bryce Hofing, Coatesville, Ind.; Keely Shultz, Danielsville, Ga.; and Lyle Perrier, Eureka, Kan.
During their term, directors will travel the nation to assist at shows and conferences, support junior members during state and national events and help to advance the NJAA mission.
The “new six,” will join second-term members and newly appointed chairman, Ava Leibfried of Platteville, Wis., and vice chairman, Anne Dameron of Towanda, Ill. The officer team also includes foundation director, Grant Solem, Los Olivos, Calif.; secretary, Bryanna Smith, Russell Springs, Ky,; events director, Blake Pillars of Martin, Mich.; and education director, Catie Collison of Lake City, Iowa.
Leibfried is looking forward to spending another year working alongside her fellow second-year directors and is eager to hear the ideas that the “new-six” will bring to the table.
“Watching them step into their roles and bring fresh energy to the board is something I am looking forward to,” Leibfried says. “I’m excited to explore ideas we’ve been discussing as a team for the past year and see how we might turn some of those into reality. There’s something really rewarding about taking a long-discussed concept and watching it come to life for the benefit of our juniors.”
Meet the new directors
Adeline Tommell joins the NJAB from Fonda, N.Y. Her passion for the Angus breed began at a young age, showing cattle alongside her older brother and helping with her family’s feedyard and Angus herd. Since attending her first NJAS in 2018, Tommell has been an active member of both her state and national associations, serving as a voting delegate and holding leadership positions within the New York Junior Angus Association.
he will be a junior at Oklahoma State University (OSU) this fall, majoring in agricultural communications with a minor in pre-law and agricultural policy.
“Growing up in New York, I always felt like agriculture wasn’t something most people around me understood,” Tommell says. “I showed Angus cattle because I loved the lifestyle, but I didn’t realize how big the community was until I joined the NJAA. Suddenly I had a network of people from across the country. That energy, combined with the leadership opportunities, is what pulled me in and kept me involved.”
Keely Shultz of Danielsville, Ga., found her passion for Angus cattle early, watching from the sidelines at the 2009 NJAS in Perry, Ga. What began as admiration quickly turned into action.
Since then, she has grown into a young leader, passionate about cattle, people and service.
Shultz currently attends OSU, where she studies agricultural communications and animal science with a focus on beef production and ranch management. She plans to pursue a career in agricultural and youth development while continuing to expand her family’s operation, Mirror K Farm.
From serving as a Georgia Junior Angus Association Director to participating in leadership events like the Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) and Raising the Bar conferences, Shultz has seen firsthand how the NJAA shapes its members. She’s eager to give back and help others find their place within the Angus family.
“The NJAA has given me some of my best memories, from shows and contests to leadership conferences and late-night laughs with friends who feel more like family,” Shultz says. “It’s an association that truly invests in its juniors, helping us grow not just as exhibitors, but as leaders and advocates for the breed.”
Ava Wood is a second-generation Angus breeder from Willow Spring, N.C. Wood has grown up immersed in the Angus breed. In 2025, she served as president of the North Carolina Junior Angus Association and chaired the Junior Board of the Atlantic National Angus Show.
She currently attends North Carolina State University, where she is studying agribusiness management. Through her education and hands-on experience working on her family’s farm, Wood has developed an interest in business and marketing. She is passionate about helping juniors find their place within the association and develop skills beyond the showring.
“I want to help younger members feel more confident in getting involved,” Wood says. “Whether it’s their first show, or first time competing in a contest, I want to be someone they can come to for advice or encouragement.”
Bryce Hofing of Coatesville, Ind., has grown up within the NJAA and is passionate about giving back to the organization that has shaped his leadership journey.
Hofing recently graduated from Cascade High School and will attend Kansas State University (K-State) this fall, majoring in Construction Science and Management. He currently serves as Vice President of the Indiana Junior Angus Association and Vice Chairman of the Junior Board of the Atlantic National Angus Show. He also holds leadership positions with the Indiana Junior Beef Cattle Association.
Hofing is excited to serve alongside this group of leaders and to continue building connections within the Angus breed.
“What I love about the Angus breed and the NJAA is how it brings people together across generations, blending tradition with opportunity,” Hofing says. “The NJAA gives junior members a place to grow, lead and dream of their future opportunities within agriculture.”
Alexis Koelling of Bowling Green, Mo., has been immersed in agriculture from a young age, balancing time between the show barn, hay field and classroom.
She is currently studying agricultural communications and agribusiness at OSU, where she continues to build on her foundation in the livestock industry.
Koelling looks forward to the opportunity to serve as a role model and mentor through the NJAB.
“It means a great deal to me to represent junior members on the board,” Koelling says. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to support and mentor others, just as past board members once did for me. Their guidance and encouragement played a big role in my development, and I’m honored to now be in a position to give back. I’m looking forward to helping junior members feel welcomed and empowered as they grow as young leaders.”
Lyle Perrier of Eureka, Kan., is a lifelong Angus enthusiast who grew up on his family’s registered Angus operation. From a young age, his days were filled with helping on the ranch, participating in livestock evaluation contests and being actively involved in 4-H and FFA.
Perrier is currently majoring in animal sciences and industry at K-State, where he serves as an assistant business manager for Farmhouse Fraternity, a member of the Student Alumni Board and an Animal Sciences and Industry Mentor. He also holds leadership roles with the Kansas Angus Association and the university’s Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club.
Perrier is honored to join this exceptional group of junior leaders and represent the Angus breed on a national level.
“I hope to support junior members by being a board member who is never scared to do the dirty work, never afraid to make hard decisions and never too cool to talk with a member at a conference,” Perrier says. “This mindset will help impact members in one-on-one settings around the barns and at conferences throughout the year. I hope to be a strong leader within the boardroom and around the barns.”
To learn more about the NJAB, visit www.angus.org/NJAA/home/board.
View results of the 2025 NJAS, including shows, contests, awards and scholarships at www.njas.info. Additional coverage is also available on the NJAA Facebook page and in the September issue of the Angus Journal.
