With a keen eye for visual storytelling and a strong foundation in production agriculture, Kelsey Vejraska has been transforming the way agricultural stories are told. As the audio visual specialist for the American Hereford Association (AHA), Kelsey has helped usher in a new era of creative marketing—all while staying actively involved in her family’s long-storied Angus operation, Sunny Okanogan Angus Ranch in north central Washington.
“I’ve always known I wanted to be a part of the industry that raised me and find ways to add value,” Kelsey told WLJ.
Though she was firm in her passions for livestock and ag communications, she wasn’t sure yet how that would develop into a career as she headed to college at Oklahoma State University.
“I hadn’t really even used a camera prior to college,” she said. “So, I left my options wide open and tried a bunch of different things.”
It wasn’t until an internship with the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) that Kelsey discovered her niche: video storytelling and branding.
“That was a really pivotal internship in my journey thus far,” Kelsey said.
Serving as the OYE communications intern for four years gave Kelsey insight into the inner workings of a show, building on her own experience growing up showing livestock and serving on the National Junior Angus Association Board of Directors.
“I’ve seen what a junior livestock program has done for me as an individual, and I’ve seen what it’s done for my sisters and other kids in my state,” she said. “So being able to help tell stories that no one else from a surface level gets to see was really special.”
The role of a storyteller
Now three years into her role at AHA in Kansas City, Kelsey helps the association maintain its messaging and branding through videography and photography. In addition, she has taken over the marketing efforts for her family’s operation in the last year.
Kelsey’s schedule is anything but routine and is often filled with quick trips for event coverage. She attends nearly every major Hereford event, capturing interviews, photos and videos. She’s also begun taking on larger projects on the family ranch, like producing the annual bull sale catalog for the first time.
Looking back, her choice to focus on videography and branding was only natural, Kelsey said. Telling stories has always come easily to her as the storyteller of the family. “The different ways that you can capture visuals in video is so special,” she said. “You can really tell a story through motion that you can’t see through images.”
Kelsey noted that the value of video lies in its ability to connect directly with an audience. She compared the livestock industry and marketing to the entertainment industry, specifically books, films and movies.
“When I was little, I would read the book, and Mom would take me to go see the movie,” she recalled. “I’d think the movie was so different and not how I projected it into my head.”
She continued, “That’s really why I think video has become so popular—because you’re making that connection with the narrative right there, and your consumer is able to see that. There’s no guessing.”
One of Kelsey’s favorite parts of the job is meeting and talking with members of the industry. “I love to chit chat and pick their brains and learn about their operations,” she said. “Those are really my favorite days.”
A meaningful moment for Kelsey was creating a Hall of Fame video for Doug Gerber of Gerber Land & Cattle, which was shown at the 2024 AHA annual meeting. Afterward, he sent her a heartful note thanking her, which has stuck with her. “I still have that note, and I look at it almost every day,” she said. “It’s really special to me. I’ve got a wall of thank you notes from since I’ve started that I look at often, and I’m just very grateful for the opportunity.”
The future of digital
As audiences continue to shift how they consume media, the digital world keeps evolving—a trend Kelsey believes is here to stay. While she doesn’t think print media will ever die, Kelsey emphasized the importance of reaching people across multiple platforms.
One standout project she recalled started as a visit to a commercial ranch in the Northwest and evolved into a multi-layered feature centered on the Hereford brand. The AHA team captured interviews, videos and photography, which Kelsey used to produce a six-minute feature video. The story was then widely shared through every available touchpoint as a written article, a video and through a series of social media posts.
“That piece was really the cornerstone project that we’ve done from start to finish that has come together,” she said. “I think we’ve proven it works, and I’m excited to keep making it happen for Team Hereford.”
Building a brand
The first step in developing a brand is often the hardest, Kelsey said. “Being able to do a lot of reflection—knowing your history, knowing your direction, and getting everyone aligned on a mission statement and a vision—is what I think is the hardest part of defining a brand,” she said.
But once that foundation is set, everything else beings to fall into place. “From there, if everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goal, your brand is going to develop itself.”
Still, Kelsey emphasized that a company’s brand goes beyond logos, colors or messaging. “It’s also how you treat people on sale day or when they show up to the feed yard,” Kelsey said. “What’s really going to help build your brand the most is human interaction and word of mouth.” The personal touches still matter. “Even if we are living in a very digital world, those kinds of things aren’t going to die,” she said.
That same mindset of authentic branding shapes the advice Kelsey offers to those curious about finding their own path in ag communications. She strongly encourages trying everything at least once.
“I hate writing,” she admitted with a laugh, “but J.D. Rosman forced me to write when I was doing my internship, and I’m a better person for it.”
Her advice for approaching storytelling is simple but meaningful: “Be where your feet are. Make sure you’re really there in the moment and telling the entire story for anyone who’s not there and has never seen what you’re talking about.” — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
