About Us
Board Chairs
Ron Meeusen
Managing Director, Cultivian Sandbox
Interim Board Chair, Illinois Agri-Food Alliance
Ron Meeusen, PhD is a Managing Director of Cultivian Sandbox and co-founder and Managing Partner of Cultivian Ventures. Ron has over 30 years of experience in bringing new technologies and products to market. He has led research and development for major corporations in agricultural chemicals, field crop and vegetable genetics and breeding, animal health, novel foods and industrial materials. His successful projects include the world’s first field trial of a genetically engineered crop trait in 1986, development and launch of one of the first insect and herbicide resistant corn hybrids in 1996, introduction of a trans-fat free canola oil, and development of dozens of new varieties of field and vegetable crops on three continents. Ron has been a frequent speaker at conferences, a consultant to Federal policy on biotechnology regulatory issues, and active in industry trade groups. Prior to forming Cultivian Ron led the expansion of the biotechnology research and development program of Dow AgroSciences, and founded a successful biopharmaceutical company, Immuneworks, Inc. Ron represents Cultivian on the board of directors of AbCelex Technologies, Agrivida (Board Chair), enEvolv, Proterro, Rivertop Renewables, Vestaron and Virgin Plants. He was also a member of the board of directors of Allylix, Aratana Therapeutics and Divergence, Inc. Ron holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in plant cell biology, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in plant physiology.
Rebecca Carlisle Doyle
Co-Owner and Farmer, Hickory Grove Pork Farms & Doyle Associates, The Context Network
Becky Doyle is a lifetime Illinois farm partner with deep pork production background and experience with most Midwest cropping and marketing systems. She is a proven organizational leader and administrator, having served as the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Director of Resource Development for the UN World Food Programme. While leading those organizations, Ms. Doyle developed strategies and policies – and built teams to implement them that capitalized on opportunities and dealt effectively with challenges. For the past decade, Ms. Doyle has been providing her networks, insights, strategies, and facilitation as a consultant for agriculture organizations/businesses and natural resource protection organizations. In addition to her livestock and crop input work, she strives to optimize understanding of and rationalize actions around climate change, carbon sequestration, regenerative ag, soil health and cover crops. In addition to agriculture commodity groups, she has worked with the Soil Health Institute, American Farmland Trust, The Nature Conservancy, National Resources Defense Council, Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Her 25-year involvement in the Farm Foundation Round Table has provided a national network of producers, agribusinesses and natural resource protection organizations as well as production- serving and consumer-facing companies. She also serves her land grant alma mater as representative to the Council on Agriculture Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) and the college’s alumni board. Becky has a BS in Ag Communications and MS in Extension Education from the University of Illinois and continuing education certificates from Washington University and Harvard University.
Board Members
Catherine Bertini
Distinguished Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
An accomplished leader in international organization reform, Catherine Bertini has a distinguished career improving the efficiency and operations of organizations serving poor and hungry people in the United States and around the world.
She was named the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate for her transformational leadership at the World Food Programme (WFP), which she led for ten years, and for the positive impact she had on the lives of women. While in the US government, she expanded the electronic benefit transfer options for food stamp beneficiaries, created the food package for breast feeding mothers, presented the first effort to picture healthy diets, and expanded education and training opportunities for poor women.
Later, she co-chaired a successful effort to impact American policy supporting poor farmers in the developing world. The U.S. program is known as “Feed the Future”. As a United Nations Under Secretary General, she initiated efforts to reform the global system for security of staff and for the recognition of all staff marriages. She interacted with all UN agencies and their leadership through a variety of UN bodies in humanitarian, development, nutrition, security and management roles, and led UN humanitarian missions to the Horn of Africa and to Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. With her World Food Prize, she created the Catherine Bertini Trust Fund for Girls’ Education to support programs to increase opportunities for girls and women to attend school. Bertini’s career includes over twenty years in the private sector; thirteen years as a university professor; three major foundations and a think tank; service in local, state and national governments; board membership in a variety of organizations.
At the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, she taught graduate courses in humanitarian action, post conflict reconstruction, girls’ education, UN management, food security, international organizations, and leadership. She has been honored by twelve universities in four countries with honorary degrees and by the Republics of Italy and Ireland. She has received multiple awards for her work to improve the lives of children, for her management of internal reform processes, and for her advocacy for women and girls. She was appointed to senior positions by three UN secretaries general and five US presidents.
Currently, Bertini leads the Rockefeller Foundation efforts to combat the global food crises. She is the board chair of the GOP Global Crop Diversity Trust. She is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Bertini is also a board member of the Central New York Community Trust. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Public Administration and the International Union of Food Science and Technology, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Germán Bollero
Dean, College of ACES, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Germán Bollero brings more than a decade of administrative leadership to the role, having served as associate dean for research and head of the Department of Crop Sciences. More importantly, he has been a member of the ACES family for nearly 30 years.
