Tamara Whitcomb has gone from showing market hogs as a Washington FFA member to leading the state organization.

Whitcomb took over as the new executive director of the Washington FFA Association on Nov. 15.

Whitcomb has been heavily involved in agricultural education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural education at Washington State University, and was an ag education teacher and FFA advisor for 21 years, at Willapa Valley High School in Menlo, Wash., and Mount Baker High School in Deming, Wash.

In June 2022 Whitcomb became agricultural education program supervisor at the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, advising the FFA association. She has served on several national committees to develop opportunities for FFA members.

She replaces Andy Zahl, who joined in October 2023 and departed in the summer of 2024. Zahl declined to comment.

Whitcomb said she wants to add stability for the organization.

“We’ve gone through some changeover over the last five years,” she told the Capital Press. “I really saw a need to make sure anything we have in place continues to grow, especially regarding our leadership opportunities for students, but also making sure we identify future needs for our FFA members and advisors.”

Community service

Whitcomb grew up on a 34-acre farm in Yacolt, Wash., in the Battle Ground School District. The family had pasture and timberland, and raised cattle and hogs. She began raising market hogs upon joining FFA in high school.

Her favorite thing about FFA was community service. As a Battle Ground FFA officer, her teacher let her coordinate and plan community service events. One of her favorites was Ag in the Classroom, teaching elementary school students about agriculture.

“That sparked my interest in teaching, actually,” she said.

Today, her favorite thing about FFA is the way it helps students develop career interests and think about ways they can give back to their communities.

“Identifying needs they have as students and then working together as a team to do some really great work in their community,” she said is one of her goals.

She encourages FFA members to take advantage of the opportunities available to them, and explore the things they enjoy in both agriculture and life.

“The more you take advantage of opportunities to grow, the more you can find connections for a career in the future, or how you can support agriculture when you get out into the real world,” she said.

She also encourages members of the broader agriculture community to give back.

“Feel free to give your time freely to help judge a contest at the local level, or to support an FFA booster club or alumni in the area, or even an opportunity to help fund-raise for a local FFA chapter,” she said. “Find ways to connect back to a local FFA chapter if you can, and support everyone along the way.”