Who in the world is the CFAES Alumni Society Board?

Brutus Sandiego

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society Board represents the voice of all alumni of the college. The board serves as a resource for all relations between college alumni and The Ohio State University Alumni Association and has representatives from every academic department, every region of Ohio, from out of state, and from the last three graduating classes. The group meets quarterly in addition to holding events throughout the year.

Get to know a few of our board members each month.

John Kellis, Southwest Ohio Representative and Board Vice President 

John Kellis76 BS Natural Resources Development 

Q: Tell us a bit about what you do when you're not volunteering with the board.

A: Since retirement I have worked part-time as a grazing management specialist, developing conservation plans for livestock producers across southern Ohio working for the Ohio Department of Agricuture. I serve as finance chair of the Highland County Historical Society and the Hillsboro Design Review Board. Carolyn and I enjoy gardening and landscaping at our home in Hillsboro, Ohio.

Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the CFAES Alumni Society Board? 

A: I have enjoyed getting to know current staff and alumni at the college. After many years of being away from the college, I feel the opportunity to give back and share my years of experiences working with boards of directors and nonprofit organizations with the society and its board of directors here. Go Bucks!

Andy Vance, Central Ohio Representative 

Andy Vance’11 BSAGR Agricultural Communications

Q: Tell us a bit about what you do when you’re not volunteering with the board.

A: Mostly I’m your average family man and Buckeye sports nut. Away from my “day job” at Farm Progress, I cover Ohio State’s wrestling team for Eleven Warriors and FloWrestling, so I spend a good bit of time following the team and the sport. I recently joined Columbus Rotary to get better connected and involved in supporting our local community since my work life is all pretty much away from central Ohio. In addition to serving on the CFAES Alumni Board, I serve on the Board of Directors for the Friends of Bexley Public Library because libraries are magical places.

Q: What is your favorite thing about being on the CFAES Alumni Society Board? 

A: I really love the connection back to the college and university. In my former life as a radio broadcaster, I was almost continuously engaged with some aspect of the Ohio State community, from supporting individual classes or student groups to serving as emcee of Ag Fallfest and the 4-H Celebration of Youth. Now a decade out of my broadcasting career, it feels great to have an active venue to “pay it forward” again!

To get to know more about the CFAES Alumni Society Board of Directors, and to apply to be a board member using our rolling application, click here.