Bollero is a native of Rosario, Argentina. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the National University of Rosario, Argentina, he came to the University of Illinois to continue his education. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Department of Agronomy (now crop sciences), and continued on as a postdoctoral research associate and senior research specialist in agriculture. In 1998, he joined the crop sciences faculty as assistant professor of biometry and cropping systems. Bollero then led the department as head from 2009 to 2018. In 2018, he became associate dean for research and director of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, investing in convergent research collaborations across the college and campus.
Bollero is internationally recognized for his scholarship in biometry and cropping systems. His teaching, service, and research contributions have placed him among an elite handful of truly outstanding faculty members. He has been included on the Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students dozens of times. Among other recognitions, he has received several College of ACES awards, was selected as a member of the ACES Academy of Teaching Excellence, and was in the first class of the ACES Global Connect program. Dr. Bollero is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America and the Agronomy Society of America.
Colleen Callahan
Founder & Owner, Colleen Callahan Consultancy
Colleen had an early start learning how to communicate. Her story began on a purebred Hampshire hog, Angus cattle and grain farm near Milford, Illinois. As the newspaper headline read, “9-year-old- Wins Swine Award on First Try”. Colleen was that 9-year-old and the youngest exhibitor of a Grand Champion at the International Livestock Exhibition in Chicago. It was just the beginning of many firsts to come. But being a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) was not one of them! Despite her agricultural background and experiences, Colleen was not granted FFA membership. Women weren’t permitted to join FFA until the month after Colleen graduated from high school. However, another first almost coincided when, during her first semester at the University of Illinois, Colleen earned membership on the State 4-H Livestock Judging Team, becoming the first female to ever make the team.
Colleen pioneered her way to broadcasting as the first woman Agribusiness Director for WMBD Radio and Television in Peoria, Illinois, a position she held for 30 years. She continued to break barriers serving as the first female president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting and was the first women inducted into their Hall of Fame. Shortly after starting her own communications firm, Colleen was invited by Secretary of Agriculture Anne Veneman to accompany her to the war zone in Afghanistan and Iraq. Colleen’s commitment to public service inspired her run for United States Congress in 2008. Colleen describes the experience as “Not Winning Doesn’t Mean Losing!”
Public service became a reality, though, when Colleen accepted a Presidential appointment to become the State Director of USDA Rural Development in Illinois. During her tenure, Colleen oversaw a 20% reduction in staffing while still being able to generate a $1 billion increase in the Illinois loan portfolio. “By focusing on staff development, creating work teams, and developing a curriculum for communications training, Colleen brought back happiness to the workplace.”
The positive impact was so well noticed that Colleen was asked to replicate the training in other Rural Development state offices and ultimately in Washington, D.C.
After Colleen’s appointment with USDA Rural Development, she founded her consulting firm – Colleen Callahan Consultancy. Then in March of 2019, Colleen began her appointment as director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. She “paused” her C3 consulting activity and led the agency for nearly four years managing, conserving and protecting Illinois’ natural and cultural resources.
Colleen was the first woman to lead DNR. During her tenure, she guided the agency through a global pandemic, oversaw efforts to develop a strategic plan for the agency, ushered the agency into a new era of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and she led the launch of Copi.
In 2023, Colleen returned to Colleen Callahan Consultancy and continues to lead the charge of “communicate, collaborate, connect.”
Corey Flournoy
Principal/Consultant, Creative Outreach Consulting, LLC
Corey Flournoy brings 30+ years of experience and recognized leadership in diversity and inclusion programming, corporate-wide change management, strategy development, executive coaching and employee engagement for multinational corporations, nonprofits and educational institutions.
Corey is the co-founder and Principal of Creative Outreach Consulting, an enterprise that delivers a 360-degree holistic approach to individual and organizational transformative change through proven practices, programs and processes achieved with a shared commitment for results. Creative Outreach provides strategy development, leadership development, personal coaching, presentations, and diversity, equity and inclusion services to clients globally ranging from corporations like Sony Music Entertainment, Les Mills, Lands’ End and numerous universities and non-profit organizations. As part of his new venture, one of Corey’s primary clients is the National FFA, where he serves as the Executive in Residence for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to help us advance their strategy, initiatives and efforts at national, state, and chapter level.
Corey has been honored in Crain’s Chicago Business 2022 Notable Black Leaders and Executives, as one of North America’s Most Influential D&I Leaders – 2020 by Hive Learning, and was included in the 2020 PerformanceIN List of The Top 50 Industry Players.
