Riley Pagett: National FFA President 2010–11
Oklahoma · No. 84 of 100 · National FFA President 2010–11
At a Glance
- Office: National FFA President, 2010–11 (No. 84 of 100)
- Home state: Oklahoma, from Woodward
- College: Oklahoma State University, agricultural communications
- Later work: Staff work for U.S. Senator James Lankford; government relations for the National FFA Organization until April 2019
Riley Pagett grew up on his family’s farm in Woodward, in northwestern Oklahoma, and was elected National FFA President in October 2010 as an agricultural communications junior at Oklahoma State University. He was the eighth Oklahoman in the roll of national presidents and, before Trey Myers in 2025, the most recent.
Woodward and Oklahoma State
Pagett has said that joining FFA was a rite of passage for a young person growing up in western Oklahoma. He was elected a state FFA officer during his senior year of high school, and, as Oklahoma state officers serve during their freshman year of college, he began at OSU in that role. In his sophomore year he ran for state president and lost. Oklahoma chose him as its national officer candidate for two years in a row. His first campaign failed and his second succeeded. He has credited OSU for training him, and says family, the university’s agricultural legacy and FFA were the three reasons he chose Stillwater.
The National Presidency, 2010–11
He was elected at the 83rd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, where Oklahoma Farm Bureau radio had followed his campaign. OSU’s news office reported on November 5, 2010, that he had captured “the most prestigious honor” among Oklahoma State students honored at the convention. He presented his retiring address at the 2011 convention, which is included in its proceedings. Oklahoma Farm Bureau noted that he would return to Oklahoma after completing his one-year term.
Work in Washington
After graduating from Oklahoma State, Pagett went to work for Oklahoma Senator James Lankford. OSU’s 2020 alumni magazine says that, seven or eight months into that job, National FFA asked him to lead its government relations portfolio. In that role, which he held until April 2019, he and his team worked on the reauthorization of the Perkins federal career and technical education legislation and on revising National FFA’s federal charter.
Why His Story Matters
Pagett’s story is a compact example of how a national officer year can lead into public policy. The same skills used on the road, including meeting legislators, telling the FFA story and speaking to decision makers, became the daily work of a government relations professional.
Sources
- Oklahoma State University: Former national FFA president from OSU is now making an impact in Washington (2020)
- Oklahoma State University: OSU students honored by National FFA (2010)
- Oklahoma Farm Bureau: He’s National FFA President
- Oklahoma Farm Report: Trey Myers elected president (notes Oklahoma’s ninth)
- National FFA Convention proceedings (retiring address of Riley Pagett)