NATIONAL GRANGE STAFF
Christine E. Hamp
National Grange President
Christine E. Hamp, President
Christine E. (Chris) Hamp, a fourth-generation Granger, was raised on a dairy farm homesteaded in the 1880s by her great-grandfather in Monroe, Washington. Chris joined Tualco Junior Grange #341 at the age of 5 and then Tualco Grange #284. Today, Chris serves as Secretary at Five Mile Prairie Grange #905 in Spokane County, where she is an affiliate member. In 2023, Chris was elected President of the National Grange, having previously served as National Vice President from 2021-23, as National Lecturer from 2016-21, National Lady Assistant Steward from 2013-16, and National Pomona from 2011-13.
Earlier in her life, Chris was named the Washington State Outstanding Junior Granger in 1981, the Washington State Outstanding Young Granger in 1986, National Youth Ambassador in 1986, and President of the National Youth Officer Team in 1996. Chris also served as the Washington State Grange Lady Assistant Steward from 1990-95 and as a Washington State Grange Special Deputy from 1999-2011.
Chris served as a member of the National Grange’s Strategic Planning Task Force initiated in 1999 and led the most recent review of the National Grange mission statement as well as the development and revision of the Washington State Grange mission statement. Currently, Chris is the chair of the National Convention Advisory Work Group tasked with identifying how to make our national convention the most important Grange event of the year.
Chris retired in early 2023 as a chief officer in the fire service after more than 30 years in state and local government.
Currently, Chris is proud to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, a position she has held since 2022.
Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington; a Master of Public Administration degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC; and an associate degree of technical arts in Fire Command Administration from Edmonds Community College in Edmonds, Washington.
Chris and her husband Duane, a past President of the Washington State Grange, live outside Spokane, Washington.
Philip Vonada
Communications Director
Philip Vonada, Communications Director
Philip Vonada is a lifelong Granger living in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He is a lifetime member of Penns Valley Grange #158 (Centre County) and President of Eagle Grange #1 (Lycoming County). He is a local Junior Grange leader and is also active at the county level. In October 2024, he was elected Vice President of the Pennsylvania State Grange.
Philip has previously been a National Grange Communication Fellow, Youth Officer, and Trimble Legislative Experience participant. He recently “retired” from the role of Pennsylvania State Junior Grange Director.
Philip holds a B.S. in Speech Communication from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. from Villanova University. He has a broad background in fundraising and nonprofit management, as well as in community activism and cultivating creative connections.
In his spare time, Philip enjoys hiking, traveling, photography, honing his skills in the kitchen, and performing in and directing community theatre productions.
Amanda Brozana
Membership Leadership Development Director
Amanda Brozana, Membership Leadership Development Director
Amanda Brozana is the Director of Membership and Leadership Development at the National Grange. She came to the National Grange in March 2011, and has worked as Communications Director and assisted in the legislative role during a staff vacancy in 2014. In addition, she has provided service to Grange Foundation as a Development Associate since 2016.
She holds degrees from Wilkes University (B.A. Communication Studies) and the University of Mississippi (M.A. Journalism) and has completed doctoral coursework at the University of Alabama in Communications. She is currently pursuing her Ed.D. from the University of Mississippi focusing on learning and leadership.
Amanda is Lecturer of Potomac Grange #1 in Washington, D.C., and a member of Whelan-Ewartsville Grange in Pullman, Washington. She also served from 2015-16 as National Lecturer and has been a member of several other Granges including Secretary of Jefferson Grange #1384, PA, which she helped to reorganize in southern Schuylkill County in 2021. She remains an associate member of that Grange.
Amanda previously worked as Development Manager and Director of Communications for the Army Distaff Foundation/Knollwood in Washington, D.C. and as a reporter and copy editor for the Pottsville Republican-Herald in Pennsylvania, in addition to several other publications. She taught journalism, public relations, speech communications and American studies at Bridgewater State College (now University), Stillman College and the University of Alabama.
