NIAA Selects Fourth Leadership Class

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Sixteen leaders have been selected for the 4th Cohort of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders Program


The fourth class participating in the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s (NIAA) Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders has been selected and will convene for their first session in Washington, D.C. in March 2025.

The Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders furthers NIAA’s mission to foster collaboration throughout the industry. NIAA established the leadership program in 2021 to provide an opportunity for animal agriculture leaders to gain next-level leadership and professional development training. What makes the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders unique is that its curriculum and experience is co-designed by the leadership cohort and is specifically designed for the animal agriculture segment of the industry.

The Fourth Cohort is comprised of 16 leaders spanning the agricultural sectors and contributing to animal agriculture’s role in today’s food system. NIAA welcomes:

  • Melissa Davis, Where Food Comes From
  • Amber DeWitt, Fulcrum Global Capital
  • Alexandra Eckhoff, New Mexico Livestock Board
  • Miguel Gonzalez, USAID, USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service
  • Haley Grimes, American Humane
  • Meggan Hain, CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley
  • Ben Hopkins, DSM-Firmenich
  • Nicki Humphrey, California Department of Food and Agriculture
  • Darrin Karcher, Purdue University
  • Hollie Kremer, Cooper Farms
  • Sarah Metzler, Cattleman’s Beef Board, Beef Checkoff
  • Claire Mulligan, ABS Global
  • Elena Myhre, International Poultry Welfare Alliance/US-Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs
  • Brittany Shonka-Martin, ABS Global
  • Ryan Sorensen, United Producers, Inc.
  • Charlotte Talbott, Rabobank

The 16-month program receives support from Farm Credit and was created by NIAA to empower professionals in the early to midpart of their careers to build on previous leadership development experiences and collaborate with peers across the industry. The cohort attends five in-person meetings with additional monthly virtual working sessions to focus on four areas of development: critical thinking, leadership development, connecting and relating skills, and operational excellence. Leaders are also tasked with a group capstone project presented to NIAA’s board to complete their leadership training.

“It is refreshing to see professionals from very diverse backgrounds, with different roles, from varying geographical areas come together to problem solve, discuss, and work together for the betterment of animal agriculture as a whole,” said Jessie Wadle, NIAA manager of education and the supervisor of the leadership program. “This program is a true testament to the idea that we are so much better and can affect positive change when we come together. The participants in the program are making connections and friends that they can call on for advice and collaboration for the rest of their lives.”

NIAA is excited to welcome these new leaders to the leadership program and to the organization. To learn more about the program, it’s sponsors and how to participate in the next cohort, visit https://www.animalagriculture.org/leadership-program/. Email Jessie Wadle at Jessie.Wadle@animalagriculture.org if you are interested in participating or nominating for a future cohort.

 

Cohort 3 Leaders Tour Denver Agriculture Institutions

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NIAA’s Lameness Across Species Roundtable Will Address Health Problems Faced in Animal Agriculture

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Animal health experts from all food-animal species will collectively confront lameness issues in animal agriculture prior to IPPE in Atlanta, GA.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture will host animal agriculture leaders will discuss the current state of research and treatment for lameness across food animal species before the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia, January 27-28. Registration for the Roundtable will include a complementary code to attend IPPE.

NIAA’s Animal Disease Issues & Emergency Management Council will lead the inaugural roundtable discussion to explore current knowledge and research regarding causes, prevention methods, and treatments for bone health and lameness disease(s) in food animal species – livestock and poultry. Lameness is a problem affecting all species of animal agriculture. One of NIAA’s guiding principles is to convene leading experts to deliver science-based, reliable and trusted perspectives on the industry’s most challenging topics. By convening leaders from across species, animal agriculture will collectively find solutions that may be applied across the industry.

The speakers for the roundtable with expertise in lameness and related diseases will include:

  • Kate Weathers Barger, KB Animal Welfare Consulting
  • Scott Crain, VeriPrime
  • Meredyth Jones, Oklahoma State University
  • Jan Shearer, Iowa State University
  • Meghann K. Pierdon, University of Pennsylvania
  • Adnan Alrubaye, University of Arkansas
  • Bruno Menarim, Gluck Equine Research Center
  • Jennifer Wilson-Welder, National Animal Disease Center – USDA-ARS
  • Doug Ensley, Boehringer Ingelheim
  • Lucas Pantaleon, NIAA Council Co-Chair
  • Adnan Alrubaye, University of Arkansas
  • Kaitlyn Briggs, FairLife

“We are looking forward to a great, collaborative discussion about the issues each species experience and how animal agriculture leaders can collectively address the problems,” said Council co-chair, Dr. Lucas Pantaleon. Outputs from the roundtable will include a white paper along with the next steps – plans to address bone health and lameness.

To learn more about the roundtable and speakers, please visit NIAA’s website, www.AnimalAgriculture.org. Registration fees are $200 for NIAA members and $250 for non-members and will include a complementary code to attend IPPE. For assistance with media registration, please contact Morgan Young, Director of Communications and Outreach for the National Institute for Animal Agriculture at morgan.young@animalagriculture.org.