P. Anthony Thomas launched consulting firm The Thomas Advocacy Group to work with business, labor and advocacy group clients. He previously lobbied for the California Forestry Association, California Natural Gas Producers Association, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power and California Independent Petroleum Association, among others. Thomas also served as the executive director for the California Natural Gas Producers Association.
Ellen Hamilton was named executive director of the California Democratic congressional delegation supporting Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. Hamilton has worked for Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., the past 13 years, recently as chief of staff.
New Season Community Development Corp. appointed Ave Lambert as executive director of the Yolo Food Hub Network. An eighth-generation farmer and rancher with a background in regenerative agriculture, Lambert returns to Yolo County with two decades of experience creating community-based food systems in food insecure regions.
Ave Lambert (New Season Community Development Corp. photo)The University of California Office of the President appointed Christopher Witko as executive director of the University of California Center Sacramento. A political scientist from Pennsylvania State University, he has taught public policy and political science. He previously served as PSU’s associate director of the School of Public Policy.
Elisha Modisett Kemp was promoted to head of U.S. government and industry affairs at Corteva Agriscience. She has been with the organization for seven years, recently as state government and industry affairs leader. She also worked for Dow AgroSciences for 15 years before the company merged with DuPont to form Corteva.
Duane Simpson, former vice president and head of North America public affairs, science and sustainability in Bayer's Crop Science Division, took over as president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives this week during the group’s annual Washington Conference. He succeeds Chuck Conner, who is retiring. Simpson has worked for Bayer and Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018, for 17 years.
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Mike Spier officially assumed the role of president of the U.S. Wheat Associates on July 1. He succeeds Vince Peterson, who has retired. Spier has been with the organization for nearly six years, recently as vice president of overseas operations. He has traveled to more than 50 countries, gaining experience in grain merchandising, international wheat trading, market analysis and negotiation of ocean freight contracts.
Brian Liedl, who has two decades of experience in wheat trading and logistics, joined USW to fill Spier’s role as vice president of overseas operations. He worked for the United Grain Corp. for the past 14 years, recently as director of merchandising. Liedl began his career in the grain industry as a market analyst at CHS Hedging, where he provided risk management services and authored daily market commentary.
Dairy West hired Hans Fredericksen
Hans Fredericksen (Dairy West photo) as controller. He previously worked in financial management, accounting operations and process improvement across the real estate development, healthcare and public accounting industries. Fredericksen is a licensed CPA.
Kurt Sieren joined Novus Ag as vice president of retail operations. He worked for Helena Ag for the past 16 years, recently as senior business development manager.
Wynnie Zuchowski was named global director of marketing at GENEX. She was previously the global category marketing director at AgroFresh.
Samantha Miller has left Corteva Agriscience, where she led U.S. crop protection regulatory efforts for the past five years. She is now director of corporate business development for agricultural research and graduate education for the Purdue University College of Agriculture. Earlier in her career, Miller worked for Beck’s Hybrids.
ClearPath hired Jackson Blackwell as a policy fellow to support the clean power, natural resources and research team with a focus on geothermal energy development and critical minerals policy. He previously held roles at the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and the Climate Solutions Fund. 
Michelle Albee Matto (IDFA photo)
The International Dairy Foods Association promoted Michelle Albee Matto to vice president of regulatory affairs and nutrition. She provides technical and regulatory leadership to advance IDFA’s nutrition and health advocacy, ensuring dairy maintains a central role in federal nutrition programs and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Prior to joining IDFA, Matto worked at the Food Research and Action Center. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Society for Nutrition, and is a past board member of the D.C. chapters of the Institute of Food Technologists and the Society for Nutrition Education.
Former National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Dana Peterson is now an adviser for Bridgeforth LLC, an organization specializing in guiding farm transitions. She is currently founder and principal consultant at Growing Leaders Group. After leading NAWG, she served in numerous positions with the Agriculture Department, including as chief of staff for the Farm Service Agency during the first Trump administration.
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