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National Pork Board CEO Bill Even will step down from his post on May 1 after nine years and return to his family’s South Dakota farming operation. Alex Wibholm will serve as interim CEO

Julie Berge joined the Wine Institute as vice president of communications and member relations. She was previously senior director of strategic communications at the Western States Petroleum Association. Earlier in her career, Berge worked at global communications firm FleishmanHillard focused on using storytelling to connect food and wine clients with Californians. 

Lesly Weber McNitt returned to the National Corn Growers Association this week as vice president of public policy, leading the Washington office and serving as the chief advocate. She worked at NCGA from 2017 to 2021 managing NCGA trade and biotech portfolios. McNitt earlier was senior professional staff member on the House Ag Committee, chief of staff at USDA Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services and most recently a leader at the global malnutrition philanthropy Eleanor Crooke Foundation. 

Chandler Goule will step down as CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers when his contract ends on June 30 after leading the organization for 9 years. 

The California Ag Leadership Foundation added Davidson Pattiz, CEO of Zenith Insurance Company, as a board member. Marla Livengood was named Cal Cities’ regional public affairs manager for the Central Valley Division. 

President Trump appointed Josh F.W. Cook as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in California and the Pacific Southwest. Wilbur Ellis promoted Kayla Allen to senior credit analyst.

USDA named Alec Varsamis deputy communications director. A veteran of the first Trump administration, he was press secretary and acting communications director for then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue. Since then, Versamis has worked at agencies Ketchum and Veno Group in account supervisor roles focused on agriculture, food and ingredients as well as crisis and issue management communications. He is a graduate of the University of San Francisco. 

Bill Beam, Aubrey Bettencourt and Pat Swanson have been named to lead USDA's Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Risk Management Agency, respectively.

The University of California Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences named Ashley Stokes as college's new dean. Tanimura & Antle hired Laura Rosemeyer as a national account manager. Fresh Del Monte Produce appointed Deema Anani as chief commercial officer

The Mushroom Council added two new marketing staff to the organization: Cristie Mather as vice president of marketing and Adriane Rippberger as director of marketing.

In a National Agriculture Day gathering at the USDA Whitten Building, student members of the National FFA Organization, 4-H, National Grange and Agriculture Future of America discussed their generation’s role in growing the future of agriculture together. 

Chavonda Jacobs-Young departed from USDA where she was chief scientist. Terrain hired Marc Rosenbohm as a senior grain and oilseed analyst. Riley Padgett returned to USDA as chief of staff for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture hired Logan Moss as an associate director of public policy. Mike DeCamp retired as CEO and president of CoverCress.