Alexa Fox joined Monument Advocacy as vice president on the food and agriculture team. She worked for Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., on Capitol Hill for the past nearly 10 years, recently as a senior legislative assistant covering agriculture, food, immigration, trade, and transportation issues.
Audra Weeks, who was deputy chief of staff for policy at the Agriculture Department, departed USDA. She joined the department at the beginning of the second Trump administration as deputy communications director. She also served as director of the Office of External and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Barbara O'Brien (DMI Photo)
Barbara O’Brien, president and CEO of Dairy Management Inc. and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, announced that she will retire this fall at the conclusion of her five-year term. She has led the organization since October 2021. During that tenure, she has overseen 39 companies representing 77% of U.S. milk production adopt the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment. The DMI Board of Directors has begun succession planning efforts to support a smooth transition. O’Brien will continue leading the organization through this period and work closely with the board and leadership teams to support continuity and execution of strategic priorities.
The Center for American Food Power, a nonpartisan think tank supported by U.S. agriculture and policy leaders, launched Tuesday to advance a domestic agrifood strategy aligned with national security priorities. Brett Sciotto, who originally founded Aimpoint Research and now serves as CEO of Idealyst Innovation, co-founded the initiative with Ray Starling, general counsel for the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce and an ag policy adviser in the first Trump administration. “All this begins with the discussions around the importance of agrifood to Americans and to America in general, and food security being foundational to our national security,” Sciotto said in an interview with Agri-Pulse. “If you believe that, then it makes sense to take the time to establish a common vision and a national strategy in a way that we can collaboratively work together to advance.” The initiative will be driven by input from the Food Power Council, a group of agriculture industry and policy experts. Sciotto said they’re actively adding members to the group.
Caroline Rydell is leaving the Farm Credit Bank of Texas in April to begin a role with Texas A&M AgriLife Office of Federal Relations in Washington. Rydell has been with the Farm Credit Bank of Texas for 17 years, recently as senior vice president of government relations, and will continue in that role until April 15 after the conclusion of the group’s annual stockholder meeting. Rydell’s first day with Texas A&M AgriLife is April 20.
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Halee Fischer was promoted to chief of staff for the Research, Education, and Economics mission area in the Agriculture Department supporting REE Undersecretary Scott Hutchins. She has been with USDA for a year, recently as a senior adviser to Hutchins. Earlier, she worked on the House Agriculture Committee.
Torrey Advisory Group announced staff promotions. Olivia Lucanie, who advances the firm's food, nutrition, and agriculture policy work at the state and federal levels, was promoted to policy director. She has been with the firm for nearly three years. Caroline Sowinski was promoted to senior policy manager, a role where she supports clients through advocacy campaigns, Hill engagement and appropriations efforts, with a focus on sustainable agricultural policy. She has been with the firm for four years. Eden Lambert, who joined the firm last spring, was promoted to economist and policy manager. She will expand the firm’s economic analysis capabilities with a specialization in agricultural economics and policy analysis, including crop insurance and rural policy.
Delegates to National Farmers Union’s 124th Anniversary Convention unanimously re-elected Rob Larew and Jeff Kippley as the organization’s president and vice president, respectively. Each will serve another two-year term. Larew has spearheaded the development and launch of NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign and focused on member engagement among the next generation of Farmers Union members during his first three terms as NFU president. Kippley is beginning his fourth term as NFU vice president.
Nicki Hardy joins Animal Agric
Rob Larew is sworn in as President of National Farmers Union for a fourth term by NFU General Counsel Dave Velde. (NFU photo)ulture Alliance as manager of partnerships and programs. She will lead the alliance’s membership and sponsorship growth strategy while overseeing the planning and execution of the College Aggies Online and Animal Ag Allies programs. Prior to joining the alliance, Hardy worked in field operations for American Humane Society and business support and sales for Adisseo. Also at the organization, Emily Ellis was promoted to director of communications and marketing, and Grace Simpson was promoted to manager of member relations and communications.
Nate Soule was named executive director of the Campaign for America First International Assistance. He will be focused on building out the organization’s capabilities and engagement in critical congressional districts across the country as the beginning of a multi-seven-figure investment by CAFIA to increase the American public’s awareness of American international aid.
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians installed new officers. Rebecca Robbins, a health assurance veterinarian for Pig Improvement Company, is now president. She has served as chair of the AASV’s pharmaceutical issues committee and was honored with the Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award in 2018. Chris Rademacher, AASV president-elect, is a clinical professor and swine extension veterinarian in the Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department at Iowa State University and the associate director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center. Clayton Johnson, director of veterinary services at Carthage Veterinary Service in Carthage, Illinois, was named vice president. Locke Karriker will transition into the role of past president. He serves as department chair of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, the executive director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and Morrill Professor holding the Dr. Douglas and Ann Gustafson Professorship for Teaching Excellence in Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University.
Kathleen Martin is now a federal relations officer at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. She founded and served as CEO of Blossom Strategies. Martin previously worked for Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Are you changing jobs, getting promoted or receiving an award? Know someone who is? Email Lydia@Agri-Pulse.com to be featured in next week’s edition of Farm Hands on the Potomac.