Corey’s previous experience in industry included being the VP, People & Culture
Development overseeing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and learning and development at Aurora, the company delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. Corey was also Groupon’s first Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity. Corey is a Certified Professional Diversity Coach through CoachDiversity Institute, accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He has taught as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, teaching a graduate-level course on leading global change.
Notably, in the ag industry, many people might be familiar with his name as Corey served as the National FFA Organization’s first African-American and urban president in the history of the organization.
Mary Gade
President, Gade Environmental Group, LLC
Mary Gade is currently the President of Gade Environmental Group LLC, an international consulting firm that provides strategic advice on energy, climate, and environmental issues. Ms. Gade is an environmental attorney with extensive experience in environmental regulation and enforcement at the federal and state levels, as well as in the private sector.
From October 2006 until June 2008, Ms. Gade served as the Region V Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to this appointment, she was a Partner in the environmental practice group of Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal LLP in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Previously, Ms. Gade was the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under Governor Jim Edgar. During her eight years there, she was a co- founder of the Environmental Council of the States, served on the Science Advisory Board for the Department of Defense’ Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program and was a signatory to the creation the Interstate Technology and Research Council.
Ms. Gade has also held other senior management positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in key areas including Superfund cleanup, emergency response, and air quality. She served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator of U.S. EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Gade was named by Governing Magazine as a Public Official of the Year in 1997 and awarded the prestigious Richard Beatty Mellon Environmental Stewardship Award by the Air and Waste Management Association in 2008. Ms. Gade has a J.D. from Washington University School of Law.
Bill Hook
Principal, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
William has been employed with Chicago Public Schools since 1990 and currently serves as principal of the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, a position he has held since 2007.
The school is the second of its kind in the nation and provides diverse students from across Chicago a strong college preparatory program combined with Career and Technical Education programs in Agriculture. All students are members of the FFA and are enrolled in the agricultural program. Under Mr. Hook’s leadership CHSAS has seen increases in enrollment, test scores, and college enrollment and persistence. The number of students earning college credit and career credentials continues to rise. Mr. Hook has secured numerous grants to foster innovation and relevance in the agricultural program. He regularly serves on advisory boards and special committees for agricultural organizations. Mr. Hook currently serves on the Illinois State Fair advisory board and the Illinois Committee for Agricultural Education.
He earned a bachelor degree from Northwestern University in Social Policy/Economics. He holds master degrees in Political Science, Educational Administration and Special Education.
Jan Kostner
Senior Vice President, Membership & Corporate Relations, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Jan has a wealth of experience in both the private and public sectors. She began her career at Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications, where she served many corporate clients. In government, Jan was the longest-serving Director of Tourism for the State of Illinois. She later was part of the team that created the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. Most recently, Jan served as Director of Marketing at the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Working in public affairs, for politicians, government, corporations, arts, tourist destinations, higher education and currently for a business association, Jan has honed her strategic planning skills. Whether it’s planning a visit for foreign officials, or helping organizations extend their visibility, she’s used her experiences to create successful and award-winning programs and events. A few of her clients included Target, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Terra Foundation, and Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau. Jan has a passion for etiquette, travel, and entertaining. She is a graduate of New England College with a BA in Communications and holds a certificate in Social Media Marketing from DePaul University
Todd Price
Vice President – Innovation and Education Campus, Farm Foundation
Todd Price came to Farm Foundation after two decades of leadership in the agricultural education field. This included time at Living History Farms, The Museums at Prophetstown, and Wagner Farm as founding director. Prior to joining Farm Foundation, Todd was superintendent with the Glenview Park District. Todd was raised on his family’s Iowa grain and livestock farm. Today, he is part-owner of the farm, which was established in 1853. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson College, and he is a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation program. Todd volunteers with the Glenview 4-H club and local FFA chapter and is on the board of directors for Cook County Farm Bureau.
Andrew Selck
Partner, Food and Agriculture, Kearney
Andrew Selck is a partner, food and agriculture at Kearney. In his previous role he was a member of EY’s Global Agribusiness Center and leads its focus on Digital Agriculture. He works with various agribusiness clients on emerging trends and technologies impacting the industry and has authored numerous whitepapers and spoken at industry conferences on the topic of Digital Agriculture and its transformative effects. Andrew has almost 15 years of experience focusing in the Agribusiness and Life Sciences sectors. He has an MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and is a Licensed CPA in Illinois.
