Carol Johnson

Q: Is what you’re doing now what you always pictured you would do?

A: Absolutely! I always had a dream of doing the work I am doing, I just never imagined the scale at which I would be able to serve...

Q: What do you see as the greatest challenges for women in your chosen industry? What are the greatest opportunities?

A: Honestly, the greatest challenges and opportunities are the same in my mind, and that is embracing the ever-evolving changes that occur in agriculture.

Q: Who has inspired you in your life/career?

A: This is a hard question to simply answer—so many people have touched my life and inspire me:

• My parents, Pat and Kathy Bettis, raised me in a loving Christian home on our family farm with strong morals and values.
• My aunt, Linda Griffith, taught me the value of higher education.
• My ag teacher, Rodney Wiedower, encouraged my love for agriculture and my place in the field.
• My husband, Eric, has unconditionally supported my every idea, all the good ones and a few bad ones too!
• My children, Jessica and Evan, motivate me to be the best example I can be.
• My former leadership, Dianne Logan, saw something in me that I didn’t even realize was there when she placed me in a development role.
• My current leadership, Rex Martin, inspires me to be the most efficient and effective person I can be day after day, all the while being myself and allowing me to love my work!
• The people I serve, Alpha Gamma Rho collegiate and alumni members, genuinely believe in me and give me the chance to prove myself and my work every single day, and we make a difference together.

Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring professional?

A: Be your best self and serve others better today than you did yesterday.

Q: What’s been your secret to success?

A: Authenticity—I have learned that being true to who I am is the key to success.