Dr. Jason Ackerson is a Research Soil Scientist and Program Director for several soil carbon measurement and technology discovery projects at the Soil Health Institute. Dr. Ackerson previously served as an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University, where his research focused on developing proximal sensors to quantify soil properties and develop digital soil maps. He received his B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois and M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil Science from Texas A&M University. Dr. Ackerson is a member of the Soil Science Society of America and American Geophysical Union.

Dr. Dianna Bagnall is a Research Soil Scientist and Program Director, leading the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund and other projects at the Soil Health Institute. She is an applied soil physicist specializing in soil physical health and socioeconomic dynamics of soil management. Her research includes developing functions that show the effect of soil carbon on plant-available water, selection of the most effective soil health indicators for the North American continent, on-farm soil health assessments, qualitative analysis of farmer interviews, development of novel soil structure scanning methodology, and both measurement and modeling of preferential water flow in shrink-swell soils.

From 2014 to 2016, she served as a project manager for AgriLife Research’s Corporate Relations Office, developing proposals and managing projects. She managed sponsored research projects in soil and crop science, renewable energy, and agricultural engineering.

Dr. Bagnall received an M.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. She is an adjunct assistant professor at Texas A&M University, the 2024 recipient of the Agronomy Society of America’s Early Career Award, the Early Career Board Representative for the Soil Science Society of America, the 2024 Vice Chair of the Land Management and Conservation Section of the Agronomy Society of America, and an Associate Editor for both Vadose Zone Journal and Soil Security.

Claire Bergkamp is the COO of Textile Exchange. A global non-profit driving positive impact on climate change across the fashion and textile industry. Textile Exchange is guiding a growing community of over 800 brands, manufacturers, and farmers to holistically understand, measure, and reduce the impacts of the raw materials they use. Since joining in 2021, Claire has helped the organization to drive forward a collective climate strategy for the industry, grounded in holistic systems thinking on the interconnected impacts of climate, soil health, water, and biodiversity.

Prior to Textile Exchange, Claire was the Worldwide Sustainability and Innovation Director at Stella McCartney, leading the global environmental, human rights, and innovation strategy for the brand. Beyond helping to secure Stella McCartney’s place at the forefront of sustainable luxury, she played a leadership role a range of industry initiatives too.

Claire also serves on the steering committee for the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion and has been an instrumental part of the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action since its inception. Her influence and expertise on environmental strategy within fashion have cemented her as a core voice in the sustainability conversation over the last ten years, as well as a leader in the call for collective, connected action.

Amanda Branham, Ed. D. assumed the position of Director, Soil Health Division for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in July 2022. Prior to this position, Dr. Branham served as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Chief – Science and Technology within NRCS, and has held numerous national, state, local, and regional positions in the field of natural resources management within and outside federal service over the past twenty years. She has a background in farming and agricultural production in multiple states, most recently managing a vineyard on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Dr. Branham’s education has been varied, including two bachelor’s degrees from the State University of New York in plant science/agronomy and wildlife management, a master’s degree from North Carolina State University in environmental risk assessment, and a doctoral degree from North Carolina State University in agricultural and extension education. She currently lives with her husband and four children on the Choptank River in Caroline County, Maryland. Dr. Branham is excited to work alongside colleagues and partners in her new role in NRCS’ Soil Health Division and turn her focus toward developing and delivering world-class soil health technology and applied science for all.

Gregory Lamont Bridgeforth, who goes by Lamont, is the fifth generation of a farm that has been in business for over 100 years in Tanner, AL. He is a graduate of Auburn University. He has been farming his whole life, but 21 years full time. He has a lovely wife (Sylvia) and 6 children who make his life very exciting.

In his free time, Lamont loves spending time with his family and looking at all the different crops. He also loves participating in his church, with has family, in the children’s ministry. Another joy, Lamont volunteers at the Downtown Rescue Mission in Huntsville, AL with his family. His most favorite thing to do is go bowling. Football, basketball, etc. are also a delight.

Lamont was appointed to the Cotton Board, which oversees Cotton Inc., in 2019. He is still serving on the Board to help maintain the sustainability of cotton in the U.S.