Tom Welge
President and CEO, Gilster-Mary Lee Corp
Tom Welge serves as President & CEO of Gilster-Mary Lee Corp, a store brand and food service manufacturer headquartered in southern Illinois. He is the 4th generation of the family working in the 127 year old business. Prior to assuming his current role in 2020, he worked in sales, technical services, and served as the organization’s General Counsel. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Buena Vista National Bank in Chester, IL, a board member of the Illinois Manufacturers Association (IMA) and the SI-NOW! Foundation (a regional economic development organization), and an advisory director of Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial. He is also President of the St. Nicholas Brewing Co. which operates 3 brewpubs in southern Illinois. Tom holds a BA in Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL and a JD from Washington University in St. Louis.
Board Emeritus
Robert Easter
President Emeritus, University of Illinois
Board Emeritus, Illinois Agri-Food Alliance
Robert A. Easter is President Emeritus of the University of Illinois after serving as the University’s 19th president from 2012-2015. Before becoming president, Easter spent his entire, nearly 40-year career as a senior administrator and faculty member on the university’s Urbana-Champaign campus, where he earned his doctorate in animal science in 1976. He was interim chancellor from 2009-2011, serving as chief executive officer of the 42,000-student campus, and also served as interim provost and interim vice chancellor for research. From 2002-2009, he was dean of the nationally ranked College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Before that, he served as head of the Department of Animal Sciences, where he has been a faculty member since 1976. An expert in livestock feeding, Easter has co-authored a book on livestock production and has written more than 90 peer-reviewed articles, 11 book chapters, and numerous papers for conferences and industry publications. He also has spoken to audiences in the United States and 30 foreign countries on livestock feeding. In 2006, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD), and was appointed as chair of BIFAD in 2007. He also is a fellow of the American Society of Animal Science and a member of Farm Foundation Roundtable and serves on the board of 1st Farm Credit Services, Agrible, and the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation. Easter earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural education in 1970 and a master’s degree in animal nutrition in 1972, both from Texas A&M University. He completed a doctorate in animal science at the University of Illinois in 1976 and immediately joined the Animal Science Department as an assistant professor of swine nutrition and management. He presently holds the rank of Professor Emeritus. Easter served as the inaugural Board Chair of the Illinois Agri-Food Alliance from 2015 to 2021, leading the development of the Food and Agriculture RoadMap for Illinois (FARM IL) strategic plan and the creation of the ILAFA organization. Easter was bestowed the role of inaugural Board Emeritus in March 2021.
Former Board Members
Robert A. Easter PhD
President Emeritus, University of Illinois
Board Chair (6/2017 – 4/2021)
Theresa E. Mintle
Co-Founder, FYS Ventures, LLC; Former Interim Vice Chancellor for Public and Government Affairs University of Illinois at Chicago
Board Vice-Chair (6/2017 – 9/2022)
Shari Rogge-Fidler
President and CEO, Farm Foundation
Board Vice Chair (3/2022-1/2024)
Richard Guebert
President, Illinois Farm Bureau
Vice Chair (6/2017 – 9/2024)
Robin L. Brown
Vice President, Government and External Affairs, Ingredion Incorporated
Director (6/2017 – 4/2018)
Jered Hooker
Former District Director, Illinois Soybean Association
Director (6/2017 – 8/2018)
Dave Lehman
Managing Director, Commodity Research and Product Development, CME Group; Retired
Director (6/2017 – 12/2018)
Tom Kentner
Former District Director, Illinois Soybean Association
Director (8/2018 – 9/2019)
Rob Dongoski
Partner, Global Agribusiness Leader, Ernst & Young
Director (6/2017 – 3/2021)
Kim Kidwell
Associate Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Former Dean, College of ACES, University of Illinois
Director (6/2017 – 9/2021)
Karen Lehman
Director, Fresh Taste
Director (6/2017 – 9/2021)
John Lumpe
Chief Executive Officer, Illinois Soybean Association
Director (8/2018 – 9/2022)
Ertharin Cousin
Co-Founder & CEO, Food Systems for the Future Institute; Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
Director (9/2021 – 5/2023)
Tim Andriesen
Managing Director, Agricultural Sales, Marex
Director (12/2018-9/2023)
Michael Davidson
Senior Director of Community Impact, Chicago Community Trust
Director (6/2017-9/2023)
Lee Strom
Partner, Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund
Director (11/2017-9/2023)
Shelby Parchman
Chief Executive Officer, Good Food Catalyst
Director (3/2022-2/2024)
Lori Healey
Senior Vice President, OPC Implementation Lead, Obama Foundation
Director (3/2017 – 9/2024)
Terry Hinds
Chief New Markets & Assurance Officer, Compeer Financial
Director (3/2017 – 9/2024)
Janet Mathis
Founding Principal and CEO, The Development Consortium
Director (3/2017 – 9/2024)
Tim Butler
President, Illinois Railroad Association
Director (6/2024 – 3/2025)
Evan Hultine
Vice President, Illinois Farm Bureau
Director (12/2024 – 3/2025)