Matthew Rounsley, a Tenino graduate and Thurston County resident, has been appointed as the western region representative on the National FFA Alumni and Supporters Advisory Committee.
Rounsley’s three-year term will officially begin on Jan. 1, 2026, according to a news release.
As western region representative, Rounsley will represent the alumni and supporters of 11 states.
Rounsley currently serves as executive aide to Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier, where his agricultural background and leadership experience support the county’s efforts to serve rural and agricultural communities.
A 2017 graduate from Tenino High School, Rounsley served as a Washington FFA State Officer in 2018 and has volunteered with the state association and local Tenino FFA chapter over the last decade. A volunteer coach for Tenino FFA, he has focused on working with students on public speaking events including prepared public, extemporaneous and creed speaking competitions, the release stated.
The national FFA organization recently announced it has surpassed 1 million student members nationwide, underscoring the continued impact of agricultural education and youth leadership development across the country.
“It is an honor to continue supporting this incredible organization and help grow its impact,” Rounsley said. “FFA has long been a cornerstone of developing leaders to face the challenges of the future.”
The National FFA Alumni and Supporters Advisory Committee is composed of 13 appointed volunteers who provide ideas, feedback and representation for alumni and supporters across the country.
The committee includes four regional representatives, two corporate representatives, three past national officers, and representatives from the American Association for Agricultural Education, the National Association of Agricultural Educators and the National Association of Supervisors of Agricultural Education, according to the release.
Alumni members are committed to three key priorities: supporting FFA students, supporting FFA advisers and telling the FFA story. The professional staff at the national level, led by the national FFA alumni and supporters executive director, work closely with the advisory committee to provide leadership, direction and resources for state, local and non-traditional FFA alumni and supporters organizations.
Learn more about the National FFA Alumni and Supporters, as well as how to get involved, at https://www.ffa.org/alumni-and-supporters/join-alumni/.
