Are you seeking a special rub for that summer barbeque, perhaps something All-American? Then look no further than Josh Ryan, a nearly 11-year-old 4-H’er who just finished fifth grade and is a budding entrepreneur. A Plymouth resident and member of the Recipe Rebels 4-H Club, Josh started his own spice mix business that even has a Facebook page, Smoky Delights

Josh first started selling his spice mixes at the April 2024 South Shore Children’s Business Fair in Hanover. “He wanted to participate in an activity, and he always loved to cook,” explained his father, Matt.

Josh also sold spices at the 2026 Plymouth Public Schools fifth grade business fair, an event to encourage entrepreneurship among youth, following in the footsteps of his two older brothers. “This event encourages kids to go out and run their business,” explained Matt. His cooking skills were recognized when he won the inaugural 2025 East Middleboro 4-H Fair Chili Cook-Off. At the fair, Josh also manned his own booth to sell his spice mixes.

Specific spice mixes include the All-American Barbecue, his favorite blend, containing paprika, garlic, pepper, salt, onion powder, and brown sugar. Other mixes run the gamut from a spicy Carolina ember to a tangy garlic citrus herb mix.

Creating the spice mixes is a process of trial and error for Josh. “I mix, and I figure out what would be good with what I have so far,” he said. He provides a “heat scale” for his customers to discern spice level and sells jerky as well

Nutritional information is printed on the Smoky Delights website for customers to research ingredient, nutritional, and allergen information. The website also enables Josh to post recipes and cooking demonstrations, especially for customers he meets at live events who have further interest.

Josh’s passion for cooking has also led to a cookbook, From the Holler to the Harbor, that can be ordered on Amazon. The Ryan family supports their budding entrepreneur with website development and content development, leaving the core business and cooking to Josh.

Josh hopes to continue expanding his business with more creative products and recipes. “I hope to come up with more recipes and help families come up with a good dinner,” he said. “I like that I can help people enjoy good flavor quickly.”

 

Susan (Suzie) Barrows of Upton has been named one of the two first-place winners of $1,125 for the 2025 Kent Lage Leadership Award. A 2025 graduate of Nipmuc Regional High School, Suzie is currently attending Cornell University.

In October 2024, Suzie was named a National 4-H Council Youth in Action finalist, one of only 16 youth nationwide to hold this honor. She also attended National 4-H Congress as a member of the design team in 2023, where she helped plan the event and served as a master of ceremonies.

A 4-H participant since she was five, Suzie has served as President of her 4-H club, the Upton Hoofbeats. She has shown goats and sheep throughout her time in 4-H. Suzie participated in the Eastern National 4-H Round Up multiple times, and her Communications team was named champion in 2023. Suzie also was named as an inaugural member of the Massachusetts Agricultural Youth Council in 2024.

Outside of 4-H, Suzie has participated in the Nipmuc High School Student Council and is a member of the National Honor Society. She plays the flute and piccolo in her school’s wind ensemble and pep band. She also is a member of the Nipmuc Drama Guild and directed a play her senior year.

Miru Kunst of West Boylston was named one of the two first-place winners for the 2025 Kent Lage Leadership Award, earning a $1,125 scholarship. A 2025 graduate of Norfolk County Agricultural High School (NCAHS), Miru is attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall, majoring in Industrial Engineering.

After participating in 4-H for 10 years, Miru was honored this year with the Key Award, which recognizes 4-H members for their outstanding personal development and overall achievement gained through 4-H participation.  After attending the Ignite Summit in 2023, Miru was instrumental in helping to organize a Day of Ag-Cess that introduced projects to combat food insecurity. She served as a county captain and created promotional materials for this day of community service. In 2024, Miru was named as an inaugural member of the Massachusetts Agricultural Youth Council, which was created by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to develop the next generation of leaders in agriculture.

Throughout her time in 4-H, Miru earned awards for everything from crafts and sewing to showing her goats at county fairs and The Big E. She also served as a 4-H Ambassador, sharing her communication skills as the media coordinator for the group.

Miru has been very active in school and community activities. She is currently secretary of the class council at NCAHS and leads school open houses as a Student Ambassador. Miru played basketball all through high school. She also pursued leadership roles in other youth development organizations. Miru served as President of the Norfolk County Chapter of FFA and was the first female in West Boylston to achieve the Eagle Scout rank from Scouting America.

