Sara Wyant
Agri-Pulse Communications Inc.
Founder / Publisher
Sara Wyant is an award-winning agricultural journalist, entrepreneur and founder of Agri-Pulse Communications Inc., a unique digital media firm she launched in 2004 to focus on farm, food and rural policy issues.

An investigative reporter who has written many groundbreaking stories, Wyant has covered almost every farm and food policy debate since the 1980s. She is well recognized on Capitol Hill, as well as by farm, ranch and commodity associations across the country, as a veteran journalist and sought-after speaker.

Throughout her career, Wyant has been a trailblazer through several “glass” ceilings. In 1995, she was the first female to be named to the senior management team in agricultural publishing as vice president for editorial at Farm Progress. She served as the first female chairwoman on the Farm Foundation's board of trustees and as president of the American Agricultural Editors Association, where she also earned an Oscar in Agriculture award for excellence in agricultural reporting.

Wyant was named to Folio’s "Top Women in Media" in the Entrepreneurs category in 2015. For her leadership within the industry, she has received numerous awards and accolades from a wide variety of organizations including: American Agri-Women, Agriculture Future of America, FFA, Missouri Farm Bureau, National Association of Farm Broadcasters, North American Agricultural Journalists, United Soybean Board and others.

A graduate of Iowa State University, Wyant gained first-hand knowledge of crop and livestock production while growing up on a century farm near Marengo, Iowa, which she now owns and manages. She and husband Allan Johnson also own the farm where her husband's family originally established a homestead near Almont, North Dakota. They are the parents of two sons and three grandchildren.

Karen Ross
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Secretary of Agriculture
KAREN ROSS was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture on January 9, 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom. In re-appointing Secretary Ross, Governor Newsom cited her unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and here in California, in areas including environmental stewardship, climate change adaptation, and trade. Secretary Ross was initially appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2011.

Before joining CDFA, Secretary Ross was chief of staff for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a position she accepted in 2009. Prior to that appointment, she served as President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers from 1996-2009, and as Vice-President of the Agricultural Council of California from 1989-1996. Her prior experience before moving to California included staff work for a United States Senator, a presidential candidate, and government relations for rural electric cooperatives and public power districts.

Secretary Ross is passionate about fostering the reconnection of consumers to the land and the people who produce their food, and to improving the access of all California citizens to healthy, nutritious California-grown agricultural products, celebrated for their diversity and abundance in serving local, national and global markets.

During Secretary Ross' tenure, the Department has focused on core functions to protect and promote California agriculture, investing in the Department's employees to provide the best service to farmers, ranchers and consumers and fostering an agricultural industry that embraces its role as a global leader on everything from the most technical aspects of farming to the broadest environmental imperatives. Secretary Ross has strengthened partnerships across government, academia and the non-profit sector in the drive to maintain and improve environmental stewardship and to develop adaptation strategies for the specific impacts of climate change. She has initiated programs to provide greater opportunities for farmers and ranchers to engage in sustainable environmental stewardship practices through water conservation, energy efficiency, nutrient management, and ecosystem services; and she has worked to provide greater access to farm-fresh foods at school cafeterias through CDFA's Farm to Fork Program.

Secretary Ross grew up as a 4-H kid on a farm in western Nebraska. She owns 800 acres of the family farm where her recently retired younger brother, a fourth-generation farmer, is mentoring a new, beginning farmer in growing no-till wheat and feed grains, incorporating cover crops and rotational grazing for beef production. The Secretary has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a graduate of the Nebraska Ag Leadership Program. She has served on numerous boards and committees in California agriculture and with various academic institutions.

Blake Alexandre
Alexandre Family Farm
Farmer Owner
Blake Alexandre is a 4th-generation dairy farmer who, with his wife Stephanie and their five grown children, founded the first certified regenerative organic dairy and egg ranch in the U.S.

On their five grass-based dairies in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA, the Alexandres graze 5,100 crossbred cows and 35,000 hens across 6,000+ acres of lush pasture and organic farmland.

Seventeen years ago, they pioneered A2/A2 organic dairy genetics in the U.S.. Today, they steward one of the nation’s largest strictly A2/A2 organic herds.
Blake’s leadership in adaptive grazing has boosted soil organic matter from 2% to as high as 13%—turning their land into a powerful carbon sink and a model of regenerative agriculture in action.

A farmer advocate, Blake has worked with groups like the Savory Institute, the USDA, and Army Corps of Engineers to advance environmental stewardship. He co-founded the North Coast Regional Land Trust, served on the California Farm Bureau state board and USDA Farm Service Agency, helping shape state policy.
Guided by his motto—Do the Right Thing at Every Turn—Blake brings decades of innovation, collaboration, and vision to the future of food and farming.

