The ATL Events CEO was selected as the 2026 Friend of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau for her unwavering support
By Jennifer Corriea
With farmers representing only two percent of the U.S. population and roughly the same in California, to continue providing the state, nation and the world with a variety of high quality, affordable food and other products, organizations such as the Farm Bureau need friends and allies to make it stronger and more effective in promoting a unified front committed to securing a sustainable agricultural future.
In order to do so, the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, a contingent of nearly 2,500 strong, welcomes associate members from a variety of backgrounds and businesses who take an interest in the local agricultural community.
Those who join from outside the industry play a vital role in the successes of the SCFB as Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli outlined, “Our associate members are vital to the Sonoma County Farm Bureau because they bridge the gap between our agricultural heritage and the broader community. Their support amplifies our advocacy voice, funds crucial educational programs like Ag Days and strengthens the community coalitions needed to protect local family farms.”
Thus, in recognition of its associate members, the SCFB annually presents its Friend of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau Award at the annual Love of the Land celebration that this year will be held on July 9 at the Pavilion at Richard’s Grove, La Crema Estates and Saralee’s Vineyard and will honor the 2026 recipient of the award, Sylvia Parkinson.
A platinum member since 2017, Parkinson has become an essential part of the SCFB network, playing a critical role in the success of its events, as Ghirardelli pointed out, “Sylvia goes above and beyond to support our fundraising efforts by procuring donations and attending all of our events where she partakes in the fundraising efforts.”
As the owner and operator of ATL Events, a one-stop shop for lighting, sound, staging, audio-visual needs and drapery, Parkinson is one of those who, at first glance, isn’t the prototypical Farm Bureau member, given her rural roots and compassion for others, it all makes perfect sense.
“I grew up on a farm in Penngrove because I was adopted”, said Parkinson, who someday plans to write a book she will entitle Adopted in Wine Country. “My experience has instilled empathy in me and a desire to give back.”
In addition to those qualities, Parkinson also recognizes the valuable lessons learned from growing up in rural Sonoma County and having to care for livestock as well as the overwhelming sense of contentment that derives from it.
“My parents instilled responsibility in us through our chores, which included feeding the cows and the chickens. We couldn’t go and play until that was done,” recalled Parkinson. “We slept in the barn with the animals, and it wasn’t until later that I realized how therapeutic it all was. There is a real joy in watching chicks hatch. It was peaceful and I appreciate what I had as a kid. It was a different world back then, and even though I moved away from it as an adult, I would like to have those times back.”
Despite not being involved in 4-H or FFA, her background solidified in her a belief that people have a responsibility to know where their food comes from, and as a result, she supports farmers’ markets, buying local meat, eggs, and produce in addition to purchasing animals at the Sonoma County Fair Junior Livestock Auction.
“You don’t have to have a farm to appreciate what is grown there. People sometimes don’t understand that, but for me, clean food and clean eating are very important.”
A kindred spirit with farmers and ranchers, Parkinson shares many of the same challenges, the long hours, dependency on weather, and the necessity of continually having to adapt to ever-changing circumstances.
Just as farmers and ranchers feed and care for the land with the ultimate goal of providing for the community, Parkinson and her business, albeit in a different sector, are nonetheless meeting people’s needs as well.
Another similarity she shares with many fellow Farm Bureau members is that her business, which she took the reins of in 2023, is a multigenerational one, started by her father, Russ Mitchell, in 1982 with the help of her grandfather, Don Okeson.
Parkinson, one of just a handful of women operating AV companies on the West Coast, admits to just diving in and trying to figure out when she first joined the company, saying that it was basically a “sink or swim” situation. Although it has obviously paid off, given that the company is now in its fourth decade of existence and still going strong.
Still, she also recognizes the network of current and former employees who have helped her along the way, contributing to the magic she creates at the various events in which she is involved.
“I have a very satisfying job and 98 percent of the time I am smiling at the end of the day,” she said. “Gratification is not immediate, but when I hear the results, it makes me happy. I’ve created something that benefits others and have helped make people’s dreams come true.”
Over the years, Parkinson has done just that for the Farm Bureau and others, providing not only the light and sound, but also becoming ingrained in the fabric of those organizations.
When asked whether others ever wonder why she has chosen to provide continuous support for agricultural matters, she responded by saying, “Sometimes I do wonder about my connection because honestly, Farm Bureau wasn’t even on my radar until my friend Ronda Eisenhauer nudged me toward it. But the money going to kids involved in ag is very important, and it’s all about helping the community. I am very proud to be a part of helping it raise over one million dollars. I just wish more businesses were involved.”
The significance of Parkinson’s contributions to the SCFB and other agricultural causes was certainly not lost on the Farm Bureau’s Board as Director Joe Pozzi explained, “Sylvia has been a stalwart supporter of the Farm Bureau and Sonoma County agriculture for many years through not only her business but also as an amazing proponent for our community. She understands the importance of agriculture in the county and is always there, ready to step up to be an advocate for all of us. I always appreciate the enthusiasm she brings to events she is working on with the Farm Bureau and feel she is the ideal candidate for the Friend of the Farm Bureau Award.”
Parkinson says that she will always support the SCFB and the agricultural community, but when she eventually does step away from her business, she hopes to return to her childhood home in Penngrove and live the pastoral lifestyle reminiscent of the way she grew up.
“When I dream at night, it’s about having a self-sustaining farm where my friends and I live happily and free.”
In the meantime, however, perhaps the best way to describe what Parkinson means to the Sonoma County Farm Bureau is through an old Irish adage that asserts “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.”
Those interested in attending the celebration honoring Parkinson and other “Stewards of Land” can purchase tickets online at https://sonomafb.org/love-of-the-land or by calling the SCFB office at (707)544-5575.
