Gina Cerrentano is currently completing an agricultural communications degree at Iowa State University while working full-time at KICD Radio (Spencer, Iowa) as the Assistant Farm Director. She expects to graduate in May 2019. She is new to farm broadcasting, but she has prior experience in both radio and public relations, having interned with OsbornBarr in 2018. Growing up in a northwest suburb an hour outside of Chicago, Cerrentano doesn’t have much experience in agriculture, but as she ventured off to college, she found a passion and interest to learn more.
“I hope to act as an advocate for the agriculture industry through modern and diverse means of communication, and I am committed to engaging new audiences on the importance of agriculture, rural communities, and farm-rooted values.” Since starting at KICD Radio, she said, “I’ve felt so welcomed and have adjusted so well. I’m excited to continue to tell the stories of the agricultural communities in the area and act as an advocate for agriculture.” Cerrantano added, “In college I had fallen in love with the industry and wanted to become an advocate and tell the story of ‘real agriculture,’ not the narrative that the mainstream media tells. Coming from a Chicago suburb, I grew up believing one thing about the industry; but as I surrounded myself with people actively working in the industry, the more I came to learn that what I used to believe was wrong. I opened myself up to learn the real story and now as I tell it, I want others to open themselves, as well. The importance of agriculture in our daily lives, whether you’ve grown up in the industry or not, is large, and people should become more eager to learn about this integral part of our lives.”
