Committee
Julia Brenizer
I grew up on a fifth-generation row crop and hog farm in Illinois which sparked my passion for agriculture. This led me to studying Agronomy at Iowa State University where I graduated with my B.S. degree in 2019. I now work for the Iowa Soybean Association as a Producer Services Coordinator serving farmers by helping manage programs and events and overseeing membership in my territory. In the spring and fall, I help on my family’s farm alongside my parents and four brothers. My husband and I live in Allison and in my free time I co-lead my local 4-H club, go to concerts with friends, and cheer on the Cyclones!
Elly Cain
Elly Cain is a sophomore at Iowa State University, majoring in Agriculture Life Sciences Education. She grew up in a small town in Eastern Iowa, she has deep roots in agriculture, coming from a family with a multi-generational grain farm and a father who owns a local trucking company that transports grain for farmers. She likes to spend her free time baking, being outside and spending time with her family and friends. This lifelong exposure to the agricultural industry has fueled her passion for expanding her knowledge and expertise in the field. Elly is dedicated to learning more about agriculture, aiming to make a positive impact in the industry. Her career goal is to be in the classroom teaching the next generation of agriculturists.
Sharon Chism
Sharon Chism is a grain farmer and 1991 Iowa State University graduate in Ag Business. She has worked with soil throughout her career. As an ag consultant, she works with absentee landowners and farmers. Sharon specializes in repairing and improving fragile areas of fields to make the soil more profitable and the land easier to farm through field efficiency and drainage. Sharon volunteered to help plan the leadership conference to sustain the learning and networking opportunities this conference provides to farmers and agribusiness women across the great state of Iowa.
Marilee Jones
Marilee Jones was raised with pigs and dairy cows. She began farming with her husband in 1994 and recently purchased the family farm she grew up on. Her family raises cattle and grain and operates a custom spraying and farming business. She is committed to transitioning a strong farming legacy to her five children. With so many changes in the industry, Marilee is always willing to learn and adapt to new methods. Marilee earned her real estate license and hopes to be a resource for women landowners. She is always encouraging women and girls to pursue opportunities in agriculture.
Debbie Kassel
Debbie Kassel is a farmgirl from Illinois who worked in corporate America for 12 years before retiring to raise four children and help her husband, Craig, manage and operate Kassel Farms Inc. out of Emmetsburg, IA. They farm 5300 acres of row crops along with their son Lex, an Iowa State Senior Planning to return home to farm. Her daughters are also Iowa Staters. Debbie’s work can range from operating the combine to talking with landlords, doing paperwork at the FSA office, or paying bills. She enjoys boating at Lake Okoboji in the summer and walking trails in her free time.
Dr. Sara Lira
Sara Lira is a Senior Research Scientist with Corteva Agriscience. Sara has a BS in Ecology, an MS in Genetics, and a PhD in Plant Breeding, all from Iowa State University. She was a corn breeder for ten years before taking on her current role leading sustainable cropping systems research at Corteva. Her research focuses primarily on perennial cover crop systems, reduced stature corn, and relay/double crop systems in the US cornbelt. In her free time, she enjoys mentoring graduate students and interns in agricultural research, breeding and raising Simmental cattle with her husband, gardening, hiking and training her English Shepherd.
Chelsea Llewellyn
Chelsea Llewellyn has been with the Marshall County Extension and Outreach Office for 7 years. She offers Agriculture Education for both adults and youth. She has a passion for bringing Women in Ag programs to the area for women to become more successful in their agriculture and farm careers. Chelsea grew up in town but now plays a large role on her Tama County Farm. Her husband and herself are cattle and hay producers and have a row crop operation. She now operates a small pumpkin farm on the side. She manages bookwork and cattle records. During the busy calving season you can catch Chelsea juggling mom life, her full-time job in town and work on the farm.
Carey Mathesius
Carey Mathesius is a Research Scientist with Corteva Agriscience in the Regulatory group where she has overseen global Biotech food and feed safety activities and currently leads product science teams. She served as Co-Chair of the Corteva Women’s Network and represents on CropLife International and Biotechnology Innovation Organization activities. She has a BS in Animal Science from the University of Illinois and a MS in Animal Nutrition from Iowa State University. She married into an Illinois farm family and enjoys supporting her daughter’s activities, STEM education, traveling and nature.
Melissa O’Rourke
Melissa O’Rourke is an Attorney and until 2023 served as a Farm and Agribusiness Management Specialist for ISU Extension and Outreach. She was honored to be selected as a 2023 Woman Impacting Agriculture. Melissa has practiced extensively in the fields of business and estate planning, human resources, immigration, and agricultural commercial litigation. She is a sought-after presenter throughout the region on agricultural legal issues, highlighting farm succession and planning. Melissa combines her background in education, agriculture, and law as she advises and consults with members of the farm and agribusiness community on an expansive array of business planning and legal topics.
Chinwendu Ozoh
Chinwendu Ozoh is passionate about women’s development and all conversations around food. She grew up in Nigeria and earned her BS in Agricultural Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University. Chinwendu received an MS in Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University and is currently a PhD student in Food Science and Human Nutrition. At the 2023 Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, she won 1st and 2nd place for yogurt and butter judging, respectively. Chinwendu plans to join academia and continue researching consumer behavior. She resides in Ames, IA with her three-year-old daughter and enjoys sewing and reading realistic fiction.