Amanda is from Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, where she still owns her family home. She now claims residence in the West, splitting time between Pullman, Washington, and Anaconda
Stephanie Wilkins
Information Technology Director
Stephanie Wilkins, Information Technology Director
Stephanie Wilkins is the IT Director for the National Grange. Her responsibilities include website management, phone and network services, and membership/officer database management. A native of Washington, D.C, Wilkins received her certification in website management from EEI Communications in 2002. In her spare time, Wilkins enjoys spending quality time with her husband, family, and friends. Wilkins is a member of Potomac Grange No. 1.
Burton Eller
Legislative Director and
Executive Director of Grange Advocacy
Burton Eller, Legislative Director and Executive Director of Grange Advocacy
Burton Eller is a strategic counselor to the agricultural community, where he has represented private, corporate and trade association groups in their legislative and regulatory initiatives and advocacy efforts. He has a career-long involvement in the development of grassroots advocacy.
Taking a long view of US agricultural policy, Mr. Eller has a deep passion for protecting the grassroots landowner and producer. From his personal history as an owner of a family farm to his tenure serving as the Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Mr. Eller has been a staunch champion of the agricultural community’s right to operate in a free market climate. He believes that when private business entrepreneurs are allowed to thrive in a deregulated environment, they will be outstanding examples in their stewardship of natural resources such as land, water, air and the proper care of animals.
Known among his colleagues as a coalition and consensus builder, Mr. Eller is expert at coalescing disparate factions in the food, agriculture and natural resource sectors around legislative and regulatory issues of mutual benefit. He manages issues and crises by developing options, strategies and solutions for offensive and defensive campaigns. He frames legislative and regulatory positions that maximize opportunities for businesses to operate in a free market economy.Chief among Burton’s priorities is protecting rural America from government overregulation. Examples of this include safeguarding private property rights, ensuring open channels for entrepreneurship, and relieving the burden of estate taxes which endanger the future of family-owned land, farms and small businesses. His successes include twice raising the estate tax exemption level; securing legislation requiring imported meat inspection equivalency to US standards; establishing the Beef Check-Off for research, marketing and promotion of beef products; and facilitating the acceptance of electronic grading of beef which standardized the industry across all markets.
Mr. Eller has a distinguished career in the trade association, lobbying and government sectors. His most recent positions include: Managing Partner, Burton Eller Associates; Senior Vice President for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (2008 – 2011); Deputy Under Secretary for the US Department of Agriculture (2006 – 2008); Director at the Farm Service Agency (2003 – 2006); President and CEO at the Textile Rental Services Association of America (1999 – 2003); Senior Government Relations Counsel at McLeod, Watkinson & Miller (1996 – 1999); and Executive Vice President at the National Cattlemen’s Association (1991 – 1996.) Mr. Eller holds a Masters in Physiology and a Bachelors in Animal Science from Virginia Tech.
Loretta Washington
Sales/Member Benefits Director
Loretta Washington, Sales/Member Benefits Director
Loretta Washington is an advocacy specialist with more 20 years of experience in building coalitions of community leaders on a broad spectrum of issues ranging from agriculture, transportation, healthcare and defense to education and youth initiatives.
Prior to joining National Grange, Washington served as Development Specialist at A2W, and Bonner & Associates. She worked closely on all aspects of the firm’s advocacy initiatives including recruiting, coordinating individual and organizational supporters, supervising call banks, staging events and organizing fly-ins for clients.
Washington was an Agriculture Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Agent for the USDA/Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and a Vocational Agricultural Teacher.
A farm girl from central Virginia, Washington graduated from Virginia Tech. She is included in the 2010 Who’s Who and has received numerous awards including Fauquier County Friend of 4-H Award, Virginia Outstanding Extension Agent Working with Adult 4-H Volunteers Leaders and Outstanding Young Women of America.