2008 CattleWoman of the Year
Staci Truelson

This year the San Luis Obispo County CattleWomen’s Association is very proud to honor Staci Truelson as their CattleWoman of the Year. The award will be presented to Staci, at 6:45p.m.at Cattlemen and Farmers’ Day, Thursday, July 24, at the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles. The awards ceremony, beginning at 6:45p.m., will include the presentation of the awards for Cattleman, CattleWoman and Agriculturalist of the Year.

Staci joined CattleWomen in 1992 and has been very active ever since. She has been involved with all aspects of the organization including helping with beef promotion, education, fundraising, and attending the State CattleWomen's Conventions. She has held the office of Secretary for the past two years.

Staci, a sixth generation Californian, was born in 1968 in Santa Maria, CA. At the time, her parents, Jim and Justine Dunn were living in Santa Maria and planting a lemon orchard in Nipomo. By the time her brother Jim Jr. was born, the family was living on the lemon orchard, steps from Justine’s childhood home, on the same property where three of her aunts and uncles still live. During their childhood, the Dunn family began to lease some nearby land and raise a small cow-calf herd. The operation was expanded to include a lease of US Forest Service land near Pozo, where the family ran their stockers. Staci and Jim Jr. were introduced to the ranching way of life, and the lessons stuck. The family eventually moved to Morro Bay when their dreams of owning their own ranch were realized in 1977. Jim, Justine, and Jim Jr. still live on the working ranch and Staci is still an active part of the operation.

Staci attended St. Patrick’s Grammar School in Arroyo Grande until the family moved to Morro Bay for her 6 th grade year. That year, she attended Morro Elementary, followed by Los Osos Junior High School. Staci graduated from Morro Bay High School in 1986. After high school, Staci attended Cal Poly State University, and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science in 1990. After Cal Poly, Staci went to Fort Collins Colorado for graduate school. While in Fort Collins, she returned home for the summer of 1991 to marry her husband, Erik Truelson, whom she had known since their days at Morro Bay High School. After the wedding, they returned to Colorado, and Staci received her Master of Science Degree in Animal Science in 1992. Following graduation, Erik and Staci returned home to the Central Coast.

Staci was always interested in Agriculture Education, and worked as the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Education Committee staff for three years. During that time, Erik and Staci welcomed their first son, Tanner, in 1996. When he was three, they decided it was time for Staci to be with him full time, and five years later their daughter Tyler was born in 2001.

Since coming back from Colorado, Staci has been a very active part of the San Luis Obispo County CattleWomen, and has chaired the Beef Lead committee, the Agriculture Education Committee, and the Casino Night committee. She has also served as Historian and Newsletter Editor. She was a Director from 1998 to 2006, and took over the role of Secretary in 2007. She is also a member of the San Luis Obispo County CowBelle Trailriders, where she currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer. For the past two years, she has been attending CattleWomen meetings at the State level and has enjoyed getting a different perspective of our industry. She has been active in many other aspects of the organization, but her favorite projects involve kids and beef education. She was a presenter at the Fourth Grade Field Trips for thirteen years, and has been involved in the San Luis Obispo County Agriculture Education Committee’s Great AgVenture since it began in 2003, as well as many school Agriculture Days over the years.

Besides CattleWomen, Staci is active in many aspects of the community in San Luis Obispo. She has been a 4-H Beef Leader and is a volunteer at Old Mission School, where her kids will be in first and sixth grades in the fall. She has coached soccer, basketball, and indoor soccer over the years. She is an active member of the Los Padres Soccer Referee’s Association where she serves as Secretary, and is currently serving as Regional Commissioner of American Youth Soccer Organization Region 599 in San Luis Obispo.