National 4-H Council Welcomes Top Industry and Youth Leaders to its Board of Trustees

New Trustees will support 4-H's mission to increase opportunities for America's young people

CHEVY CHASE, MD (January 18, 2023) - National 4-H Council has announced the election of three new leaders to its Board of Trustees; Dana McNabb, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, General Mills, John Ordus, Executive Vice President, Chief Stores Officer, Tractor Supply Company, and Priya Kumar, 4-H Young Alumni Advisory Committee (YAAC) Representative to the Board of Trustees and Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

McNabb, Ordus, and Kumar will support National 4-H Council's mission to increase investment and participation in the nation's largest youth development organization. "As enthusiastic advocates for positive youth development, we are thrilled to welcome Dana, John and Priya to our Board of Trustees," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4 H Council. "Their leadership will be invaluable as we support and grow Cooperative Extension's 4-H program to create opportunities for all young people," said Sirangelo.  

 "As an alumna, I'm beyond excited to support 4-H's commitment to growing the next generation of diverse leaders," said Dana McNabb, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, General Mills. "Growing up on a farm, I saw first-hand the impact and importance of hands-on learning. 4-H helped me build my confidence and gain valuable skills and friendships that have shaped the leader I am today. I'm honored to join National 4-H Council's Board of Trustees to help provide talented 4-H-ers opportunities to meet their full potential." 

"It's a great honor to join the Board and build on Tractor Supply's longstanding partnership with National 4-H Council and thousands of local 4-H chapters," said John Ordus, Executive Vice President, Chief Stores Officer, Tractor Supply Company. "I look forward to contributing to the meaningful and transformative work 4-H does in our communities to support youth as they grow to be the leaders of tomorrow."  

"I am very grateful for the opportunity to join and learn from the Board of Trustees to contribute to the future of 4-H," said Priya Kumar, 4-H Young Alumni Advisory Committee (YAAC) Representative to the Board of Trustees and Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

"Growing up, 4-H sparked my passion for STEM by allowing me to experiment with various approaches to project development and leadership. I hope more youth can flourish through the pursuit of their interests."   

Dana McNabb - Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, General Mills 

Dana McNabb is Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at General Mills, with global accountability for the company's strategic approach to long-term growth.  

McNabb assumed her current role in July 2021, after serving as Group President of the company's Europe & Australia Segment. Previously, she was President of the U.S. Cereal Operating Unit, which includes brands like Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Chex, Lucky Charms and Wheaties. McNabb has extensive global experience, and her work has spanned the company's major businesses, including Snacks, Meals and Dairy, in addition to Cereal.  

McNabb is a graduate of the University of Ottawa, completed her MBA at the London School of Business and is a proud 4-H alum. 

John Ordus - Executive Vice President, Chief Stores Officer, Tractor Supply Company 

John Ordus has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Stores Officer of Tractor Supply Company since February 2020 and is a member of the Company's Executive Committee. In this role, he oversees Store Operations, Customer Solutions, Loss Prevention, Store Administration, Real Estate and Construction.   

With over two decades of experience in Farm and Ranch retail, John joined Tractor Supply as a Store Manager in 2002 and held various leadership roles spanning from District Manager to Regional Director from 2003 to 2009, before becoming the Vice President of Store Operations of the Southwest region from 2009 to 2015. Beginning in 2015, John served as the Senior Vice President, Store Operations and was named a member of the Company's Executive Committee in June 2019.  

Prior to joining Tractor Supply, John was a Store Manager at Quality Farm & Fleet from 1998 to 2002. He attended Central Michigan University. 

Priya Kumar - Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Priya Kumar is a bioengineering student working towards a dual degree in computer science + chemistry and a minor in business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is constantly in search of new and challenging opportunities as she works toward her goal of combining medicine, engineering, and entrepreneurship. She is Vice-President and Co-Founder of chronic kidney disease prescreening startup, ProteCKD. Through the University of Chicago CNVC program, she is also co-founding a medical device start-up. In 2022, she began the implementation of a STEM camp and research study in India. After graduation, she plans to attend medical or graduate school. 

Kumar grew up in an Indian-Japanese household in Washington State. In 2012, she became involved in 4-H. As a youth, she was heavily involved in an underwater robotics club and the statewide Know Your Government Conference. Now, as a Young Alumni Leader of the WA State 4-H Teen Equity and Inclusion Task Force, Kumar is passionate about engaging youth in STEM and diversity, equity, and inclusion projects. She is the 2023 Young Alumni Advisory Committee representative to the National 4-H Council's Board of Trustees. 

ABOUT 4-H 

4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. 4-H programs empower six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs. 

Learn more about 4-H at 4-H.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.