Clint Nesbitt has joined Genus PLC as the global director of regulatory and external affairs. Nesbitt previously was the senior director of science and regulatory affairs for food and agriculture at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Nesbitt also worked for nine years at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, where he was a supervisory biotechnologist when he left in 2014.
Annemarie Pender
Annemarie Pender has been hired by the National Pork Producers Council as the new assistant vice president for marketing and communications, based in NPPC’s D.C. office. Pender most recently was vice president of communications for Autos Drive America. She also spent 10 years at the Association for Global Automakers as the director of communications.
Carolyn Payne has joined AgriSompo North America as senior vice president and general counsel. Payne has worked the last three years at FCS Financial, most recently as the chief risk officer. Before FCS Financial, Payne worked for Compeer Financial as the assistant general counsel.
Christina Dineen is the new chemist and study director with IR-4’s regulatory sciences team. The IR-4 Project was established in 1963 by the Department of Agriculture to help specialty crop farmers have legal access to crop protection products. It is headquartered at North Carolina State University. Dineen previously was a research and development chemist at National Foam.
The Nutrition Coalition has named Jennifer Friedlin as the organization’s new president. Friedlin previously was the communications director for ExpandED Schools, a non-profit organization that supports and advocates for New York City’s publicly funded afterschool system. She succeeds Nina Teicholz, who is the founder of The Nutrition Coalition and has led the organization for the last five years. Teicholz will continue as a member of the board.
The World Food Prize Foundation has added Jon Wogman to its staff as the new senior program manager, global youth programs and partnerships. Most recently, Wogman worked independently as a program specialist and professional development coach, where he supported anti-hunger campaigns focused on racial equity and provided career coaching to young professionals working for nonprofits. He was also the chief program officer of the Food Recovery Network and held numerous positions at the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington, D.C.
Jennifer Friedlin
Maddy McGarry has started a new job with BarnTools as the senior content manager. McGarry previously was a deputy press secretary to Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.
Kainan Miranda has been promoted to legislative assistant in the office of Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii. Miranda handles the portfolio for animal issues, appropriations, environmental protection, public lands and natural resources, transportation and public works. Miranda previously was a legislative correspondent.
Bryson Wong left Capitol Hill and joined the Idaho National Laboratory as the director of federal government affairs. Wong was a legislative assistant to Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and also was a professional staff member to Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., on the House Natural Resources Committee’s Water, Power, and Oceans Subcommittee.
Dylan Leazes has been elevated to legislative director from legislative assistant for Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa. Leazes covers the portfolio for commerce, energy, environmental protection, labor and employment, public lands and natural resources, small business, transportation and public works.
Madison Van Every now serves as the legislative director to Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. Van Every covers the portfolio for agriculture and food, animal issues, immigration and appropriations. She was previously a legislative assistant in Mace’s office.
Jane Meyer has been promoted to communications director for Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Meyer previously was the deputy communications director.
Harry Child has been elevated to deputy press secretary for Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. He previously was a press assistant to Tester.
Michelle Howard has joined Barchart as the new director of business development and strategy for the firm's agribusiness solutions. Howard brings over seven years of experience in the agricultural industry to the role, most recently serving as the international business growth adviser of agriculture at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. She also previously worked for Cultura Technologies as their director of marketing.
Sebastian Belle
The National Aquaculture Association has elected Sebastian Belle as the new president of the board of directors. Belle currently serves as the executive director of the Maine Aquaculture Association. Belle has worked in the aquaculture industry since 1984, helping to establish best practices and advise commercial aquaculture ventures around the world. Before joining MAA, Belle served as the state aquaculture coordinator at the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
President Joe Biden has selected Lowell Junkins of Montrose, Iowa, to chair the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp. (Farmer Mac) board of directors. Junkins, who is a presidentially appointed board member, has served on Farmer Mac’s board since 1996. He previously served as board chair from 2010 to 2019 and had been vice chair since January 2020. LaJuana Wilcher of Bowling Green, Kentucky, who has served as chair of Farmer Mac’s board since January 2020, has been elected by the board to serve as vice chair.
SNAC International has named its 2022-23 officer team. Mike Harper, chief financial officer and vice president of finance at Rudolph Foods, has been named chairman. Other officers include: Greg Pearson, chief executive officer of Pretzels, Inc. and The Hershey Co., as vice chair; Justin Spannuth, vice president and chief operating officer of Unique Snacks, as second vice chair; Leanne Oliver, general counsel for PepsiCo Foods North America, as general counsel; Fritz Kohmann, chief financial officer of Shearer’s Foods, as past chair; Dan Sifer, senior vice president of supply chain and contract manufacturing for Herr Foods, as past chair; and Lisa Stern, senior vice president of sales and marketing for LifeSpice, as associate executive council president. In addition, the new board directors are: Mike Cantore, vice president of sales, Carolina Ingredients; Joan Cetera, vice president of communications, PepsiCo Foods North America; Mark Costello, vice president of sales and marketing, Better Made Snacks; Spencer Fivelson, vice president and general manager of snacks, Conagra Brands; Clifton Hilario, COO and CFO, Hippeas; Cindy Kuester, vice president of sales, Snak King; Dan Morgan, CEO, G&S Foods; Milton Mattus, CEO, Wise Snacks; and Ryo Tsutsumi, CEO, Calbee America.
Christine Cochran has officially taken over responsibilities as president and CEO of SNAC International, effective April 1. Cochran was named the successor to Elizabeth Avery, who announced last October she would retire this Spring. Cochran was also elected as an ex-officio member of the SNAC board, in accordance with the organization’s by-laws.
Agri-Pulse added a new “team” member on April 4, 2022. Jonathan Dean Lutz arrived Monday night at a healthy 8 lbs., 5 oz. He and his mother, Danielle, are doing well, along with his two older sisters who are almost 4 and 2, respectively. His father is our Sales and Marketing Manager, Jason Lutz, and also, our oldest son. We could not be happier that our family-owned business continues to grow.
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