Courtney Knupp joined USDA as a senior adviser to the deputy secretary. She is returning after a stint in the first Trump administration where she was chief of staff to the assistant secretary for administration and a senior policy adviser at the Foreign Agricultural Service. She recently was vice president of international market development at the National Pork Board. She has worked at the U.S. Soybean Export Council, National Pork Producers Council, Elanco and BASF.
The American Soybean Association promoted Alexa Combelic to executive director of government affairs to lead the organization’s D.C.-based policy office. Combelic has been with the organization since 2020 overseeing biofuels, transportation and infrastructure issues. Prior to joining ASA, she worked on Capitol Hill focused largely on agriculture.
Natasha Cox was promoted to senior vice president of ag lending at Farm Credit Mid-America. She has been with the lender for 20 years, recently as regional vice president for ag lending.
Stetson Bryson rejoined the staff of Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, as legislative director. He was with the National Pork Producers Council since August and previously was a legislative assistant to Jackson. He will cover appropriations, national security and international affairs.
Michael Harris joined the staff of Senate Ag Committee member Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., as a policy adviser. Harris worked in legislative affairs for the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, and Fish and Wildlife Service. He also previously worked in several offices on Capitol Hill and on the House Appropriations Committee staff.
Danielle Cummins, American Seed Trade Association.The American Seed Trade Association hired Danielle Cummins as director of member engagement. She was an account executive at Aimpoint Research and worked for Farm Credit East and Dairy Farmers of America.
The International Fresh Produce Association promoted Colleen Fagundus to director of floral. She has been with the organization nearly 10 years in sales and membership positions. Prior to joining IFPA, Fagundus worked at Wegmans Food Markets.
Joe Byrnes joined the office of Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, as policy adviser. He was previously legislative liaison at the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
Conisha Hackett Brumfield joined the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center as a policy analyst. She previously worked at USDA as a senior adviser for equity and, most recently, as chief of staff in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., made staff changes in her personal office. Keagan Buchanan was named chief of staff. He was most recently senior counsel at the Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy and previously worked in several roles on Klobuchar's office, including chief counsel. Michael Kikukawa was named deputy communications director and press secretary. He was previously special assistant to President Joe Biden and served as a senior communications adviser for economic messaging.
The Farm Foundation named Sunghun Lim as a 2025 agricultural economics trade and sustainability fellow. Lim is assistant professor of international agribusiness and director of the LSU Global Value Chains Program in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at Louisiana State University.
David Bader joined the office of Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, as press secretary. He was previously communications director for Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo.
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Christopher Purdy, deputy administrator of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crops Program, is acting administrator of the USDA National Organic Program.
The American Peanut Council hired Rana Tarraf as director of international programs responsible for helping to manage the organization’s USDA-funded market development programs. Tarraf previously worked as a regional agricultural marketing adviser for USDA’s Regional Office of Agricultural Affairs in Dubai, UAE.
Exacto hired Malin Westfall as chief commercial officer. He was previously sales director at The Mosaic Co. and previously worked for ADAMA US, BASF and Bayer Crop Science.
Dennis RodenbaughThe Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy elected Dennis Rodenbaugh board chair. He has been president and chief executive officer at Dairy Farmers of America since June 2022. Rodenbaugh succeeds Leprino’s Mike Durkin, who was chair since 2023. Other officers are Brad Anderson of California Dairies as vice chair, Sheryl Meshke of Associated Milk Producers as treasurer, Ron Dunford of Schreiber Foods as secretary, and Heather Anfang of Land O’Lakes and Joe Diglio of Michigan Milk Producers, at-large members.
James Marren has joined the office of House Agriculture Committee member Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan., as a press assistant. He recently graduated from Duke University.
George Everly joined the office of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., as general counsel. Everly was previously chief counsel for the Senate Budget Committee.
The National Pork Producers Council has hired Kelcy Schaunaman as manager of competition, labor and tax in the Washington office. She was a senior policy adviser for USDA’s Farm Service Agency and associate counsel and legislative assistant for the House Agriculture Committee.
Farm Progress promoted Matt Coniglio to vice president of sales. A previous president of the National Agri-Marketing Association, Coniglio was senior director of strategic accounts at the company. Beth Wagner was hired as vice president of business development. She previously worked at Informa Markets where she focused on aviation, agriculture and healthcare.
Josh Mueller of Halstead, Kansas, was appointed vice chair of the Kansas Beef Council. A fourth-generation farmer and rancher, in 2019 he and his wife purchased El Dorado Livestock Auction, where they market nearly 70,000 head of cattle each year. He has been a representative for Superior Livestock Auction for 20 years and serves on the Federation of State Beef Councils.
The National Association of Water Companies hired Ted Stiger as senior director of public affairs. He was chief external affairs and policy officer for the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and previously worked at the National Association of Development Organizations.
Emily Lyons joined ADM as senior counsel of food safety and quality regulatory. She was a partner at Husch Blackwell and previously worked at the International Dairy Foods Association.
R-CALF USA elected Dave Hyde president and Eric Gropper vice president. Hyde and his wife have a cow-calf operation in eastern Ohio. Gropper has a cow-calf operation in Long Valley, S.D. New directors are Ron Volk, Sentinel Butte, N.D., and Thad Montgomery, Wirtz, Va.
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