Region Directors
Region I | Brenda Kocher
Brenda Kocher of Galion, Ohio is the ANCW Regional 1 Director. Brenda grew up on her family’s dairy farm and was active in 4-H and FFA, raising and showing dairy cattle. Following high school, she graduated from nursing school and has worked as a geriatrics and private duty nurse for the past 40 years. Continuing her farming roots , Brenda volunteered as a 4-H advisor for 28 years, serving as head advisor of her club for many years. She has served on the county 4-H Advisory Board and Ohio State University Extension County Advisory Board.
As an active Farm Bureau member Brenda has served in various positions including County President, Treasurer, and Safety Coordinator, has been a delegate for State Policy Committee and served on State Policy and cattle committees. She also planned leadership-training programs while serving on the Farm Bureau State Young Farmer Committee. And she has been an active church member her entire life.
Brenda and husband Mike own MKB Farms LTD, a farming operation which raises 2500 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay and feeds 800 head of fat cattle. Their son, Nick, works full-time on the farm. They have two married children and five grandchildren who live nearby and help on the farm.
Brenda Kocher is an active CattleWomen member at the county and state level, having planned and worked on events teaching consumers about beef. She has worked at the Cattlemen’s lunch trailer at the Crawford County Fair, Ohio Farm Science Review lunch tent and Ohio State Fair CattleWomen booth. She has been a Master of Beef Advocate for five years and is Beef QA certified. She is currently starting her second year as Ohio CattleWomen Vice President. In June 2022 she was the Chairperson for the CattleWomen and Region 1 summer meeting held at the Certified Angus Beef Facility in Wooster, Ohio. Brenda is an active American National CattleWomen member serving on the membership committee for the past two years.
Spending time with family and friends, camping, traveling, making wine and playing cards are enjoyable for Brenda in free time.
Region II | Beth Barber Jones - Bio and Photo coming soon
Region III | Debbie Chute
Debbie Chute lives in Central Minnesota near the small town of Aitkin, amongst the lakes, rivers and forests that make our part of the state a busy tourist destination. She is lifelong Minnesotan and other than her time spent attending vocational school, Debbie has lived in Aitkin County her entire life. Debbie and her husband John own a cow-calf farm. They have three grown children living in three different states. They raise their cattle from pasture to plate direct marketing farm fresh beef to customers, some of whom have been returning for over 30 years. They are in their 40th year of selling farm fresh beef.
Debbie has been involved with Minnesota CattleWomen for over 20 years serving as Membership Chair, Secretary, Vice President, President-Elect, on numerous committees, and just completed a two-year term as Minnesota’s President. She has attended ANCW Region meetings, ANCW Annual Meetings, NCBA Legislative Conference and a National Beef Cook-Off event hosted in South Dakota.
Debbie is a graduate of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program (MARL), a leadership development program for active and engaged adult agricultural and rural leaders in Minnesota. Debbie serves on the MARL Alumni Committee. She currently is a board member for their county farm bureau federation serving as Secretary/Treasurer. Debbie has a full-time off farm job at our rural electric cooperative as their Executive Assistant.
Debbie has wanted to be more involved with American National CattleWomen for years. She is looking forward to meeting and getting to know everyone at Region III and ANCW events.
Region IV | Ddee Haynes
Ddee Haynes grew up in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma with a background in horses, hay and cattle. She received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with a business option from Oklahoma State University. Ddee is a Technical sales Rep for Multimin USA covering western Oklahoma and western Kansas. Ddee resides in Hydro, a small dot on the map in western Oklahoma. Ddee’s family includes: husband Mitchell, daughters Melissa, Hattie, son-in-law Reno, grandson Owen and granddaughter Kodi Belle.
Ddee believes a girl can never have too many horses or too many boots and life is to short not to laugh till you snort!
Ddee’s motto: Do what you say, and say what you mean.
Region V | Katherine Bruce 
I am a fifth-generation rancher and a proud mother of three children, Bryndon (age 20), Madeline (14), and Garrett (10). I am honored to have served as Klamath County CattleWomen President (2013-2104), Area Vice President for the Oregon CattleWomen and President 2015-2016, and on ANCW committees including past Membership Chair. In addition to my home and cattlewomen responsibilities, I currently represent Oregon beef producers on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board. In 2017 I was presented with the Oregon
CattleWomen of the Year award and in 2019, was honored with the ANCW CattleWomen of the Year award. I see ranch women as a driving force behind ranching families and believe that as CattleWomen, we should work together to promote the beef industry and our way of life. When not volunteering my time for the beef industry, herding kids or cows, I manage my family's cattle ranch and work as a Soil Conservationist for NRCS. Through my career, I assist farmers and ranchers with conservation projects, research water rights and develop cattle, grazing and long-term management plans. I have my Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and Ranch Management from Oregon State University and a Master of Science degree in Agriculture from Washington State University. Born in Yuma, Arizona, I graduated from Yuma High School, home of the Criminals. Growing up, we spent the school year in Yuma and summers at the Gerber Ranch in Bonanza, Oregon riding the range with my family moving cows through the Gerber Block. I am a strong advocate for the preservation of family ranches through succession planning, enabling ranch legacies to be passed from one generation to the next. Raising children on horseback teaches them to appreciate the results of a hard day’s work as well as their natural surroundings. There is little that can replace the lessons learned from growing your own food and pulling a breeched calf in order to make ends meet. Ranch kids know that food does not come from the store. I am an avid advocate, gardener, irrigator, and full-time mom who enjoys fishing, camping, hiking and traveling. I look forward to brandings and cattle drives with my kids where as a mom, I can provide them tools they’ll need to be tomorrow’s beef producers.
Region VI | Callie Martinez
Callie is the fourth generation who grew up in a cattle ranch in Gerber which has been in business for over 70 years. She is a proud mother of Ainsley (1 ½ years old)
Callie had worked at the Turkovich Family Wines in Winters, California as a Tasting Room Associate. It was great to be involved with a local family operation who is passionate about the wine industry and to increase the involvement with other sectors of Agriculture. In 2009, she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Agricultural Business from Chico State. Callie discovered her love for Agricultural and Ag Education during the summers she worked at the California State Fair. Callie was responsible for overseeing the Ag Education programs at the California State Fair. Callie is a member of Yolo County Farm Bureau. She is married to Joe Martinez, and has been of assistance to him with various farmers wife duties! Callie looks forward to continuing to assist ANCW and CCW with expanding their educational horizons and going beyond their comfort zones. In her free time; Callie enjoys cooking, traveling, spending time with friends and family.
Region VII | Shirley Thompson 
Shirley grew up on a diversified beef and farming operation north of Sioux Falls, SD. She attended South Dakota State University and graduated with a degree in Animal Science. Shirley started a career in animal health with Pfizer now Zoetis in 2004 as part of the beef sales team. She lives near Mitchell, South Dakota with her husband, David, and their four children.