Ashley Stokes
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis
Dean
Ashley Stokes joined UC Davis as dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in July 2025 from the University of Tennessee, where she was a professor of veterinary large animal clinical sciences. Stokes also served as dean of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s UT Extension from 2021 to 2024 and oversaw a $100 million budget and 1,000 faculty and staff. As dean, she helped diversify the division’s funding streams and more than doubled grant and contract awards over its pre-COVID-19 levels. Her direction and partnership led Tennessee’s governor to include $46 million in the state budget to build new hands-on learning STEM and outdoor education centers. Stokes helped secure $16.5 million to endow a new 4-H center, the largest endowment of any 4-H and Youth Development Center in Tennessee’s history. With her team, they transformed and developed new programs for employees, earning them the prestigious “Employer of the Year” in 2023 from a prominent international administrative organization across numerous industry sectors.

Stokes has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, including six years at Colorado State University, where she was associate vice president for engagement and extension, assistant dean for admissions and student success, and interim senior director of CSU Online. While at University of Hawaii at Manoa, Stokes was the sole veterinary extension specialist serving the state and several Western Pacific countries.

Stokes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physiological psychology from the University of Alabama, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Ph.D. in cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology from Louisiana State University, and an MBA from Colorado State University. She was inducted into the Academy of Veterinary Consultants in 2014.

Danny Bernstein
Reservoir
CEO
Danny Bernstein is CEO of Reservoir, an agricultural technology platform dedicated to the long-term resilience of specialty crops and rural agricultural communities. Reservoir operates agricultural technology centers (Reservoir Farms) and an early-stage venture capital fund (Reservoir VC), developed in partnership with John Deere, Western Growers, and the State of California.

Before founding the Reservoir, Danny spent a decade at Google as a Managing Director in the Global Business Organization and later served as a Partner at Microsoft. He joined Google through the acquisition of Meebo ($100M).

Danny has spoken at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum, Organic Growers Summit, FIRA USA, World AgriTech, and the California Economic Summit on the role of technology in agricultural resilience. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, the Silicon Valley Business Journal, AgTech Navigator, and AgFunder.

Danny serves on advisory boards and committees for the agricultural schools at the University of California, Davis and Fresno State. He studied at the University of California, Davis, and completed the executive program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He lives in Carmel Valley, California, with his wife and two children.

Ian LeMay
California Table Grape Commission
President/CEO
Ian LeMay is a lifelong resident of the San Joaquin Valley and a dedicated advocate for his community. Ian's passion for community has deep roots, influenced by his parents' commitment to responsibility and stewardship. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

On January 8, 2024, Ian joined the California Table Grape Commission as the incoming president. Following a sixteen-month transition with longtime President Kathleen Nave, he assumed the role of president on May 1, 2025. The Commission, established by the state legislature in 1967 and approved by growers in 1968, works to maintain and expand markets for fresh California grapes, including intrastate, interstate, and foreign markets.

Before this role, Ian served as President of the California Fresh Fruit Association, a voluntary public policy organization that advocates for growers, shippers, marketers, and associates involved with permanent fresh fruit commodities. The Association ensures a unified voice for the industry in legislative and regulatory arenas.

From February 2011 to January 2015, Ian was District Director for Congressman Jim Costa, representing California’s 16th Congressional District. He advised on key issues such as agriculture, water, and transportation, and ensured effective operations for district offices in Merced and Fresno.

Earlier in his career, Ian worked as a California Market Specialist for Lindsay Corporation, a leading agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Outside of his professional life, Ian and his wife Molly, married in October 2011, reside in Fresno with their three children: Emery, Ellison, and Aiden.

Sara Neagu-Reed
International Fresh Produce Association
Director, Production & Environmental Policy
Sara Neagu-Reed is the Director of Production and Environmental Policy at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), where she leads federal legislative and regulatory efforts focused on production challenges across conventional, organic, and regenerative agriculture. With a strong foundation in farm policy and a career dedicated to supporting the specialty crop sector, Sara advocates on behalf of fruit, vegetable, and horticultural producers on critical issues such as crop protection, organic policy, and Farm Bill implementation.

Sara brings deep expertise in navigating the complex intersection of agricultural production and environmental policy. Her work spans a broad spectrum of federal issues impacting growers, ranging from pest management and pesticide regulatory reform to organic certification standards. She plays a central role in developing IFPA’s policy strategies that promote a more resilient, science-driven, and economically viable future for specialty crop producers nationwide.

Prior to joining IFPA, Sara served as Advocacy and Government Affairs Director at AmericanHort, where she managed a diverse portfolio including employment policy, pest and disease management, and key provisions of the Farm Bill. Earlier in her career, she represented California agriculture as Associate Director of Federal Policy at the California Farm Bureau Federation, where she engaged directly with Congress, USDA, and the Department of Labor on behalf of the state's fruit, vegetable, and nut producers. She also served in the Obama Administration as a Senior Legislative Analyst at USDA, supporting Marketing and Regulatory Programs with a focus on specialty crop priorities and organic agriculture.

