The Connect Conference Advisory Council is composed of key leaders in the food and agriculture sector, including representatives across industry, higher education, and NGOs. Council members were chosen to support TWG in enhancing and expanding the Connect Conference in the areas of engagement, collaboration, and partnership, as well as representing the diverse perspectives across the sector and TWG’s membership.

Lauren Baer
Executive Director, Together We Grow

Niki Childers
Director of Partnerships, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG)

David Collier
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant, CHS, Inc.

Theressa Cooper
Assistant Dean for Diversity and Adjunct Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University

Dan Harr
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, Scoular

Randy Irving
Director of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, Nutrien

Moses Kairo
Dean & Director of Land Grant Programs, School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Antonio McLaren
Vice President for Program Innovation & Implementation, the 1890 Universities Foundation

Philomena Morrissey Satre
Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion and External Strategic Partnerships, Land O’Lakes

LaKisha Odom
Scientific Program Director, Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)

Jeannette Robles
Director, Global Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, ADM

Quentin Tyler
Director of Michigan State University Extension

Ted Wells
Vice President, Client Services, STEMconnector

PHILOMENA MORRISSEY SATRE

Philomena serves as Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion and External Strategic Partnerships at Land O’Lakes. She joined Land O’Lakes June 2017, bringing more than 30 years of human resource experience in diversity and inclusion, community relations, work life and wellbeing. Before joining Land O’Lakes, she worked at Wells Fargo & Company. Her previous roles included VP of Organizational Effectiveness Development, Diversity and Inclusion; Community Outreach Consultant; and Senior HR Consultant.

Philomena has extensive experience in developing and implementing diversity strategies, including internal initiatives and community-focused pipelines. Previously, Philomena participated in a Middle East Fellows project, in partnership with Hamline University and the U.S. State Department and traveled to the Middle East as a part of the peace and economic development project.

Philomena joined the Board of Directors for the Cookie Cart organization and leads the Governance Committee. Philomena serves on the Agriculture D and I Consortium (Together We Grow), the Dairy Girl Network Diversity Coalition, Minnesota Business Racial Equity Coalition (MBCRE) and co-chairs the Twin Cities DEI Roundtable. She co led the Equity Team for the 2022 Women’s NCAA Basketball Tourney. She also serves on the Parish Council at St Thomas Becket in Eagan MN.

Philomena previously served on Leadership Advisory Board for SHIFT and the Board of SHIFT (nonprofit focused on people in midlife) for 8 years. Minnesota Workforce Citizen Commission on Aging, Minneapolis Workforce Council, the Executive Leadership Council for Honoring Women Worldwide, the Goodwill Easter Seals, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), Lifeworks, HIRED and Resource Inc. Advisory Boards. She also co led the 2020 Women on Boards initiative for Minnesota.

Philomena has received numerous awards, including AARP/Pollen 50 over 50, the Minneapolis Business Journal’s Woman Change Maker and Minority Advocate, Minnesota Business The (Real) Power 50 Award and the University of Phoenix Diversity Leadership Award. Philomena has an MA in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine University and a BA in Public Administration and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse. Philomena has taught as an Adjunct Professor at the University of St Catherine in the Master of Organizational Leadership Graduate Program.

Connect Conference Advisory Council

DR. BILLIE GRANT

DR. ANTONIO McLAREN

ELIAS G. QUIÑONEZ

REBECCA POPARA

JANELLE DURAY

KARL BINNS

ROBERT THOMAS

DR. MOSES T. KAIRO

JENNIFER WRIGHT

MIKIYAH BALDWIN

RENEE AARON

BRYTANY GAMA

JAHQETHEA JOHNSON

JESSICA JOHNSON

JEANNETTE ROBLES

TED WELLS

DR. THERESSA COOPER

PHILOMENA MORRISSEY SATRE

RANDY IRVING

CRYSTAL ANDREWS BANKS

EMILY BEST

IAN SMITH

DR. RONDA HAMM

BONNIE JOHNSON

MARTHA MONTOYA

RUSSELL SCHILLER

JAZMIN ALBARRAN

DR. QUENTIN TYLER

STEPHEN RITZ

DR. DEWAYNE GOLDMON