Photo by Casey Wang.
Caitlin Cox sees connections between FFA and The Walt Disney Company every day.
Cox is a senior representative for nature strategy and integration with The Walt Disney Company, where her team supports nature conservation, restoration and rewilding efforts.
“Conservation and agriculture go hand-in-hand most of the time,” Cox says. “Some of the best conservationists in the world are farmers.”
She also sees parallels in successful community projects with robust youth-led components. Cox knows the value of strong youth organizations from her roles as former New Hampshire FFA state president and secretary and national FFA officer candidate.
Before moving to Florida and starting her full-time career, Caitlin Cox served as a New Hampshire FFA state officer and ran for a national FFA office.
A Granite State native, Cox says her FFA experiences were formative. She says consistently working with people who didn’t share her passions or background helped her become a more well-rounded person. “I also learned what it meant to be a servant leader,” she adds.
An Unexpected Path
Cox’s FFA experiences also led her to the University of New Hampshire, where she initially pursued an agricultural education degree.
“I began to realize it was informal education settings where I really thrived, so I shifted to agriscience communications,” she says. “That was a great move for me.”
As a student, Cox was crushed when she didn’t get a dream internship. A coworker suggested she look at Disney internships because of her brother’s fantastic experience.
“I didn’t realize it then, but what I’d done was successfully network with this coworker by sharing my aspirations with her,” Cox says. “She connected me with an opportunity I wouldn’t have otherwise known about.”
Cox’s internship in conservation education at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park started her career path with the multinational entertainment conglomerate. From that initial internship, she learned the power of networking and how to quickly convey a compelling message.
“There’s so much to see and do at Walt Disney World Resort,” Cox says. “You have to be fast and impactful if you want folks to think the animal you’re talking about is as cool as the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride.”
Every day, she uses skills that began in FFA — everything from working with a team toward a deadline to budget management and extemporaneous speaking.
“Thanks to dairy cattle judging, I’m also confident in my ability to make quick evaluations on a group of data points, then efficiently present my reasoning to decision-makers,” Cox says.
Overall, what Cox loves most about both Disney and FFA is the strong tie to legacy and tradition.
“It’s exciting to see organizations with long heritages race into the future and evolve without abandoning their roots,” she says.
Accomplished Alums
In addition to agriculture, FFA alums are making strides in the areas of business, entertainment, the military, sports and other sectors. Learn more about these prominent former members and what they’ve accomplished in their chosen career fields.
