Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an insightful conversation with Melissa Phillips, the North America Laboratory Research Lead. In this episode, Melissa shares her inspiring journey from working a seasonal part-time position while reevaluating her career trajectory, to earning her Registered Seed Technologist accreditation and pursuing advanced degrees in agriculture. She highlights how her drive for self-reliance spurred her on to continuous learning and helped her develop what she calls "back pocket information," or transferable skills that come in handy. Melissa also opens up about overcoming significant life challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, and how careful pre-planning along with a robust support system made navigating critical workplace decisions more manageable. As a "silent motivator," she provides valuable insights on guiding the next generation, addressing gender bias with her daughter in the traditionally male field of engineering, and raising her son to be a supportive ally. Finally, Melissa imparts essential advice for women in agriculture, stressing the importance of self-awareness, particularly regarding body language and approachability, and emphasizing the need to build a foundation for self-reliance. Don't miss this empowering episode!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for another special podcast episode celebrating our 10-year anniversary featuring additional insights from Kate McQueen, VP of North America Row Crop Production, three years after her first appearance. This episode includes a re-listening to her originally aired podcast, now enriched with new content and reflections. Kate emphasized her fundamental message of avoiding the pursuit of perfection, encouraging listeners to recognize their strengths and values while collaborating with those who complement them instead of trying to be everything to everyone. Considering the current uncertainties in the agricultural industry, she urged women to embrace change, manage their mindset, and be proactive and engaged, prioritizing self-care through small daily practices. Kate also reflected on her journey of work-life integration, stressing the importance of establishing boundaries and evaluating balance over extended periods, such as monthly, to alleviate daily guilt. She openly shared her struggles with imposter syndrome, advocating for trust in one’s network, reframing negative thoughts, and approaching situations with humility. Her updated "shout from the rooftops" message inspires everyone to "be the person you want to be now" and embodies the change they wish to see in the world. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Kate share even more incredible advice and guidance.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we commemorate the 10th anniversary of Women in Seed Production (WISP) by bringing together a vibrant panel of women. They will reflect on past episodes and delve into valuable advice and examples that have shaped their own journeys in career advancement and life within seed production. This celebration will not only honor our milestones but also explore how revisiting these discussions has enriched their experiences and provided actionable insights for navigating challenges in the industry. This episode emphasized the power of community and mentorship, showcasing how these relationships foster a supportive environment for personal and professional growth. A standout moment was Anna Jansen's inspiring quote: "do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better do better," which resonated deeply with the panelists. Jason Wildman contributed a valuable perspective, encouraging listeners to view failures not as setbacks but asopportunities to adopt a creative mindset. His insights reinforced the idea that embracing failure can lead to innovation and growth. While Jim Dowling’s analogy illustrated how "failure bricks" can be transformed into "stepping stones" for personal and team elevation, fostering a "fail forward" approach. The conversation also highlighted Hannah Neuenschwander’s advice that there are no "wrong" decisions in one’s career path, encouraging listeners to embrace non-traditional routes. Drew Yingling emphasized the significance of building trust through respect and open communication, creating a safe space for honest feedback. The episode concluded with heartfelt reflections on whatthey would advise their younger selves, focusing on trusting the process and leveraging community. The Women in Seed Production Network is celebrating our 10th anniversary throughout the entire month, so be sure to subscribe to catch all the amazing content!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Women in Seed Production (WISP) by gathering former and current hosts to share their favorite clips and insights. We begin with a powerful selection by Allie Jack featuring Abby Repp, who inspires us with the reminder that "you are enough," promoting self-acceptance and resilience against the pressure to be perfect. Megan Reynolds has chosen a clip with Allegra Belknap, which underscores the importance of overcoming confidence barriers by utilizing your network and acknowledging transferable skills when faced with new opportunities. Abby Repp’s clip featuring Therese Montellano-Mullins calls for action to "take a seat, make a seat" at the table, advocating for bold self-assertion and the creation of opportunities for others. Additionally, Alexis Myers’ clip with Cheryl Werner imparts the wisdom to trust your journey, recognizing that career choices are often "for now, not forever," and encourages embracing various paths instead of getting caught up in "what ifs." Overall, the episode powerfully reinforces the critical role of connections and support systems within WISP, fostering self-worth, bravery, and the ability to write your own unique story. Looking for more roundtable discussions featuring former and current hosts of the WiSPER Loud Podcast? Stay tuned for next week, when we release a second episode with a new group of fantastic hosts! The Women in Seed Production Network is celebrating our 10th anniversary throughout the entire month, so be sure to subscribe to catch all the amazing content!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a specialpodcast episode commemorating WiSP’s 10-year anniversary. This episode features insights from Shannon Hauf, the North America, Australia, and New Zealand ProductSupply Lead, who returns four years after her initial appearance in the second episode of the podcast. We revisit her original episode, now enhanced with fresh content and reflections. Shannon discusses the significant progress andadvancements for women in the agriculture sector over the past four years, emphasizing that "women belong in agriculture." She underscores the importance of allyship, and the support women provide to one another in the industry, recognizing their contributions from the farmgate to boardroom tables. Key advice for women in seed production includes seeking out a supportive network, being bold and unapologetic in their roles, and fostering resilience in the cyclical agricultural landscape. Shannon Hauf's remarkable career trajectory illustrates the power of thorough preparation and steadfast confidence in leadership. This episode celebrates the strides made by women in agriculture and advocates for ongoing efforts in diversity, innovation, and collaboration to empower everyone and propel the industry forward.