Being selected as one of the best young farmers in America is just one of the achievements in his farming career. The New York Times has interviewed him along with the other partners in the farm about the family business. In the past five years, there have been other media outlets that have written articles about the family farm.

Adam Chappell farms 7,500 acres in Cotton Plant, Arkansas growing corn, cotton, rice, soybeans and a mix of small grains. Along with his brother Seth, the Chappell’s have re-imagined agricultural management their part of the world, jumping into the world of soil health to fend off herbicide resistant weeds and precariously thin profit margins. Adam was recently featured in a Farm Journal article where he was quoted saying: “Call it soil health, conservation, sustainable, regenerative, or any other buzzword of the day—frankly, I don’t care. My savings have been incredible, and I just call my farming what it is: profitable.”

Alyssa Charney is Chief of Staff for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Previously, Charney worked for U.S. Senator Bob Casey handling his agriculture and environmental portfolio. Prior to her time in the Senate, she led conservation policy at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, including work on the 2018 Farm Bill. Charney holds a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College, a master’s in Food and Agriculture Policy from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and a master’s in public health from Tufts University.

Karl Czymmek is the principal investigator and manager of the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration (DSWR) project at Dairy Management Inc. (DMI). Karl’s work focuses on the feed print aspect of the Net Zero Initiative and 2050 stewardship goals.

Prior to his career at DMI, Karl was a crop and IPM consultant for dairy, field crop and vegetable farmers and also worked at Cornell University serving the dairy industry as a statewide specialist in manure and nutrient management for over 20 years.

Karl grew up on a small livestock and cash crop farm in central New York State and also worked full-time on a 200-cow dairy farm. Czymmek holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor degree from University of Buffalo Law School. He is a Certified Crop Advisor and a non-practicing attorney.

Dr. Jesse Daystar is the Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Sustainability at Cotton Incorporated and an adjunct professor at the Duke Nicholas School of the Environment.  Dr. Daystar leads the cotton industry to a more regenerative and sustainable future through supporting research and outreach programs aimed at implementing best science and practices in the soil and throughout the supply chain.

Jenn has her BSc (Agr) from the University of Guelph, with an emphasis on agronomy and communications.   She is also an independent Ontario Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) with the Nutrient Management Specialty & teaches “Cropping Systems” at Algonquin College’s Agri-Business program in Eastern Ontario. A proud 4-H Leader, she truly believes that ‘Learn to do by Doing’ is a great philosophy in learning and in life.

Jenn & her husband Mike farm 1100 acres in the Upper Ottawa Valley & are both active participants in the Ontario Soil Network – a farmer-led, peer network that allows for collaboration, informal mentorship, and troubleshooting between soil stewards across Ontario. Farming in a rain shadow on heavy silty clay soils, good soil health is crucial to the farm’s success.  Reduced tillage practices & a diverse crop rotation have been enjoyed in many of their fields for several decades, to the benefit of soil structure and water quality. Cover crops, soil amendments & honeybees have been more recent additions to the farm’s soil health strategy.

Barry grew up on the family farm, and after receiving a degree in Agricultural Business and Economics at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M), worked in the commodity futures industry before returning to the family farm in 1992. He farmed and managed a family-owned commercial grain elevator until 2013 when he sold the elevator and now farms full time.

Barry is:

• Past secretary/treasurer of the National Cotton Council.
• Current board member of Cotton Council International.
• Currently on the Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Board.
• Past president of Plains Cotton Growers.
• Past board member of the Cotton Board.
• Past director of Cotton Incorporated.
• Participant in the Texas Agriculture Lifetime Leadership Program.

Barry is the 4th generation to farm in Swisher County, Texas. This part of the great plains was in the heart of the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s and because of dirt storms and the declining Ogallala Aquifer he converted all of his farms to no-till in 1996. Today the farm is rotated between cotton, grain sorghum and winter wheat emphasizing water use efficiency, capturing and utilizing rainfall, reducing erosion and building soil health.

Walmart has spent more than a decade collaborating with suppliers, NGOs, and others to drive positive change across global supply chains. Jane Ewing leads Walmart’s Sustainability team and efforts, which prioritize people and the planet by aiming to source responsibly, sell sustainable products, restore natural resources, and reduce waste and emissions.