Lisa Scarbrough
Lisa Scarbrough is the Women in Ag Communications Specialist with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Farm Management Team. She works with Extension professionals across the state to produce videos, design marketing materials, coordinate promotion, manage websites, create program impact reports, and publish an online newsletter. She serves on the board of the Women Land and Legacy program, led by USDA-NRCS in Iowa. Lisa earned a BS in Communication Studies with a minor in Journalism from the University of Iowa. She continues to be a Hawkeye fan and enjoys going to sporting events with her dad.
Madeline Schultz
Madeline Schultz manages the Women in Ag Program for the ISU Extension and Outreach Farm Management Team. She is proud of the teamwork that led to earning the Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area Award from USDA. Madeline designs educational programs, increases women’s connections, builds the professional capacity of educators, and stewards program funding to improve the lives of women and increase agricultural sustainability. She serves on the boards of directors for Annie’s Project – Education for Farm Women, and Iowa Women in Agriculture. She earned degrees in economics and business from Iowa State University. Madeline enjoys rollerblading with her grandchildren.
Luci Sheriff
Luci Sheriff would like to welcome you to The Herd. Ten years ago, she and her husband, Levi, returned to the farm. In the years following, she realized the fine people of a griculture were her people. In the early years of farming, she learned to find balance in life. She strives to balance the uncertainty of farming corn and soybeans, with substitute teaching, and finding joy in her passions. Those passions are found in area FFA chapters and encouraging the next generation of agriculturists to find their place. Her advice for you is, “Find your passions and the stress is quieter.”
Janette Smith
Janette Smith is the GROW Grain Marketing Advisor Lead for Landus. She has experience originating grain, creating marketing plans with farmers, and leading within the agricultural industry. Her previous roles with West Central Cooperative included regional manager, senior marketing specialist, grain operations manager, agronomy sales/marketing manager, and location manager. Janette graduated from Des Moines Area Community College with an AAS in Agribusiness. To further her skills, she earned her Board of Trade certification in 1998, certificate from Purdue University in Strategic Agri Marketing in 2003, and completed the University of Missouri – Columbia, Institute of Cooperative Leadership program in 2014.
Alexis Stevens
Alexis Stevens serves Iowa State University Extension and Outreach as a Farm Management Specialist in West Central Iowa. In this role, Alexis provides research-based information on farm business management, grain marketing, land leasing, government programs, cybersecurity, and Women in Ag programs. She has a passion for helping people succeed in business as well as sharing agriculture’s story with the world. She is a certified Farm Succession Coordinator and member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. She is an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration.
Abby Tlach
Abby Tlach is from Prole, IA, and is currently a freshman at Iowa State University, majoring in Agricultural Studies with a multidisciplinary focus in agronomy, ag business, and marketing. She looks forward to becoming involved in various activities at Iowa State to enhance her engagement in agriculture. Growing up, Abby showed cattle across the country with her family, where she learned many life lessons and skills that will assist her in all her endeavors. She is also heavily involved in her parents’ Pioneer seed and agricultrual inputs business. Abby hopes to make a significant impact on agriculture, much like she has seen many women and men do thus far.
Jenna Tlach
Jenna Tlach is currently a senior majoring in Agriculture Education. Growing up, she was heavily involved in the livestock industry. Jenna and her family traveled the country showing livestock and competing at a high level. Through the livestock industry, she found a love for inspiring others and educating youth about agriculture. Having grown up immersed in agriculture, Jenna has been inspired by many Women in Ag and is excited to continue that legacy as she begins working with the Women in Ag office, where she feels she can continue empowering and educating others in the industry.
Ashlee Bratthauer
Ashlee Bratthauer was raised on a family farm in central Iowa around beef cattle and pigs. She attended Des Moines Area Community College to obtain her associate degree in Agribusiness. She is now a substitute teacher in Eastern Iowa, where she lives with her husband and new baby girl. She is grateful to live and raise her family in rural Iowa, surrounded by a strong farming community.
Ann Wolf
Ann Wolf serves as Co-Program Director for MidwestHealthyAg.org, a division of Regeneration International which is a research team studying socio-anthropological data gathering, analysis and impacts in health and climate-change for rural based, under-served communities in the Midwest.
Ann is the owner of a 300-acre family farm in Jackson County, Iowa in the driftless region. Active farm programs and partnerships in soil and water conservation include USDA, NRCS, FSA, IA DNR, IDALS, IA Natural Heritage Foundation, Pheasants Forever, and others.
Ann earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa and her Master of Arts, Philanthropy & Nonprofit Development from the University of Northern Iowa. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP).
As a lifelong learner, Ann has continued training, education, and certification from Iowa State University’s Non-Profit Leadership Institute, the School of Health Sciences, the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation, and the United Way of Central Iowa’s Nonprofit Management Institute. In addition, Ann continues furthering her knowledge in agriculture conservation and management certification programs.
