BIO
Katie Ogden-Bennett
Howdy!
My name is Katie and I am a full-time employee, mom, and entrepreneur. Yes, my life is crazy busy however I feel life is an adventure that I need to experience and not let it pass me by. I recently graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Science and a minor in Agribusiness Entrepreneurship. I have two daughters. We enjoy spending time outdoors and hanging out with family and friends. Most weekends we can be found anywhere but home.
My goal is to open my own alpaca farm to the public where I provide educational tours in addition to producing an amazing fiber product. I am even contemplating having some cabins for rent and promoting agritourism. I currently own six alpacas, with one confirmed pregnancy due about April 2024. My youngest daughter participates in FFA and has worked this year on raising a show lamb. She is also involved in the youth alpaca performance classes with our 3+ year-old Medium Brown Huacaya male, Red Barron. She enjoys taking part in the obstacle course, public relations course and showmanship class but her favorite is the costume contest. I would like to get more youth involved and participating in these events. There are even opportunities to compete at the San Antonio Fair and Rodeo, Houston Fair and Rodeo, and the State Fair of Texas!
Beyond my current activities, I love to volunteer and am part of several service organizations. I am a member of the Johnson County Master Gardeners which assists community members with gardening advice and county beautification projects. I also work in the insurance industry and am active in several industry associations to advance education and community service. I have been a board member of Metroplex Insurance Professionals since 2016 and am currently taking a small break from the board after serving as the President Elect for 2022-2023. I am an active member of the Alpaca Owners' Association and sit on the Youth Committee. I also am a member of TXOLAN and Alpacas of Oklahoma and volunteer my time to assisting with educational programs and shows.
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I have almost 30 years of full-time work experience starting from my receptionist entry level position up to my current Account Manager role. During that time, I have started four separate businesses and had success with three of them. While none of the businesses were in the same industry, I did attempt companies in textile dyeing, retail, project management, and insurance. I have worked in agriculture, primarily livestock operations though also some crop production, in different magnitudes for more than 35 years.