RICHMOND HILL, ONT (March 27, 2025) – On Saturday, March 22, Brad Adams, Shannon Benner, John Drummond, and Kayla Emmerton received their King Charles III Coronation Medals from the Honourable Rob Black, Senator for Ontario. The recipients were honoured at a celebration held at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel in Richmond Hill, Ont.   

The Coronation Medal commemorates the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and recipients are recognized for their significant contributions to Canada and their achievements that bring credit to the country. Brad Adams, Shannon Benner, John Drummond and Kayla Emmerton were recognized for their contributions to 4-H and the agricultural community.

“Leadership is an essential ingredient in organizational success, and the communities served by 4-H Ontario know this more than anyone. The King Charles III Coronation Medal provides us with a rare opportunity to celebrate outstanding leadership and recognize four accomplished leaders who have made a significant contribution to the 4-H movement, and their communities, over the years,” says Hugh Maynard, Interim Chief Executive Officer, 4-H Canada.

Learn more about each of the King Charles III Coronation Medal recipients below.

Brad Adams

Brad has been part of the agriculture industry for his entire career and worked in most areas of the corporate world. His background in marketing, sales, operations, human resources, and finance fit well with the family business he leads with his wife, Heather. Brad currently teaches international business students as part of the Global Business Faculty at Conestoga College and is the principal of Breathe Training & Development.

Brad strongly credits 4-H for developing the skills he uses every day in his role as a business owner and employee. He has held numerous volunteer roles in the community including serving as president of the Canadian 4-H Foundation and a director of the Canadian 4-H Council.

Shannon Benner

Shannon has more than 20 years of experience with youth development organizations including Outward Bound, The Princeton Blairstown Center at Princeton University, and the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. For 10 years Shannon was CEO of 4-H Canada and during that time was instrumental in raising the bar when it came to adapting youth safety standards, inclusion and providing youth a voice through the establishment of Youth Advisory Committee. She was also the inaugural chair of the Global 4-H Network that connected 4-H youth, volunteers and professionals together to build a stronger 4-H program globally.

John Drummond

Throughout his 40-year tenure as a 4-H volunteer, John Drummond has served at almost every level of 4-H including a past board director and president of the Ontario 4-H Council. He has also received the 4-H Ontario Arbor Award and 4-H Canada National 4-H Leader of the Year. John continuously supports the 4-H organization through his involvement with local clubs and facilitating youth participant opportunities at the provincial and national levels. His passion for 4-H goes above and beyond and he always speaks with integrity and encouragement for 4-H in Ontario.

Kayla Emmerton

Throughout her 4-H tenure, Kayla has been a catalyst for raising the voice of youth locally, provincially and nationally. In addition to her 12 plus year tenure with the Peel 4-H Association, she has also been a director for the local agricultural society and Co-Chair of the Youth Volunteer Committee. While enrolled in the Concurrent Education program at Queen’s University, she has been active in the Concurrent Education Student Association (CESA) at Queen’s.

Kayla served as the 4-H Ontario Representative on the 4-H Canada Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) and through this role, also held the position of YAC representative on the Canadian 4-H Council. She was the founder of the 4-H Ontario Youth Voice Committee and as a 2024 4-H Ontario Ambassador, continues to encourage youth to speak up and share their voices.

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About 4-H Ontario

4-H Ontario is a non-profit positive youth development organization that builds youth as leaders within their communities and assets to the world. With roots in rural Ontario, today it is open to youth of all backgrounds across the province. 4-H youth ages 6–21 and screened, engaged volunteer leaders come together to learn about selected topics through fun hands-on activities and mentorship. There are also provincial camps, conferences, competitions and national and international travel opportunities available to further develop skills in leadership, business, self-confidence and more. 4-H provides youth with a place they can be involved, accepted, valued and heard while developing valuable skills for leadership and life.

For more information please contact:

Laura Goulding, Manager, Communications, 4-H Ontario

519.803.5026, communications@4-hontario.ca