The Izaak Walton League appointed Jared Mott as executive director. He has served as conservation director since 2017, and has been interim executive director since December 2025. Scott Kovarovics recently retired as executive director after 18 years at the League, including 13 years as executive director.
Jenny Lester Moffitt (American Farmland Trust photo)Abby Goins was promoted to legislative director in the office of Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb. She has been with the office nearly two years, recently as a legislative assistant. A Kansas native and Kansas State University alumnus, Goins earlier worked for Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan.
Dan Moser has been appointed the Eldon Gideon dean of Kansas State's College of Agriculture. He has been filling the role in an interim capacity. As chief academic and administrative officer of the College of Agriculture and K‑State's Agricultural Experiment Station, Moser will provide leadership, strategic vision, direction and support for the college's faculty and staff as they advance high-quality teaching, research, engagement and extension for Kansas and the world. Moser earned his undergraduate degree in animal science and industry from the college.
Trevor Raasch joined the Association of Equipment Manufacturers as client success adviser. He previously held roles with Worldwide Express and ADP.
Agri-Pulse Communications promoted Paige Dye to circulation and strategic communications manager. Since joining Agri-Pulse in 2017, Dye has played a key role in the company’s digital advancement, modernizing subscriber systems and collaborating with developers to improve efficiency while ensuring that the organization remains rooted in high-quality customer service. In her extended role, she will lead audience development and strategic communications, focusing on deepening member engagement and driving the continued growth of Agri-Pulse’s national audience.
CropLife America hired Sally Rey Parkinson as director of federal government relations. She previously held numerous roles at the U.S. Agency for International Development, including as an acting office director.
USDA alumnus Anastasia Bodnar joined Corteva Agriscience as gene editing regulatory advocacy leader. She was previously a senior adviser at the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology. Earlier, she held numerous roles during 10 years working at USDA, including as the department’s biotechnology coordinator.
Remington Seeds named D
Laurie Hueneke Martens (Sigma Alpha photo)an Foor as chief executive officer. He has been with the company a year and a half, recently as vice president. Earlier, he held roles with Monsanto, La Crosse Seed, and DLF.
James Kenny was promoted to senior manager for policy communications at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He was previously manager of policy communications.
Laurie Hueneke Martens, head of public policy and government relations at Merck Animal Health, has been named one of two 2026 recipients of the professional agricultural sorority Sigma Alpha’s national Spirit of Ruth Award. Hueneke Martens was recognized for her leadership, mentorship and contributions to agriculture, including her work supporting farmers’ access to essential tools, technologies and markets.
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Rylee Rosamond joined the office of Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan., as a legislative assistant. She will be focused on covering agriculture, food, energy, and trade issues. Rosamond was previously a legislative aide in the office of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., hired Juan Ayala as communications director. Ayala has been communications director at Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Inc. for the past year, and earlier worked for Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.
AgSouth Farm Credit named Michael Almond as executive vice president and chief credit officer. He will join the association’s executive leadership team in his new role effective April 1, and will be based in the Statesville, North Carolina, administrative office. Almond has nearly three decades of experience in the Farm Credit System across lending, credit administration, enterprise risk, and executive leadership roles. In his most recent executive role, he provided leadership across lending, credit, and operational functions for a $2.5 billion Farm Credit Association serving customers across three states.
Olivia Robinson has been named organization director for Ohio Farm Bureau focused on serving members in Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum and Perry counties. Robinson previously served six years in the Ohio Air National Guard, worked as a nurse for five years and spent the last two years as a contract specialist for the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency. Her connection to agriculture began early on her family’s dairy farm, where she started her own Jersey herd at the age of 12 and was an active 4-H and FFA member.
CoBank hired Maureen McDonnell as utilities industry economist. Earlier, she was principal energy and infrastructure consultant at Pioneer Management Consulting and was manager of energy market fundamentals at Ovintiv.
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., hired new staff. Kathryn Sorenson was named chief of staff. She has been political director for the New Democrat Coalition Action Fund for nearly five years. Ravi Doshi was hired as legislative director. Doshi was previously counsel to Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., on the Senate Judiciary Committee and senior counsel at the Department of Commerce's Office of the General Counsel during the Biden administration.
Mike LaPlant, a leader in Western irrigated agriculture, passed away unexpectedly. He farmed irrigated hay, alfalfa, and timothy in the Columbia Basin Irrigation District since 1976. LaPlant served as president of the Washington Farm Bureau from 2011 to 2021 and held numerous leadership roles at the state and national levels, including service on the American Farm Bureau Board of Directors and on the Family Farm Alliance Advisory Committee. He was also a past president of the Washington State Water Resources Association. A memorial service will be held at Our Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Ephrata, Washington, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.
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.