Jane joined Walmart in 2012 as a Senior Vice President for the International division. In 2013, she transitioned to the Walmart U.S. Merchandising business before being asked to lead the U.S. Business Development team. Here she was responsible for initiatives such as In-Store General Merchandise Pickup, Supercenter Reinvention, and Digital Acceleration, where she developed solutions to provide a seamless shopping experience for customers.

Prior to her current role, Jane led the People Group for Walmart International, supporting around 700,000 associates in 26 countries. She and her team were responsible for ensuring Walmart International attracts, develops, and retains top retail talent around the world.

Before joining Walmart, Jane spent 20 years with Diageo PLC, where she held various general management roles in several countries across Northern & Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Global Travel.

Sammy is currently the Sustainability Lead for Nature at Ralph Lauren. In this role, she is driving the company’s strategies, partnerships, and projects in the areas of regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, water stewardship, and nature-based climate solutions. Before joining Ralph Lauren, she was Global Director for Water & Sustainability Operations at Anheuser-Busch InBev.

She has an MBA from MIT with a Certificate in Sustainability and a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Duke University. Prior to MIT, Sammy spent five years at the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, where she worked with clients within the U.S. Department of Defense. She also worked as a Staff Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sammy loves spending time outdoors hiking and backpacking and is also an avid home cook and baker. She lives in New York City with her husband Blaise, son Luke, and pit bull Peanut.

Mr. Richard Gaona has been a farmer since he started with his father in 1977. Currently, he and his wife Judy own and operate Gaona Joint Venture Farms. Their farm consists of 3,000 dryland cotton acres, 200 irrigated cotton acres, 700 wheat acres, 550 acres of hay, 700 pasture acres, and a commercial Angus Beef Cattle operation. Richard serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Inc. in Stamford, Texas, and as State Co-Chairman, American Cotton Producers, and the International Board of Directors for the National Cotton Council.

Jeffrey Hogue is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Levi Strauss & Co. – the iconic brand with a 167-year history. In his role, he leads the sustainability and circular economy efforts for the organization to create positive impact across the environmental and social aspects of their global operations.

Prior to joining LS&Co., Jeffrey has held several CSO and lead roles in a variety of industries including, Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Retail Food and Fashion. Preceding his leadership role at LS&Co. he designed and led C&A’s global sustainability strategies and established notable leadership in the co-development of Fashion for Good, leading C&A to the world’s largest user of certified organic cotton, guiding the organization to create the world’s most sustainable denim and circular knit products certified to Cradle to Cradle™ GOLD, developing the company’s sustainability brand value proposition #WearTheChange and in-store takeback program #WeTakeitBack, and leading the organization to leadership positions in transparency and prevention of forced labor and slavery.

Before his role at C&A, Jeffrey led CSR and Sustainability team at McDonalds Corporation. In this role, he successfully led the development of McDonald’s first global sustainability strategy and climate change positions. Prior to this, Jeffrey served for 17 years at Danisco A/S & Genencor International their VP and Chief Sustainability Officer and led the integration of Danisco’s Sustainability and Regulatory programs into the DuPont organization.

He has held numerous non-profit board positions including the C&A Foundation, the Innovation Committee of Fashion for Good, Textile Exchange, Organic Cotton Accelerator, Sun Valley Institute, , Presidio Graduate School, and The Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute.

Dr. Wayne Honeycutt leads the Institute’s programs to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soils. He previously served for 5 years as the Deputy Chief for Science and Technology with USDA-NRCS in Washington, DC, where he led programs in technology acquisition, development, and transfer to ensure NRCS conservation practices reflect the latest scientific advances for conserving the nation’s soil, water, air, plant, animal, and energy resources. He served as a Research Soil Scientist for 14 years and a Research Leader for 11 years with the USDA-ARS New England Plant, Soil, and Water Laboratory, where he led and conducted interdisciplinary research on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling and sustainable cropping systems development. In those roles he led national research teams for predicting nutrient availability, developed procedures adopted by ARS for enhancing national research coordination, and received regional and national awards for technology transfer.

