Agenda

“Leading with Resilience”

Wednesday, December 3 to Thursday, December 4, 2025
Gateway Hotel and Conference Center, Ames, Iowa

Click on the days below to view the schedule

Wed
Dec 03
9:00 am – Gallery Lobby Onsite Check-in Begins

Networking and Refreshments

10:00 am – Garden Room General Session One

Committee Remarks

University Welcome

Opening Speaker: Confidence and Resilience
Speaker: Gabrielle McNally, Women for the Land Director, American Farmland Trust

11:30 am – Garden Room Luncheon

Gather with tour leaders

12:30 pm – ISU Campus Concurrent Session A: Iowa State University Tours

Tour A1: Jack Trice Stadium Horticulture
Tour Presenter: Adam Thoms, Associate Professor and Joe Hill, Manager of Athletics Turf Grounds

Tour A2: ISU Creamery
Tour Presenters: Sarah Canova, Business Administrator

Tour A3: Plant Pathology and Horticulture Greenhouses
Tour Presenter: Aaron Brand, Building Services Specialist

Tour A4: Digital Agriculture and Drones
Tour Presenters: Doug Houser, Digital Agriculture Extension Specialist and Ryan Huffman, Senior Manager Research

Tour A5: Equine Program and Horse Barns
Tour Presenters: Nikki Ferwerda, Associate Teaching Professor

Tour A6: Iowa Forestry
Presenter: Julia Baker, Industry Extension Specialist

Tour A7: Ag 450 Farm
Presenter: Skyler Rinker, Assistant Teaching Professor

2:30 pm – Gallery Lobby Networking and refreshments

2:45 pm Concurrent Session B: Intensive Workshops

Session B1: Cyber Emergency PreparednessNorth Prairie
Speakers: Doug Jacobson, Sunil & Sujata Gaitonde Professorship in Cybersecurity and director of the ISU Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach, Jennifer Horn-Frasier, Founder and Strategist, Bluebird Sky, LLC, and Farm Management Team

Session B2: Women Managing FarmlandCentral Prairie
Speakers- Gabrielle McNally, Women for the Land Director, American Farmland Trust; and Melissa O’Rourke, Attorney and Immigration Advocate; and panel guests – TBD

Session B3: Leadership and Career AdvancementSouth Prairie
Speaker- Brenda Clark Hamilton, Founder, Fresh Coffee Professional Growth Programs

Session B4: Generations of Wisdom MentoringCardinal & Gold
Panel Speakers- TBD

4:30 pm – Garden Room General Session Two

Closing Speaker: Humor and Inspiration
Speaker: Brenda Clark Hamilton Founder, Fresh Coffee Professional Growth Programs

Committee remarks

5:00 pm Program Concludes

Optional Wednesday Evening Activities

Reiman Gardens Christmas
Cyclone Basketball Game

Thu
Dec 04
7:30 am – Gallery Lobby Onsite Check-in Begins

Networking and Refreshments

8:30 am – Garden Room General Session Three

Committee Remarks

Keynote: Ag Policy Influencer
Speaker: Courtney Knupp, USDA Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary

Women Impacting Ag Recognition
Honorees: TBD

10:15 pm – Gallery Lobby Networking and refreshments

10:30 am Concurrent Session C: Breakouts

Session C1: Team BuildingNorth Prairie
Speaker: Denise Forney, Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development at Iowa Corn

Session C2: Agriculture Safety Central Prairie
Panel Speakers: Tabitha Kuehn, Outreach Coordinator, Iowa Center for Agriculture Health and Safety (I-CASH), Chris Cornelius, Co-Owner, Cornelius Seed, Roxanne Fevold, Behavioral Health Director and Mental Health Therapist at Community Health in Ft. Dodge

Session C3: Workplace ChallengesSouth Prairie
Speaker: Laura Smythe, ISU University Omsbuds, Attorney

Session C4: Getting Through Farming’s Financial Challenges – Cardinal & Gold
Speaker: TBD

11:45 pm – Garden Room Luncheon Program

Committee Remarks

Luncheon Panel: Regenerative Agriculture
Moderator: Carey Mathesius, Research Scientist, Corteva Agriscience
Speakers: Keri Karstens, CEO for Jord BioScience, and Lisa Schulte Moore, ISU Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agricultural and Life Sciences, and co-director of the Bioeconomy Institute

1:45 pm Concurrent Session D: Breakouts

Session D1: Agriculture Policy and TradeNorth Prairie
Speakers: Julie Kenney, Chief Executive Officer, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, and Courtney Knupp, USDA Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary

Session D2: Estate and Succession PlanningCentral Prairie
Speakers: TBD

Session D3: Personal Financial PlanningSouth Prairie
Speaker: Ann Schlecta, Wealth Advisor, Silverleaf Wealth Management

Session D4: Getting Through Farming’s Financial Challenges Cardinal & Gold
Speaker: TBD

2:45 pm – Gallery Lobby Networking and refreshments

3:00 pm – Garden Room General Session Four

Capstone: Resilient Leadership
Speaker: Julie Kenny, Chief Executive Officer, Agribusiness Association of Iowa

Closing Remarks and Door Prizes

4:00 pm Program Concludes