State Ambassadors
Apply for the 2025-26 State Ambassador team!
See the Resource Center for the requirements, what you'll do, and timeline for selecting next year's State Ambassador team.
4-H State Ambassadors are youth who have excelled in the areas of leadership and service learning. The 4-H State Ambassador position is one of the highest service opportunities and recognition attainable in the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program. The program has been active since 1940. Learn more about the State Ambassador Program history.
State Ambassadors have expanded opportunities in the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program to promote leadership through education and service. See State Ambassador Role Description.
Current State Ambassadors
2023-24 California 4-H State Ambassadors
Laurelyn Rosser, Orange County; Benjamin Salters, San Joaquin County; Ashley Arana, Los Angeles County; Malia Sheaffer, Santa Clara County; Sanjana Badami, Alameda County; Tejas Billa, Santa Clara County; and Michaela Beckman, Orange County.
Each year the State Ambassadors select a platform to promote and focus on throughout their term.
2023-24 State Ambassador Platform
By practicing the Three R’s of Resilience -Relax, Restore, and Reflect- we can develop resilience. With resilience, we can thrive in a changing world. Resilience is key to overcoming adversity, adapting to change, and managing stress. Setbacks are inevitable. Resilience helps us bounce back.
The State Ambassador team becomes better leaders during their term. They make an action plan to engage in the six leadership skills, or competencies: Advise, Advocate, Mentor, Plan, Promote and Teach.
State Ambassdor Leadership Team
The California 4-H State Ambassador program includes support from adult volunteers and former State Ambassadors. They guide our young leaders to take on the higher leadership responsibilities of representing the California 4-H program statewide and nationally.
State Ambassador II
State Ambassador teams are supported by their advisors, mentors, and when lucky, 2nd year State Ambassadors, who are State Ambassadors who are staying on the team for a 2nd year to support and guide the new team.
State Ambassador Advisors
- Rhiannon (Ray) Willingham, San Diego
- Mia Castro, Sonoma
Our Advisors are adult volunteers who work in a youth-adult partnership with the State Ambassadors to develop their educational platform and workshops. They help the State Ambassadors develop vital skills in facilitation, communication and goal setting so they can experience a successful State Ambassador term.
State Ambassador Mentor
- Sara Tibbetts, El Dorado
Our Mentors are former State Ambassadors that assist the current State Ambassadors to work together as a team as they plan workshops and presentations.
California 4-H State Ambassador Coordinator, Jenna Colburn
Jenna Colburn is the main contact for the California 4-H State Ambassador program. She oversees the development of the team throughout the year and manages the travel, communications and schedules for State Ambassador programming.
Many of the State Ambassadors who have served with Jenna continue to be involved in 4-H as volunteers at the state and national levels:
- Program Assistants at the State Leadership Conference in California
- Program Assistants at national conferences: Citizenship Washington Focus, Leadership Washington Focus
- Youth Leadership Team & Roundtable Facilitators for the National 4-H Conference