He is a graduate of the “Mastering the Art of Public Leadership” executive development program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC and USDA’s “Performance Excellence and Knowledge” executive development program. He has served on assignments to the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, USDA-ARS National Program Staff, and USDA-ARS Area Office Staff.

Dr. Honeycutt’s commitment to agriculture is rooted in his experiences with raising tobacco, corn, and other crops on his family’s 120-acre farm in Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Forestry and Master's degree in Soil Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. in Soil Genesis from Colorado State University. He was the 2018 recipient of the Hugh Hammond Bennett Award, the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the Soil and Water Conservation Society, and the 2023 recipient of the Soil Science Industry and Professional Leadership Award from the Soil Science Society of America.

Dr. Maja Krzic is a well-known international soil scientist, a passionate teacher, and one of the top-ranked instructors in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. Maja is the founder of the Virtual Soil Science Learning Resources Group (https://soilweb.ca/), a collaborative teaching effort among Canadian scientists, students, and multimedia experts focused on development of open access soil science educational resources. To address the need for better integration of soil science into high school programs across Canada, in 2009, Maja initiated and continue to lead a national collaborative program Soil 4 Youth ( https://soil4youth.soilweb.ca/).

Maja developed new knowledge by combining soil science concepts and the impact of humans on soil properties and processes in crop, grassland, and forest ecosystems. Among her significant contribution to the discipline of soil science, Maja established the Canadian Soil Education Committee in 2014, to provide soil scientists with a platform for various education initiatives, and also served as President of the Canadian Society of Soil Science. Maja has an unparalleled commitment to teaching excellence and innovation; and her ongoing dedication and commitment to students has been well recognized with 22 major awards, including prestigious 3M National Teaching Fellow award.

Before retiring from SHI in June 2024, Mr. David Lamm conducted soil health education programs for farmers, their advisers, and other practitioners across the United States, building from his 40+ years of experience in working directly with farmers to improve the health of their soils and associated natural resources. He served in various positions within the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), rising to National Team Leader of the inaugural National Soil Health and Sustainability Team.

Prior to that national position he served as the Assistant State Conservationist for Programs for the state of Georgia and a District Conservationist in Indiana. He assisted with implementing the USDA-NRCS Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture program and the USDA-NRCS Conservation Security Program. Mr. Lamm earned his B.S. in Natural Resources from Ball State University.

As Head of Sustainability at Ralph Lauren, Devon leads the company’s global sustainability strategy, including a commitment to net zero emissions by 2040, 100% sustainably sourced key raw materials by 2025 and offering more circular experiences to customers from 2022. Devon has worked inside major corporations including Walmart, where she drove product and supply chain initiatives and consumer facing marketing campaigns, and Etsy where she built the company’s first sustainability team and was responsible for Etsy’s public commitments to being powered by 100% renewable electricity and achieving zero waste operations by 2020, and running a carbon neutral marketplace. Devon has also worked in the sustainability field with leading NGOs such as the Environmental Defense Fund and the Environmental Law Institute and in government posts at the Environmental Protection Agency and on Capitol Hill. Devon holds an MBA in Strategy and Marketing and an MS in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan’s Erb Institute as well as a BA in Environmental Policy, Government and Art History from Colby College.

Dr. Daniel Liptzin specializes in biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling as a Research Soil Scientist and Program Director for several projects at the Soil Health Institute. Previously, he was a Project Scientist focusing on the High Plains region for the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements. His research interests currently focus on greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and soil health methods. Dr. Liptzin is a member of the American Geophysical Union and the Soil Science Society of America. He received his B.S. from Yale University, MES from the University of Pennsylvania, and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Dr. Paul Luu is the Executive Secretary of the “4 per 1000 Initiative: Soils for Food Security and Climate”, where he has served since the initiative first launched at COP 21 in Paris, France in 2015. Prior to that appointment, he served as Director of Agropolis International, and has served in various roles within the French Ministry of Agriculture; including as Director of the Office for Agricultural Economy Development in Oversea Departments; as Department Head in charge of multilateral relationships with FAO, the World Bank, and the global partnership CGIAR; and in charge of bilateral relationships with countries in Africa and the Mediterranean, where among other duties, he managed the French food aid program. He has conducted agronomic research in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, and Tonga; and received his Ph.D. in population biology from the University of Montpellier.

