Tuesday, April 11
CONFERENCE AGENDA
Time (EDT)
Session/event
Speaker(s)
1:30 p.m.
Check-in table open
Visit the conference check-in table to get your nametag, registration packet, and information about the conference.
2:30 p.m.
Connect to Purpose: Welcome
We are so excited to be in Atlanta with you! Join us to kick off our first in-person annual meeting since pre-COVID with introductions and excitement about the conference and future of Together We Grow.
- Lauren Baer, Together We Grow
- Melissa Werneck, Kraft Heinz
3 p.m.
Connect to Partnership: Furthering DEI and Workforce Development through Partnerships
This panel will discuss the power of leveraging partnerships that have furthered workforce and DEI priorities. This session will be followed by Q&A.
- Moderator: Karl Binns, Cargill
- Janelle Duray, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG)
- Dr. Antonio McLaren, 1890 Universities Foundation
- Jeannette Robles, ADM
- Jennifer Wright, Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council
4 p.m.
Break
4:15 p.m.
Connect to STEM: The State of STEM – A Framework to Support Organizational Decision Making
This session will cover STEMconnector’s recent research about the state of STEM. This session will be followed by Q&A.
- Jessica Johnson, STEMconnector
- Ted Wells, STEMconnector
4:45 p.m.
Connect to the Road Ahead: Building a Vision for TWG
Engage with TWG’s strategic planning process in this interactive session with the TWG Strategic Planning Committee to gain your perspectives and insight.
- Lauren Baer, Together We Grow
- Polly Ruhland, United Soybean Board
- Dr. Ben West, University of Tennessee
- TWG Strategic Planning Committee
5:45 p.m.
CONNECT! Reception and Networking
Take time to enjoy yourself and connect with colleagues at the TWG CONNECT! cocktail and networking reception followed by the conference dinner.
6:45 p.m.
Conference dinner
Wednesday, April 12
CONFERENCE AGENDA
Time (EDT)
Session/event
Speaker(s)
7:30 a.m.
Continental breakfast and networking / check-in table open
Enjoy breakfast and networking before we start the day. If you are just joining, visit the conference check-in table to get your registration packet, nametag, and information about the conference.
8 a.m.
Connect to the Present: Welcome
You will not want to be late for day two! We are kicking of the day with an energizing keynote speaker after a brief welcome.
- Lauren Baer, Together We Grow
8:15 a.m.
Connect to Inspiration and Innovation: Keynote Speaker
As part of our commitment to engaging with innovative ideas towards change and progress, we welcome Stephen Ritz of the Green Bronx Machine for a keynote followed by Q&A.
- Stephen Ritz, Green Bronx Machine
9:15 a.m.
Connect to Progress: Where Are We Going and How Do We Get There? Workforce Development and DEI Perspectives
This fireside chat will discuss the current state of the agriculture sector related to workforce development and DEI, what progress we are striving for, and actions USDA is taking to make progress. This session will be followed by Q&A.
- Moderator: Dr. Quentin Tyler, Michigan State University
- Dr. Dewayne Goldmon, USDA
10:15 a.m.
Break, group picture, and book signing
Join us for the conference group picture and Stephen Ritz’s book signing opportunity.
10:30 a.m.
Connect to Understanding: Higher Education and Industry Approaches to DEI
This panel will explore the approaches to DEI from higher education and industry perspectives to increase understanding and ensure we are connecting on common ground. This panel will be followed by Q&A.
- Moderator: Philomena Morrissey Satre, Land O’Lakes
- Crystal Andrews Banks, Kraft Heinz
- Dr. Theressa Cooper, Iowa State University
- Randy Irving, Nutrien
11:30 a.m.
Lunch and Connect to Storytelling: Changing the Narrative
Stories are a powerful form of connection in reaching audiences and changing the narrative around agriculture and food. These lunch roundtable discussions will focus on how to reach a diverse audience and authentically tell stories.
Roundtable moderators:
- Jazmin Alberran, Seed Your Future
- Dr. Billie Grant, Tuskegee University
- Dr. Ronda Hamm, Corteva Agriscience
- Bonnie Johnson, AgCareers.com
- Martha Montoya, AgTools, Inc.
- Rebecca Popara, Colorado State University System
- Elias G. Quiñonez, Colorado State University
- Russell Schiller, Together We Grow
- Ian Smith, National MANRRS
12:30 p.m.
Connect to Our Future: What is the New Workforce Looking For?
What are the expectations of the upcoming workforce? How does the current work environment align with the desires of this new generation for agriculture and food? Student leaders across various universities will join us for a panel discussion and live Q&A to discuss how to prepare for their entrance into the workforce.
- Moderator: Renee Aaron, STEMconnector
- Mikiyah Baldwin, Florida A&M University
- Brytany Gama, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Jahqethea Johnson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Robert Thomas, Prairie View A&M University
1:30 p.m.
Connect to the Road Ahead: Building a Vision for TWG
Engage with TWG’s strategic planning process in this interactive session with the TWG Strategic Planning Committee to gain your perspectives and insight.
- Lauren Baer, Together We Grow
- Polly Ruhland, United Soybean Board
- Dr. Ben West, University of Tennessee
- TWG Strategic Planning Committee
2:30 p.m.
Break and book signing
Stephen Ritz will be signing books during the break.
2:45 p.m.
Connect to Impact: How Storytelling Can Build a Resilient Workforce
How can storytelling impact the workforce? This interactive session will illustrate the power of stories to build resiliency in today’s workforce and organizations.
- Emily Best, Seed&Spark and Film Forward
3:45 p.m.
Connect to the Path Forward: Closing Remarks
- Lauren Baer, Together We Grow
4 p.m.
Conference ends
If you are attending the MANRRS Diversity Summit, take a break and get ready for an exciting evening!