Sara holds a B.A. in Politics from the University of San Francisco and recently earned a Master of Public Administration and Policy from Texas A&M University. With a commitment to practical, producer-driven policy, she continues to be a strong voice for advancing innovation, sustainability, and regulatory clarity within the U.S. specialty crop sector.

Matthew Woolf
Terrain
Specialty Crop Analyst
Matt Woolf, Ph.D., is Terrain’s specialty crop analyst, focusing on tree nuts, fruits and vegetables. He is a native of California’s Central Valley, where his family grows almonds, pistachios and a variety of row crops.

Matt has an extensive academic, teaching and research background in economics. He earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics, a master’s degree in international and development economics, and a Ph.D. in economics from the Australian National University. He has experience in economic modeling, macroeconomic analysis, data science techniques and their applications in agriculture.

Emily Rooney
Agricultural Council of California
President
Emily Rooney is the President of Agricultural Council of California. Founded in 1919, Ag Council is a member-support organization advocating for 15,000 farmers across
California, ranging from small, farmer-owned businesses to the world’s best-known brands. Emily joined Ag Council in September 2008.

In her role at Ag Council, Emily engages with the Administration on several issues impacting California agriculture, such as water, climate and fiscal matters. She spends
the majority of her time on issues at CalEPA, focusing on packaging, water, fees and climate issues. Additionally, she handles the management, membership outreach and growth for the Association.

Prior to her work with Ag Council, Emily served as director of farm policy for the California Farm Bureau. Emily also has legislative experience from public service in
Washington, D.C. where she worked for two Members of Congress.

Emily serves as a chair of the California FFA Foundation and Vice-Chair of Valley Childrens Healthcare.

Emily comes from an agricultural background in San Joaquin County where her family owns a beef cattle operation just outside of Lodi. Her mother’s side of the family farms in Tracy. Emily is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, and Class 39 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program.

Robert Verloop
California Walnut Commission
CEO
Robert Verloop became the CEO of the California Walnut Commission (CWC) and Executive Director of the California Walnut Board (CWB) in June of 2022. The two organizations represent 3,700 California walnut growers and 73 handlers, producing over 1.6 billion pounds of walnuts that are shipped to more than 80 countries.

Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer for Coastline Family Farms, a family-owned vegetable grower/shipper located in Salinas California. Mr. Verloop has held executive roles with Naturipe Farms, Sunkist Growers Inc., and the California Avocado Commission. In those capacities, Robert worked in all aspects of corporate, brand and product marketing, communications and sales promotions in domestic and global markets; issues management; strategic planning; corporate governance, and government relations. Early in his career he worked in production agriculture including over three years in North Yemen (USAID), eighteen months in NE Brazil (private consulting) and in citrus and avocado grove management in Southern California.

Robert has been a member of numerous trade associations including the International Fresh Produce Association, Canadian Produce Marketing Association, Produce for Better Health Foundation, and the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.

Rolston St. Hilaire
Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, California State University, Fresno
Dean
Rolston St. Hilaire serves as the ninth Dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (JCAST) at California State University, Fresno. In this role, he oversees six academic departments, four research centers and institutes, and 18 farm enterprises. He champions the use of agricultural technologies to drive efficiencies in farming and supports climate smart innovations that help farm sustainability and farm alternate energy transitions.

A dedicated advocate for food security, Dr. St. Hilaire served as the principal investigator for the Southwest USDA Regional Food Business Center at Fresno State. He was honored with the Intellectual Property Award from New Mexico State University for work that recognized his contributions to society, industry, and commerce. He is the inventor of the patented bigtooth maple cultivar Acer grandidentatum ‘JFS-NuMex 3’, commercially available as Mesa Glow bigtooth maple.

Dr. St. Hilaire is a fellow and president of the American Society for Horticultural Science, which represents a broad spectrum of the horticultural and plant science community. He serves on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture and is on the board of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation. He earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University and both his M.S. and B.S. degrees from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

Matthew Vosseler
Sonoma-Marin Young Farmers and Ranchers
Vineyard Mechanic/ Young Farmer
Matthew Vosseler is a 5th generation Sonoma County native from his mother’s side and 2nd generation from his father. Both families carry backgrounds in animal production, predominantly dairy and sheep, where he developed his strong passion for agriculture at an early age.
He is the Vineyard Mechanic for St. Francis Winery and Vineyards for the last 8 years, while also taking on a variety of small farm jobs such as tractor work, ag mechanics, and small flock sheep shearing.

Matthew was also the 2025 CA Young Farmer and Rancher’s Star YF&R member of the year. An award given to an individual who is an outstanding YF&R member that is active within their local YF&R committee, county Farm Bureau and agricultural community (cfbf.com). During his time serving as Chair of the Sonoma-Marin YF&R committee from 2023-2025, the group was awarded Committee of the Year for 2025 at the CA Young Farmers and Rancher's State Conference.
Matthew also currently serves as one of the newest members on the Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors.