Employee Spotlight: Maddie Moore

Job Title: Young, Beginning and Small Education Specialist
Location: Abingdon Branch
Tenure: 8 months
Briefly describe your involvement in FFA. I joined FFA in middle school and was consumed with curiosity and eager to learn all that I could about FFA and agriculture. I joined the Holston FFA Chapter in high school and competed in as many competitions as I could - Livestock Judging, Soils, Prepared Public Speaking, Employment Skills, and my favorite, Parliamentary Procedure where we placed first in the State in 2018 and competed at Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana later that year. Throughout high school, I held multiple positions at the chapter level including Junior Advisor, Secretary and President. As well as serving at the area level as the Vice President and President of the Appalachian Area in Virginia. It was during this time that my passion and desire to pursue a career in agriculture education began. After graduating from high school, I served as a Virginia FFA State Officer as a State Vice President 2020-2021. It was by far one of the most rewarding years of my life as I traveled the state with my eight other teammates visiting FFA members, industry professionals and agriculture educators advocating for agriculture, agriculture education and leadership through the FFA. I am extremely grateful for my time in the FFA as it equipped me with professional and personal skills as well as providing me with life-long friendships and industry connections.

Briefly describe your involvement in agriculture. I would not consider myself as a traditional farm kid, though I may be a bit jealous of those who are! Being from Washington County, Va., I grew up surrounded by production agriculture and had many family friends and classmates involved in agriculture. In high school, I was given opportunities to join our FFA's chapter show lamb team and start taking care of show livestock (including cattle, lambs, and hogs) for family friends. Being able to have these opportunities was quite exciting and gave me further opportunities to expand my knowledge and experience with livestock. To this day, I still help out when I can but enjoyed about seven years between high school and college of consistently caring for show livestock. After graduating from Virginia Tech in May 2024, I was an intern for Virginia Cattlemen's Association where I later joined staff as a full time Staff Assistant which allowed me opportunities to expand my knowledge and experience working with cattle producers, extension, and industry professionals throughout the state in cattle marketing, policy and education. I have plans to become more involved in production livestock in the future.

Are you involved in any other clubs organizations? I am a member of the Washington County Farm Bureau Women's Committee and a member of the Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers. I volunteer with county, area, and state FFA events and competitions throughout the year as a proud alumna. I also actively look for ways to volunteer and support rural communities and programs in the Southwest Virginia area specific to agriculture, education and leadership.
What is the best piece of advice you received growing up? I have two that are essentially two sides of the same coin. First, "You are on no one else's timeline but your own," was given to me by my high school FFA advisor, Mr. Cox during my senior year of high school. I have repeated this phrase so many times throughout my time in college and now as a young professional. This simple phrase always grounds me and reminds me that the choices and path I take does not have to be like the majority and that does not mean it's a bad choice - it's just a choice in a different direction which may require different sacrifices and intentions. It has led to a lot of choices I have made that seemed too far-fetched or uncertain but rewarded me greatly in the end. Secondly, "Unpack your bags," was given to me by my good friend, Jen Friedel, last year. It has felt like for the past six years, I have always been on the go and "in-between" different phases and places in life. Eventually, I always kept a packed bag in my car. When I was attempting to rush through the last few months of an internship, Jen said this to me without even knowing I had not one, not two, but three bags packed and ready in my car to go to the next thing. It is inevitable to not experience the feeling of being "behind," or "ahead," at multiple points in life but it is a choice to rush through the present just to reach the next phase of life which I found to be stressful and isolating. 
This advice helps me to remember to take my time; let my "yes" be a yes and my "no" be a no and be present in the moment with the situation and people in front of me - whether it's mundane, exciting, stressful or difficult - the now is what matters.
Tell us about your pets. I have a dog named Bruno that I rescued in high school! I believe he is a Coon Hound crossed with a Pitbull - so about 80 pounds of pure muscle and energy to chase down every squirrel and deer he sees. He loves rides in my 4Runner, walks on the Creeper Trail and spontaneous hikes.
What is your favorite song or artist? If you know me, this is no surprise - Tyler Childers. I have seen him in concert three times and have never been disappointed. My top three albums would be Purgatory, Country Squire and Snipe Hunter. I can't pick one favorite song - I have too many!
What is your favorite food? My mom's homemade chicken and dumplings with a side pickled beans and corn - don't hate it until you try it! An Appalachian childhood delicacy for sure.
Tell us about your hobbies. My hobbies include working out, going for walks/runs on local trails, trying new coffee shops, reading, painting, crocheting and going to as many concerts as I can. I would say I have an old soul, but I love to have fun!
What is your favorite place you ever visited? My family and I visited Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons a couple years ago - it was my dream vacation, and I hope to go back! My favorite part was seeing all the wildlife including cinnamon black bears, bison, pronghorns, wolves and my favorite - a bull moose - which was also a terrifying yet beautiful animal to stumble into on the trail at Jenny Lake!
What was your dream job as a child? As a child, I somehow stumbled upon the shows North Wood Law and Lone Star Law and the rest was history... From 5th grade to 10th grade, I wanted nothing more than to fulfill my dreams of becoming a game warden. As an adult, I am glad I didn't pursue that path but still watch the shows whenever they are on!

What is your favorite thing about Farm Credit? My favorite thing about Farm Credit is getting to work with individuals who I want to be like. I believe it is very rare to find individuals who are ambitious and dedicated to their work while remaining humble and kind with a deep sense of compassion and care for the agriculture industry and the people in it. This is what intrigued me about Farm Credit and was the driving factor in me seeking an opportunity to return after my internship. This quality easily motivates me every day to work hard not just for the individuals I serve in my role, but for the Knowledge Center team and Farm Credit employees throughout our Association I get the pleasure of working with.