Speaker Profile: Jennifer Elwell

Jennifer Elwell, executive director of the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom and CEO of Farm Scholar, LLC, was the featured speaker at the March 4, 2022 Louisville Agriculture Club meeting.

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Jennifer Dickey Elwell, grew up in Louisville, KY, on her parents small horse boarding and training farm. Her parents, Jesse and Debbie Dickey, had a dream, and slowly grew their farm to house more than 30 horses and provide riding instruction to hundreds of clients.

Jennifer became an active member in the 4-H Horse Program in Jefferson County for several years. While she did not anticipate to work in agriculture or the horse industry, the connection she made with the UK Cooperative Extension Service, laid a stepping stone in her path. It turned out that agriculture provided her a perfect marriage of her scientific learning and creative interests.

While at the University of Kentucky, Jennifer studied Animal Sciences and Agricultural Communications. The timing of her studies presented her with skills that few communications professionals possessed at the time, building web sites and digital media. While her first job out of college was with the Courier Journal’s internet media department, she soon landed the role of Communications Director for the Kentucky Corn Growers Association in 1998.

In 2014, following her graduation from the Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program, Jennifer took on a new role of leading the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom through her strategic communications and association management firm, Farm Scholar, LLC. She has established several programs to serve the needs of both the education and agriculture communities, developed a robust library of agricultural literacy lessons and resources, and has grown impact to reach about 250,000 students annually.

Jennifer now resides in Bullitt County with her husband Eric Elwell (electrical engineer for Eaton Corporation) and her two children. Her daughter Eden is an artist and writer, and assists her mom with Farm Scholar projects while she attends the University of Louisville.

Learn more about the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom (TeachKYAg) at www.teachkyag.org.