GALT, Calif. — The California Association, FFA, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jill Sperling as the new State Supervisor of Agricultural Education and California State FFA Advisor. Her selection was made by the California Department of Education, taking effect on May 1, 2025, following the retirement of Charles Parker. She becomes the first woman to serve in this role in the organization’s nearly 100-year history.
A respected agricultural educator and mentor, Sperling brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and leadership to the position, having earned multiple local and state awards for her excellence in teaching and service. Prior to this position, she served as the Central Region FFA Advisor for 10 years, supporting 86 agricultural education programs spanning from Sacramento to Merced counties. Before joining the state leadership team, Sperling spent 14 years as an agriscience educator and FFA advisor at Kingsburg High School.
“I am immensely proud to be the first female State Supervisor of Agriculture Education and State FFA Advisor in California,” Sperling shared. “I have deep roots in agriculture education and grew up seeing the meaningful impacts that agriculture teachers make on the lives of their students through the three-circle model of agriculture education. I have been honored to serve the teachers and FFA members of the Central Region for the past ten years and am looking forward to working with my colleagues to provide leadership to the 108,000+ FFA members and over 1,100 agriculture teachers throughout our great state in the years to come.”
As State FFA Advisor, Sperling will help lead the strategic vision of the California Association, FFA, supporting more than 108,000 members across 366 chapters. She will work in close partnership with California’s regional advisors to ensure local programs meet the diverse needs of students, while also collaborating with the California FFA Foundation, California Agricultural Teachers’ Association, and the California Department of Education to support the organization’s growing and evolving programs.
Stepping into this distinguished role marks both a personal and professional achievement for Sperling. A
native of Sacramento County and a proud American FFA Degree recipient, she follows in the footsteps of her father, Bob Heuvel, who served in this same position for nearly 30 years. Her husband, Dustin, is also a former FFA member, and their children, Auston and Avery, are former and current members of their local FFA program.
About California FFA: The California FFA Association serves more than 108,000 students and strives to make a difference in their lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.