 

 

Derek Costa, Trustee

Derek is a dedicated educational leader with over 25 years of progressive experience in supervision, strategic planning, and operational management. Since 2022, he has served as Superintendent and Director of Bristol County Agricultural High School, where he leads district operations, policy implementation, and financial oversight to support the school’s mission of excellence in agricultural education.

A proud alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Derek holds a Master’s in Education Administration and a Bachelor’s in Psychology. His passion for experiential learning and youth development is deeply rooted in his longstanding support of 4-H. He believes strongly in the values of hands-on learning, leadership, and community engagement that 4-H fosters, and he continues to champion programs that empower young people to grow as skilled, confident, and responsible citizens.

 

Stacey Gallaway, Trustee

Stacey is the Founder and Managing Director of Gallaway Consulting Group, a WBE-certified social impact firm working nationally to accelerate leadership capacity in the nonprofit sector. For 20+ years she has joyfully supported organizations across social, civic, and environmental focus areas to more effectively reach their missions, tell their stories, and engage their stakeholders. Stacey grew up in rural Iowa on the oldest Hereford cattle farm west of the Mississippi and is a proud 4-H alum. The practical leadership skills developed through the 4-H program, along with the support and encouragement received from her club and community, informs her energized commitment to growing the reach and impact of the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation today. Stacey graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and holds a MPS in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute.

 

Mateo Rull Garza, Trustee

Mateo joins the Board of Trustees having completed a term as Corporator including serving on the Nominating Committee as the Corporators’ representative. Mateo Rull Garza was raised in Mexico but immigrated to Massachusetts in 2016. He graduated from UMass Lowell in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and attended the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst for a master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences degree. As part of his Agricultural Extension research, Mateo worked with dozens of fruit growers across New England to develop sustainable pest management practices. In May 2023, Mateo co-founded the first chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) in New England, an organization he led as President until December 2024. Mateo also serves on the Extension Board of Public Overseers and is a former Fellow of the National Association of States Department of Agriculture. Mateo’s involvement with 4-H began with the Urban Extension program at UMass Amherst. Having met dozens of urban youth who benefit from 4-H, Mateo is excited to advocate on their behalf as a 4-H Foundation Trustee. Currently, Mateo works to advance urban agriculture and nutrition programs in the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, where he serves as the Constituent Advocate of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

 

Terry G. Taylor, DVM, Trustee

Dr. Terry Taylor returns to the Board of Trustees having served two terms as a Corporator, following previously served as Vice President of the Board of Trustees for three terms until 2019.  Terry currently serves on the Club Grants Committee. Professionally, she graduated from Tufts Veterinary School, prior to which she received a Master’s degree in Public Health and worked as an epidemiologist.  She currently works as a Veterinary Diagnostic Pathologist with Antech Diagnostics.

Terry is also the proud parent of a 4-H alum.  Her involvement with 4-H began when her six-year- old son Tucker joined the Sunny Rock 4-H Rabbit club.  From there he moved on to the Goat club, and Terry was a group leader during that time.  It was also at this time she joined the Foundation.  She still has goats today!

 

Michael Williams, Trustee

With a career spanning nearly 37 years, Michael has been a stalwart in the technology sector, providing support to a diverse range of businesses, from small firms to large enterprise clients. His 14-year tenure at an independent school in Brookline was marked by the implementation of a pioneering technology program. This initiative transformed the educational landscape by fostering a ‘learn anywhere, teach anywhere’ environment.

The impact of this program was profound, not only altering the delivery of education but also empowering students and teachers to steer their own personal development. The design of this program was inspired by Michael’s years of experience in nurturing the personal growth of his colleagues and clients.

Now, Michael is thrilled to explore new opportunities within the 4H program after serving a term as Corporator and is eager to build upon his past achievements. He is enthusiastic about initiating new programs and outreach efforts to further the objectives of the 4H youth program. His vision is to enable and empower youth, shaping the leaders of tomorrow.  He currently serves as the Chair of the Foundation’s IT/Network Committee.

 

Jeanne Tippett, Corporator

Jeanne joins the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation Corporators with more than three decades of involvement with Massachusetts 4-H in a variety of roles including with the Hampden County 4-H Fair where she is the Recording Secretary, the 4-H All Stars, the K-9 Wizards 4-H Dog Club, and the Camp Howe Goshen Board of Directors.  Jeanne currently works in the Education Department at Elms College in Chicopee, MA, where she resides.