California Farm Water Coalition Executive Director Mike Wade will step down in February. He has led the organization since 1998. During his tenure, Wade has expanded the organization’s public education and outreach programs to reach tens of millions of customers annually. He led the Agricultural Water Management Council and organized the Cultivate California Program, which brought together dozens of agricultural organizations and water agencies to engage the public through direct-to-consumer educational media. The CFWC board of directors has formed a search committee that is working to identify the next executive director. Wade will remain in his role throughout the process to ensure a smooth transition.
President Donald Trump nominated Ted Cooke to lead the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages water projects across the west and supplies water to 140,000 farmers on 10 million acres. He spent more than two decades at the Central Arizona Project, which distributes Colorado River water to Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties. Brenda Burman, who led Reclamation during the first Trump administration, is now the CAP general manager.
Paul Brierley was confirmed as Arizona dir
Ted Cooke (Central Arizona Project photo)ector of agriculture by the state Senate. He was previously executive director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture and earlier served as a director for the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation.
Jay Ivey joined CropLife America as manager of federal government relations. He led Georgia state outreach at the USDA Farm Service Agency and worked as a legislative aide for the Georgia Agribusiness Council.
The Foundation for Fresh Produce selected Jelena Gligorijević to fill the newly created role of chief medical officer. A practicing medical doctor and nutrition specialist, she will focus on expanding the influence of the produce industry within the global health and medical communities. She was the founding head of the Department of Nutrition at the University Clinical Center of Serbia and during her career has particularly focused on preventive medicine, nutrition therapy and global health promotion. "Fruits and vegetables have the power to prevent disease, extend lives and promote equity. I look forward to working with healthcare providers, researchers, and industry partners to turn the power of nutrition – and particularly produce – into measurable progress in global health,” she said.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., hired Rylan Gray as a legislative assistant. He previously worked for Rep. Linda Sánchez, D-Calif.
Matthew Dumlao was appointed executive officer of the California State Lands Commission. He has served as chief of staff and environmental policy adviser to Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis since 2021 and earlier as deputy chief of staff and policy adviser in the office. With his roles, Dumlao served as the lieutenant governor’s chief advisor and alternate on the California State Lands Commission, Ocean Protection Council and California Coastal Commission. Earlier in his career, Dumlao was a legislative aide for Democrat state Sen. Henry Stern, who represents a district covering the Los Angeles–Ventura county line.
Jessica Lara (CALF photo)The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation hired Jessica Lara as marketing and communications manager. She brings content creation, social media management, video production and community engagement skills to the CALF team. Lara worked at the California Strawberry Commission for the past six years, recently as a public relations specialist.
Kwik Lok Corp., based in Yakima, Washington, hired Nicholas Pulos as Midwest regional sales manager. He brings 14 years of experience in the industrial packaging industry with previous roles at Miksanek Enterprises and founding Hoplon Enterprises, where he developed custom automation solutions for the agriculture and food and beverage industries. He will be based in Illinois.
Former California Chamber of Commerce staff member Marty Wilson joined AxAdvocacy as a principal. He will lead the organization’s new state-level public affairs practice in California. Wilson served as executive vice president of public affairs at the California Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years.
Tori Teegarden was promoted to policy adviser for Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wy., covering agriculture, food, public lands and animal issues. She has been with the office since 2022, recently as legislative assistant.
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The Animal Health Institute named Gene Harrington senior director of state affairs, effective July 8. He joins the organization from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, where he worked the past 10 years, recently as senior director of agriculture and environment state affairs. Harrington earlier worked for the National Pest Management Association.
Bob Ellison, a trained broadcast journalist with decades of experience, joined Agri-Pulse as managing editor. He will oversee multimedia products and manage the team of journalists located from Washington to Sacramento. Ellison spent 16 years with USDA’s Creative Media and Broadcast Center, where he produced and edited TV features, video podcasts and other products. He spent the previous five years as a public affairs specialist with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and earlier managed writers in the Farm Production and Conservation area.
Scott Bennett (LinkedIn photo)
Scott Bennett joined Ceva Animal Health in the newly created role as director of public affairs and market access. He worked for Boehringer Ingelheim the past three years as senior associate director of government affairs and public policy focused on animal health. Earlier, he worked for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Ben Monticello was named legislative director for Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill. He will cover energy and tax issues. Monticello was previously a senior legislative assistant for Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich.
Margaret Fogarty and Leigh Picchetti launched a consulting firm, Corkboard Communications. Both worked at Nutrition and Farm Credit Council, among numerous other roles.
Western Skies Strategies hired Jenna Stanton as interim federal policy director. She was a policy intern and fellow at the organization. Stanton completed internships with the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Senate Agriculture Committee and Michigan Cattlemen’s Association.
Olivia Trusty was sworn in as a commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission. She joins FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Anna Gomez on the three-member panel.
USDA political appointees
Karl Elmshaeuser, Nebraska Rural Development director during the first Trump administration and executive director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust, was named administrator of the Rural Utilities Service. George Kelly was named administrator of the Rural Housing Service.
Courtney Stevens was named chief of staff for the Natural Resources and Environment mission area. She was a professional staff member on the House Appropriations Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee and chief of staff for Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss.
Payton (Englert) Manning was sworn in as a senior policy adviser in the Farm Service Agency. She was director of government affairs at the American Seed Trade Association and a legislative correspondent for Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
USDA White House Liaison Dominic Restuccia swears in Mary Catherine Cromley, Farm Service Agency chief of staff. (USDA photo by Christophe Paul)Mary Catherine Cromley is chief of staff for FSA. She was executive director of the South Carolina Corn and Soybean Association and the state’s soybean and corn boards. She also was a legislative assistant on the Senate Ag Committee and for Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark.
Casey Conlee was named deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations. He worked for former Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., as district director and operations director.
Matthew Myers was sworn in as deputy director of external and intergovernmental affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations. He was a public policy analyst at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Brandon Borke is a new legislative adviser in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations. He worked at Young Americans for Liberty for five years and was a business consultant at Virtufex Ventures. Earlier, he was a Michigan FFA state officer.
Dominick Lombardi was named a confidential assistant in the Rural Business Cooperative Service. He recently completed an internship with Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J.
Kayla Roche was named special assistant in the Office of Tribal Relations. Ted Gutman was appointed acting deputy assistant secretary for civil rights. Anna Gregory has joined the Office of Congressional Relations as an intern.
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