California Agriculture Science hired Spencer Tibbitts as senior research agronomist. Most recently, he was a sales agronomist for Yara North America for the past two years focused on Northern California. Earlier, Tibbitts was research manager at Butte County Rice Growers Association and was an agronomist at the American Plant Food Corporation.
Justin Parnagian of Fowler Packing Company Inc. was elected chairman of the California Table Grape Commission. Parnagian succeeds Marko Zaninovich of Sunview Vineyards, who served as commission chairman since 2024. Six commissioners were also recently reappointed to their positions after district nomination meetings: Jack Campbell, District 1; Wayde Kirschenman, District 2; Jon Paul Zaninovich, District 3; John D. Zaninovich, District 4; Gary Gipson, District 5; and Justin Parnagian, District 6. The California Table Grape Commission was established in 1967 by an act of state legislature and is tasked with maintaining and expanding national and international markets for fresh California table grapes through advertising, education and outreach, trade management, issue management, and research efforts. Over 99 percent of table grapes commercially grown in the United States come from California and in 2025 California table grapes were exported to 56 countries around the world.
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been named president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The group is the national trade association for the U.S. solar and energy storage industry, representing more than 1,200 companies across the value chain. A Republican, Pawlenty was governor for two terms from 2003 to 2011. He also previously served as president and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable focused on advancing policies to strengthen the U.S. financial system.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom named Rohit Chopra as secretary of California’s new Business and Consumer Services Agency. The new agency, which was established by Governor Newsom through a government reorganization last year, will bring together a broad range of licensing, enforcement and other functions that ensure fair competition and treatment for consumers and businesses across the state. The agency officially launches July 1, 2026. Chopra was previously director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and was a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission.
Newsom also named two new members to the California High Speed-Rail Authority Board of Directors. Jason Elliott, who served as Newsom’s deputy chief of staff from 2022 to 2024, and Stephen Kawa, Newsom’s chief of staff from 2004 to 2011 during his time as San Francisco mayor, were appointed to the board.
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At the California High-Speed Rail Authority, Joshua Hurlbert was appointed chief technology officer. He previously worked at Brightline West Trains with the same title. Brightline West Trains is building a private high-speed rail line from Southern California to Las Vegas.
Colin Newman (LinkedIn photo)The Farm Credit Administration named Colin Newman director of the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs. Newman will serve as FCA’s principal point of contact for Congress, the media, other government agencies, Farm Credit System borrowers and the public. He worked at the International Dairy Foods Association for the past nearly nine years, most recently as senior vice president for strategic initiatives. He has also held roles at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Morgan, Meredith & Associates.
Sarah Trujillo joined the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as associate director of policy communications. She worked at the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation in Maryland for the past five years, recently as senior manager of marketing and digital media. Earlier, she worked for the National Turkey Federation for four years.
Lobbying and public affairs firm BGR Group hired Kellie Adesina as vice president in the commerce and infrastructure practice. She was most recently director of federal government affairs at Kraft Heinz and earlier held a similar role at Bayer focused on crop science issues, including gene editing, biotech and pesticides. On Capitol Hill, Adesina was chief counsel for the House Agriculture Committee Democrats during the 2018 farm bill negotiations. She also served as senior counselor in the Office of the General Counsel at the Agriculture Department during the Obama administration.
The National Grocers Association has made promotions. Stephanie Johnson is now senior vice president and head of government affairs. She has been with the organization for four years, recently as group vice president for government relations. Laura Strange was elevated to chief public affairs and advocacy officer. Strange has been with the group for over 12 years, recently as senior vice president for communications and external affairs.
Jeremy Cowan (The Livestock Conservancy photo)Jeremy Cowan was named lead senior program manager at The Livestock Conservancy. He will be focused on overseeing the group’s efforts to conserve, promote and protect more than 170 breeds of endangered agricultural livestock and poultry. Cowan previously worked at Kansas State University as an assistant professor of sustainable food production systems and earlier was an extension director for Washington State University.
Alexander Wilgocki is now an adviser for oversight and lawfare at the Agriculture Department. He was previously a professional staff member on the House Judiciary Committee. Earlier, Wilgocki was a policy analyst at the America First Policy Institute.
The board of directors for Deere & Co. elected Brent Norwood as senior vice president and chief financial officer. He has been vice president and finance director for the company’s Construction and Forestry division and John Deere Power Systems since 2023. During his 14 years with the company, he’s worked on Deere’s acquisitions of Wirtgen and Blue River Technology, and held roles in global marketing operations, corporate business development, and investor relations. Prior to joining Deere, Norwood worked in investment industry roles focused on capital markets, equity research and principal investing related to mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and capital 
Susan Sun (LinkedIn photo)projects.
Joshua Jordal joined Compeer Financial as a senior credit officer for wholesale. He worked at Farm Credit Mid-America for the past six years, recently as director of retail credit operations.
Susan Sun was named director of food and agriculture research development at Nouryon. She serves as president of the ISAA Agrochemical Network, a global community of agrochemical professionals. She was previously a crop care research and technology manager at Croda Inc. and earlier was principal research chemist at AkzoNobel.
Canada Pork hired Sonja Frohberg as senior vice president of policy and market development. She will be focused on leading Canada Pork’s policy and market development initiatives and helping drive success for the country’s pork industry both domestically and internationally. Frohberg has over 18 years of experience in the Canadian government, recently as the country’s agricultural counselor at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., where she represented the country’s meat and livestock sector. She has also held roles across key departments, including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association hired Zahrah Khan as associate director of operations to lead the global marketing and research team’s administrative functions, project management and workflows. She was operations director at the American Sheep Industry Association for the past 17 years.
Cole Martin joined Bloomberg News as a soft commodities reporter based in New York. He has worked for Argus Media for the last fours years, recently as biofuels associate editor.
The Farm Foundation announced members of the 2026 Young Agri-Food Leaders cohort. Participants from a range of sectors will engage in a year-long experience focused on leadership development, mentorship, collaboration and building connections across the agri-food system. Those selected include:
- Kayla Bhalla, Walmart
- Rob Galbraith, Builders Vision
- Alison Grantham, Grow Well Consulting LLC
- Alex Hem, Foundation for Food and Ag Research
- Willis Nelson, Nelson & Sons Farming
- Darren Seidel, ADM
- Justina Slim, Dine College
- Victor Tuschen, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Jade Umberger, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
- Brielle Wright, National Black Growers Council
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.
