Kaila (Wussow) Tauchen, Cecil, Wis., has been named Assistant Director of Communications for the recently restructured Communications Department of the American Jersey Cattle Association.
Tauchen grew up on her family’s operation Milk N’More Farms and was involved in numerous Jersey youth activities. She was the 2017 National Jersey Youth Achievement winner and a past winner of the Pot O’Gold and National Jersey Youth Production Contests. She also was a member of the National Jersey Queen Court in 2017 and attended Jersey Youth Academy the same year. She is a December 2018 graduate of University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a Bachelor of Science in both Dairy Science and Agriculture Marketing Communications and a minor in agriculture business.
Kaila brings a wealth of Jersey knowledge and passion to the Communications team. In her role she will work with the Director of Communications to create communications materials, assist in maintaining the company websites, produce the annual report, coordinate the Green Book, help with the national Jersey youth development programs, as well as help develop trade show displays for USJersey. Her experience includes technical writing, video production, and advertisement design through her various internships at Alta Genetics, East Central/Select Sires and Accelerated Genetics.
Tauchen’s hire is part of an overall growth and restructuring within the Communications department. Kim Billman, with USJersey for 25 years, has been named Director of Communications and will oversee all publications and activities of the department, including youth programs and the All American activities.
Michele Ackerman, a 16-year member of the team, has been named Website Coordinator and Editorial Editor. In her role, she will work with the director of communications and the full team to design, create and maintain the USJersey organization websites, beginning with the Jersey Journal site to be released in June. She will continue to utilize her writing and editing talents while working with the Editor to create feature articles and website content.
Tracie Hoying, a staff member of 14 years is the new Managing Editor of Jersey Journal. In this role she will take on more of the daily management of the magazine while continuing to build the advertising program. She will assume responsibilities of creating the monthly editorial planner, directing staff in designing advertising, work with the Editor and Editorial Editor to plan the feature stories for each month in the print and online magazine.
Jaclyn Krymowski, Communications Specialist has been with Jersey Journal since last June. She will continue to develop our social media platforms for the USJersey organizations, as well as provide content for the website and printed magazine. Jaclyn also helps with advertisement design and coordinates the USJersey press releases.
Hannah Meller, Administrative Assistant for Jersey Marketing Service (JMS) and Jersey Journal, joined the team in July 2018. Her responsibilities with the Communication Department have been expanded to also include Subscription Manager for the online and print magazine. In addition to producing JMS catalogs, Hannah also works with the JMS social media platforms and helps with designing advertising for the magazine and JMS sales.
The American Jersey Cattle Association, organized in 1868, compiles and maintains animal identification and performance data on Jersey cattle and provides services that support genetic improvement and greater profitability through increasing the value of and demand for Registered Jersey™ cattle and genetics.
“It is an exciting time for the USJersey organizations,” says AJCA executive secretary and CEO Neal Smith. “We are pleased to announce these changes in the Communications Department to help serve our customers and team members more efficiently.”
For more information on the association’s complete line of services for dairy business owners, visit the website or connect on Facebook.