The International Fresh Produce Association appolinted Jessica Keller as vice president of global industry relations. Filling the newly-created role, Keller is asked to grow member value globally and lead implementation of IFPA’s global portfolio. She was chief operating officer at Food Hall Co. and earlier worked at Whole Foods Market for 16 years.
Shannon Campagna, long-time food and agriculture lobbyist, launched her own firm, Portfolio Strategies. She worked for Mercury Public Affairs for the past year and has experience at Van Scoyoc Associates and Mars Inc., as well as launching Safeway's D.C. offices. Clients coming with her to the firm: Nestle USA, ADM, Kraft-Heinz, Conagra Brands, Kellogg’s and Upfield U.S.
Jackie Applegate has departed from Bayer to lead PBI-Gordon as chief operating officer. Applegate spent a majority of her career at Bayer, most recently working as president of Bayer’s North American Crop Science business.
Jackie Applegate from PBI-GordonThe Consumer Brands Association named Stacy Papadopoulos interim CEO. She succeeds David Chavern who will leave the organization in August to become president and CEO of the American Brands Association. As we reported earlier this month, Chavern succeeds Susan Neely – who once headed the American Beverage Association – as ACLI’s leader. Trey Malone was selected as the Boehlje Chair in Managerial Economics for Agribusiness in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. A Farm Foundation agricultural economics fellow, Malone’s research has focused primarily on entrepreneurship, public policy impacts on the agrifood supply chains and behavioral economics. He has previously worked as an associate professor at the University of Arkansas and an assistant professor and extension economist at Michigan State University. Malone grew up on his family’s ranch in Oklahoma.
Robert Durkin, former acting director for FDA’s Office of Dietary Supplement Programs, will co-lead the Amin Wasserman Gurnani regulatory practice with partner Rend Al-Mondhiry. Durkin worked for more than 12 years at the FDA including serving as acting director and deputy director of the Office of Dietary Supplement Programs (ODSP) in the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).
Patrick Delaney, director of federal affairs at Walmart, began the Food & Society’s Food Leaders Fellowship at the Aspen Institute. The program brings diverse groups together to “find practical solutions to food system challenges and inequities … and identify and nourish the leaders from all realms who will help them do that,” according to the program website.
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Madelyn Derks was promoted to legislative director in the office of House Ag Committee member Mark Alford, R-Mo. The Missouri alumna has been with the office since January 2023 as a senior legislative assistant covering agriculture, food, environment and trade.
Lot Sixteen added Ashley McManus as a vice president focused on energy, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure. Prior to joining the energy-focused lobbying firm, McManus was staff director for the House Natural Resources subcommittee on mining.
Practical Farmers of Iowa hired Anna Pesek Hankins as a digital content coordinator. She raises seasonal-cut flowers and Berkshire hogs in northeast Iowa, and was previously a farmer at large representative on the PFI board of directors.
U.S. Wheat Associates officers, from left, Vince Peterson, president and CEO; Michael Peters, past chairman; Clark Hamilton, chairman; Jim Pellman, vice chairman; Gary Millershaski, secretary-treasurerThe Center for Climate Integrity hired Rebecca Leber as senior investigative researcher. She was senior climate senior reporter at Vox. During a decade as senior reporter, She covered natural gas marketing, climate advocacy and fossil fuels. She is on the board of the Society of Environmental Journalists.
New board officers have been seated for the U.S. Wheat Associates. New farmer directors are Clark Hamilton of Ririe, Idaho, chairman; Jim Pellman of McClusky, North Dakota, vice chairman, and Gary Millershaski of Lakin, Kansas, secretary-treasurer. Michael Peters of Okarche, Oklahoma, transitioned to the past chairman role.
The Solar Energy Industries Association hired Sarah Vilms as vice president of strategic growth initiatives. Vilms was at Squire Patton Boggs for more than 26 years as principal for energy and environment.
Kelsey LaFave was hired as a communications coordinator at Farm Credit East. A Cornell graduate, LaFave interned with Farm Credit East and participated in Agriculture Future of America in college.
Archer Daniels Midland added Monish Patolawala as executive vice president and CFO. Patolawala formerly was CFO at 3M. Patolawala will join ADM Aug. 1.
Evergreen Action hired Tony Sirna as senior buildings policy lead. He has more than a decade of experience in decarbonization and climate lobbying, most recently at Citizens’ Climate Lobby. “The buildings sector is one of the easiest parts of the economy to decarbonize from a technology standpoint, but we’ve got to do it right,” Sirna said in a company news release.
Winrock International tapped Maqsoda Maqsodi as president and CEO effective July 29. She succeeds Rodney Ferguson, who departed in late 2023. Maqsodi currently serves as president and CEO of IntraHealth International of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions has added Morgan Brummund as an advocacy manager. Brummund was government affairs director at American Conservation Coalition Action. She has also been a women leaders in energy and climate fellow with the Atlantic Council.
Scott Baker joined Agricen as director of regulatory affairs. He has worked in regulatory work for more than 30 years covering EPA, OSHA and the Transportation Department. He was recently employed by Innivictis.
Gaku Yoda joined Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as the deputy director general. Based in Tokyo, he will focus on exports of food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries products. He previously worked at Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
James T. Morris, former director of the World Food Programme, has died. He led the WFP from 2002-2007, including guiding the organization through the largest humanitarian operation in history, providing food assistance to some 26 million Iraqis in 2003-2004. “Millions of lives were saved thanks to his dedication and sense of purpose,” said WFP executive director Cindy McCain. His service will be held on Friday in Indianapolis.
Long-time congressional staffer Robert Cashdollar died July 11 at a memory care facility in Kensington, Maryland, after struggling with dementia for several years. He was 78. Cashdollar had been legislative director for the late Rep. Ed Jones, D-Tenn., and staff director for House Agriculture subcommittees chaired by Jones with jurisdiction for dairy policy, credit, crop insurance, rural electrification, futures trading and conservation programs. He also ran a consulting firm and was executive assistant to a Commodity Futures Trading Commission member. Cashdollar staffed the Carter-Mondale farm and ranch campaign in 1980.
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