Dr. Deepika Mishra is an agronomy consultant with a doctorate from Texas Tech University and a master’s from the Indian Council of Agriculture in plant breeding and genetics. Dr. Mishra is working as a Global Sustainability Advisor to Cotton Council International, U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol with experience in agriculture projects for cotton, cowpeas, castor, sesame, guar, guayule, tomato, and field pennycress (cover crop) across India and the United States. Dr. Mishra works with agricultural research scientists, conservation groups, and food and trade organizations to develop sustainability and social standards and measurement systems for agricultural crops.

Dr. Mishra lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband.

Dr. Cristine Morgan is responsible for establishing research priorities to advance soil health and developing the scientific direction, strategy and implementation for soil health research programs. Her duties include leading scientific research that advances soil health science and results in impactful outcomes.

Prior to joining the Institute, Dr. Morgan was a tenured professor of Soil Science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where she was recognized for outstanding collaboration, teaching, research, and mentoring. Her emphasis was in soil hydrology, pedometrics, and global soil security. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Morgan conducted ground-breaking research on how management practices influence soil-plant-water relations. She also developed methods that were adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for easily measuring soil carbon. She has a history of applying her knowledge to address real-world problems experienced by farmers and ranchers and is passionate about educating others.

Dr. Morgan is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, she served as a member of the Soil Science Society of America board of directors, and currently serves on the board of the North American Plant Phenotyping Network. Dr. Morgan is an editor-in-chief at the global soil science journal, Geoderma, and founding editor-in-chief of the journal Soil Security.

Dr. Morgan earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Soil Science Department (2000 and 2003, respectively). Her B.S. degree is in Plant and Environmental Soil Sciences from Texas A&M University, magna cum laude (1998).

Dr. Rob Myers is Regional Director of Extension Programs for the USDA North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. He also serves as Director of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture at University of Missouri. He has conducted a wide variety of education and research projects on cover crops, soil health, and diversified cropping systems since the early 1990s, including managing the SARE/CTIC National Cover Crop Survey and coordinating a current national training program on cover crops for farm advisors. His Ph.D. in agronomy is from University of Minnesota, and he grew up on a family farm in central Illinois.

Jess Newman is the Senior Director of Agriculture & Sustainability at McCain Foods, the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products and appetizers. Her team of agronomists and field representatives are responsible for all the potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, onions, zucchini, and other vegetables purchased directly from farmers. They also implement McCain’s 2025 sustainability goals related to agriculture: 100% of farmers implementing regenerative practices, 25% reduction in farming CO2 emissions intensity, 15% improvement in irrigation water use efficiency in water-stressed regions, and the launch of three Farms of the Future.

Jess works remotely from her home state of Michigan and travels frequently to support her team (when covid allows).

Jess is passionate about sustainability in agricultural supply chains. Her philosophy is to meet farmers where they are and help them move along the sustainability spectrum – while creating profitability too! Talking to farmers is what energizes her. She has worked at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Ecologic Institute, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Booz & Company, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and Anheuser-Busch. She holds a B.A. from Harvard, an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management (with Sustainability Certificate). She loves baking bread, sci-fi/fantasy, and cats.

Dr. LaKisha Odom joined the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) in September 2016 as a scientific program director to pursue her commitment to promoting the use of innovative science and interdisciplinary thinking to tackle today’s complex challenges in food and agriculture. She is also committed to cultivating increased diversity in a new generation of food and agriculture scientists.

Odom developed her passion for the inter-sectional space of research and policy while working at the US EPA in the Office of Research and Development and the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response’s Brownfield’s Redevelopment Program. In her academic career at Tuskegee University, she continued to seek out opportunities to work in interdisciplinary and collaborative science, as a CREATE-IGERT fellow and as a researcher at Teagasc Research facility in Carlow, Ireland. She then had the opportunity to combine her passion for interdisciplinary innovative research and policy when selected to serve as an early career intern for the Public Policy Board of the American Phytopathological Society. In 2013, Odom became an American Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the US Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Regulatory Service, where she managed a diverse portfolio which included working with the OECD Working Group for the Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology.