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an insightful discussion with Salam Akhtar, a seasoned leader in the Canadian crop science sector, who shares his experiences and advice on career progression, ownership and leadership. Salam’s talks about his journey from Pakistan to Canada, emphasizing the importance of owning one's decisions, adaptability, and the willingness to start from scratch. He discusses navigating different company cultures, building trust within teams, and leading through organizational transformations from hierarchical to agile models. Key takeaways include the value of transparency, peer-to-peer accountability, and the significance of hard work and honesty in achieving career success. You won’t want to miss any of this exciting conversation with Salam!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a candid conversation with Cheryl Warner, a continuation from our previous episode “Decisions for Now, Not Forever”. Cheryl emphasizes the significance of trust as a choice rather than something to be earned in leadership. She describes how this approach fosters greater team ownership and collaboration. Cheryl also discusses her experiences with mentorship, highlighting the value of helping others develop their career paths and offering insights to those seeking guidance. Ultimately, she champions a leadership philosophy centered on empowerment and vulnerability to achieve team success. This episode offers valuable takeaways on leadership, trust, mentorship, and empowering teams. You don’t want to miss the conclusion of our incredible conversation with Cheryl!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a candid conversation featuring Cheryl Werner, a site manager with 31 years of experience and an advocate for advancing women in leadership. Cheryl shares her non-typical career path, highlighting how prioritizing family led to spending 17 years at one location. A key realization was that she owned her career decisions, which shifted her perspective from feeling passed over to empowerment and motivated her to take diverse roles within that location. Cheryl advises young professionals to trust the process, take ownership of their careers, and use a career map to explore different paths, remembering that decisions for "now" are not "forever" as circumstances change. This thought-provoking first part of the conversation offers valuable insights into career navigation and work-life balance, with Part 2 coming next month! Make sure to stay tuned for even more from Cheryl!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an enlightening conversation with Debbie Holderman as she explores the transformative concept of the "Corporate Athlete." In this episode, Debbie delves into the principles outlined in the book "Corporate Athlete," highlighting how adopting the training mindset of elite athletes can empower individuals to effectively manage their mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional energy for sustained high performance in the workplace. Debbie shares her personal journey of embracing the "Corporate Athlete" philosophy and emphasizes the critical roles of both training and recovery in achieving a balanced life and successful career. She reflects on her evolving sense of purpose, sparked by profound questions that helped illuminate her core values. Additionally, Debbie introduces the concept of “energy leadership” and the seven levels of energy, illustrating how a deeper understanding of these levels can significantly enhance leadership effectiveness. She concludes the episode with an inspiring message about the importance of each moment in shaping our identities and the necessity of leading with genuine purpose, viewing every experience as an opportunity for growth. Don’t miss this thought-provoking episode that promises to inspire and empower listeners to lead with intention and energy!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we have a candid conversation with Danielle Smetana. Danielle talks to us about the shift in her passions from technical work to leading and developing people. Danielle delves into managing work-life balance while maintaining career momentum, particularly as a wife and mother, stressing the importance of open communication and mutual support. She also shares her passion for recruiting over the past decade and the joy of helping students find their path. With Danielle's positive and relatable insights, listeners will find an inspiring final message to trust in the support of friends and colleagues to help achieve their goals. This engaging conversation is full of encouragement and valuable takeaways on navigating career shifts, embracing leadership, balancing work and life, and discovering professional passion. Don't miss Danielle's wisdom!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we have a candid conversation with Scott Baucum. Scott shares personal anecdotes about his upbringing and professional experiences, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, coaching, and receptivity in fostering allyship. He emphasizes the need to speak truth to power, avoid herd mentality, and making decisions with consideration for their consequences. Scott leaves listeners with advice on living with passion and having a strong personal code of conduct. Don’t miss this engaging conversation full of encouragement and valuable takeaways!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we have a candid conversation with Dr. Sheilah Oltmans-Deardorff. Sheilah reflects on her journey to earning her Ph.D. and the impactful professors who supported her along the way. She discusses the power of asking for help, the necessity of setting boundaries and shares practical advice for collaborating with global teams. With positivity and relatable insights, Sheilah leaves listeners with an inspiring final message and a thought-provoking quote to carry forward. Don’t miss this engaging conversation full of encouragement and valuable takeaways!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network in a conversation with Dr. Magan Lewis. Dr. Magan joins us from Iowa with a passion in plant breeding and genetics, transformation, innovation, and education! She shares with us how her “why” has evolved, along with her family's love for STEM and their impact on the community. She brings vibrant energy and excitement to our listeners and shares tips on how we can get started living our own “why”!
