Board Spotlight: Emily Bautista-Herdt

With Gratitude: Celebrating Emily Bautista‑Herdt’s Service to WAEF

As Emily Bautista‑Herdt completes her term on the Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) Board of Directors, we are thrilled to celebrate her service, leadership, and lasting impact.

Emily’s connection to WAEF is rooted in personal experience. As an adult student returning to college, she benefited from agricultural scholarships that helped make higher education possible. When she later learned about WAEF and its mission, she immediately understood both the need and the responsibility to give back to an industry and community that had supported her own journey.

During her time with WAEF as a volunteer and then member of the board of directors, Emily brought deep empathy and commitment. One of the experiences that stayed with her most was serving as a scholarship reviewer, reading students’ essays and learning about their perseverance. Many of those stories described being the first in their families to navigate high school and college, learning English in new schools, supporting their families at a young age, and still striving for more than they once believed possible. For Emily, those moments reinforced both the depth and the importance of WAEF’s work.

Emily shared that what pleased her most about serving on the board were the caliber of people involved, their dedication to the industry, their belief in students, and the seriousness with which they approached stewardship. That collective commitment made her proud to serve and deepened her confidence in WAEF’s mission.

She also emphasized something people outside the organization don’t always see: WAEF’s support doesn’t end with scholarships. The foundation walks alongside students from the beginning of their college journey through graduation and even into career exploration, offering resources, encouragement, and sometimes simply reassurance when it’s needed most.

Although Emily’s current term on the board is closing, her connection to WAEF is far from ending. She remains deeply committed to volunteering, serving on scholarship committees, mentoring students when her schedule allows, and continuing to share WAEF’s story.

We are grateful for Emily’s service, leadership, and heart. Her years of involvement have helped strengthen WAEF and the students and families we serve for the better.

Thank you, Emily!