Odom received her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Tuskegee University, her master’s degree in environmental resource policy from The George Washington University and her doctorate in integrative biosciences from Tuskegee University.

Cameron Ogilvie, M.S., is a Soil Health Educator for SHI, where he is leading a soil health education program for farmers and agronomists in Canada. He previously served as the Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator for Soils at Guelph, which is a University of Guelph initiative to mobilize the results of soil health research and bridge gaps among farmers, researchers, and the public. He received a B.S. in Agricultural Science and an M.S. in Cropping Systems & Agronomy from the University of Guelph, where he studied the on-farm impacts of cover crops (he prefers to call them “service crops”) on water and nutrient cycling.

Laila Petrie is the CEO of 2050, an expert sustainability advisory and research organisation. She has more than 15 years of experience working in sustainability, working with the Fashion Charter, the Fashion Pact, UNEP, Textile Exchange, WWF, Google and several multinational fashion companies.

Laila is currently Co-Chair of the raw materials working group for the UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action Working Group, and was previously Co-chair of the decarbonisation working group as well as the Charter Steering Committee. For a number of years, she was the WWF Global Textile Lead, and she has taken advisory or board roles for SAC, ECAP, Textile Exchange, Accelerating Circularity, the UN 10YFP programme, and the Alliance for Water Stewardship.

Mr. Byron Rath is the Chief Impact Officer for the Soil Health Institute. Mr. Rath's duties include working with the Institute’s partners and stakeholders to help them achieve their goals through soil health. Prior to joining the Soil Health Institute, Mr. Rath taught Geography at the American Community School at Beirut in Lebanon, and worked for CCS, a global fundraising consulting and management firm that provides development services and strategic consulting to nonprofit organizations worldwide. Mr. Rath graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in English and Geography. He is proficient in written and spoken Arabic.

Jeannie Renne-Malone leads global sustainability at VF Corporation, overseeing all aspects of VF’s sustainability strategy across its brands, operations, supply chain, materials, and products. Renne-Malone has extensive experience in the development and implementation of sustainability goals and strategies, stakeholder engagement, and tracking and reporting of sustainability/ESG results. At VF, she has led various strategic initiatives, including the development of VF’s Science-Based Targets roadmap and its Green Bond Framework, which resulted in the first green bond issuance in the apparel and footwear industry. Under her leadership, VF has integrated circular design, sustainable materials and innovation across its portfolio of brands from farm to cradle, reducing energy, waste, carbon emissions and water usage, encouraging regenerative farming practices and embedding renewable energy and sustainability priorities across its operations and supply chain.

Renne-Malone has an MA in International Finance and Development from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, a BA in Spanish from the University of Washington, and holds several sustainability credentials and certifications. She sits on several committees for environmental and apparel industry organizations. She is a Board Member of the Mile High Chapter of the American Red Cross, and a Board Member of the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies Social Science Foundation. She is fluent in Spanish.

Ridgely leads Truterra initiatives to deliver ecosystem service opportunities to the Land O’Lakes grower
and retailer network, including development and implementation of Truterra’s carbon program. Previous to joining the Truterra team, Ridgely was President and Chief Operating Officer of Agren, Inc., a consulting and precision conservation software company that was acquired by Land O’Lakes in 2018. She has spent over 20 years in soil and water conservation, building innovative solutions to agriculture’s environmental challenges. Jamie and her husband, Cory, live with their three daughters on the Ridgely family’s Century Farm in Calhoun County Iowa, where they raise corn, soybeans and Belgian draft horses.

Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Rieke specializes in microbiology and engineering as a Soil Microbiome Scientist and Program Director for several projects at the Soil Health Institute. Her work aims to understand how agricultural management decisions impact soils’ ability to degrade organic residues and transform nutrients via DNA sequence-based technologies. Dr. Rieke also serves as the Institute’s Measurement Standardization Lead, where she works to standardize soil health measurements across commercial laboratories and streamline measurement and management data quality assurance and quality control. Previously, she worked on the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements to establish the most effective indicators for measuring soil health.

Dr. Rieke received her B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering from Iowa State University.