Disclaimer: This episode does contain a story around the fear of a potential pregnancy loss while working in the fields. If you would like to skip this section it starts at minute 32 and ends around minute 34. Thank you.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for our latest episode with our guest, Jason Wildman. Jason is currently a Unit Lead for the North America Row Crop Cotton business residing in Lubbock, TX with over 25 years of experience in a wide range of areas including NA Row Crops Corn, Soy, and Cotton, Supply Planning, Crop Protection Manufacturing, and Global Operational Excellence. He shares with us pivotal moments, his leadership brand and advice for how to achieve psychological safety in the workplace. Jason also talks to us about the empowerment model and how failure can be a path forward. Whether you are a new leader, looking to become a leader or have many years of leadership experience, listen along with us as Jason takes us on a thought-provoking conversation.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network in a conversation with Jacqueline Benson McRoberts. Jacqueline joins us from the Vegetable R&D organization where she currently serves as the Head of Data Stewardship and Digital Enablement. She shares with us her childhood that was full of travel, while supporting her father’s time in the military. Health and wellness were instilled in Jaci at a young age, but personal and professional life changes got in the way of these priorities. She shares her journey back to a great mental state, offers advice on how to ask for help, and encourages all of us to know we are deserving. Come along!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for another installment of our A Day in the Life Series! In this episode we talk to 4 individuals from across our seed production sites. The group joining us in this episode has a focus on field and plant operations. Listen as we discuss the challenges they face, what they love about their careers, and the things they do every day to help keep seed production sites and field operations running smoothly. Join us as we talk to Tatum Davis about her experiences in cotton field production. Blaire Britten gives us a look behind the curtain of a foundation corn operation in Othello, Washington. Dani Hartford discusses summer plant operations and Nancy Holmes shares advice on being well rounded in both field and plant operations. Let’s jump right in with another installment of our A Day in the Life Series!
Join the Women in Seed Production Network in a conversation with Lindsey Battle. Lindsey spent the first half of her career with a people focus in human resources. Currently, she leads new product launches and special projects for cotton and sugar beets. Lindsey has a passion for people and championing their success. She has been involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives since she started her career and is currently the US lead for her organization’s Women’s Network. In this episode, we celebrate National Women’s Equality Day, discuss and share stories highlighting the successes and importance of business resource groups, and remind ourselves that we rise by lifting others.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network for Part 2 of our A Day in the Life Series! In this episode we continue our conversations with 3 more individuals from across our seed production sites. Listen as we discuss the challenges they face, what they love about their careers, and the things they do every day to help keep seed production sites running smoothly. Join us as we talk to Mark Witt about his cotton experiences and the unseen tasks in both safety and quality that keep everything moving. Tiffany Arizmendi talks to us about how technology has changed throughout her time and reminds us not to be afraid of change. Wrap up this episode by listening to Laura Wheeler talk about the importance of knowing your people and working together to improve safety. This episode isn’t the last of our A Day in the Life series! We will be back in September when we will be joined by even more colleagues discussing their accomplishments and challenges throughout seed production.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we talk to 3 different individuals from across our seed production sites about a day in their lives. Listen as we discuss the challenges they face, what they love about their jobs, and the things they do every day to help keep seed production sites running smoothly. Join us as we talk to Lexie Howe about how she helps mitigate downtime by using automation, Angie Dickmann about how she uses action items to hold herself and others accountable and Sherry Miller about how technology has advanced and her approach to getting everyone involved in the quality space. This episode is just the start of our A Day in the Life series! Stay tuned for part 2 coming later this month where we will be joined by even more colleagues discussing their accomplishments and challenges throughout seed production.
Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we talk about parenthood and how to balance this role at and away from work. Our guest, Austin Thiel, brings a thoughtful perspective on how to be intentional with your time and being thankful for the ones closest to you. In this conversation, Austin gives us various angles and types of interactions he’s experienced as it relates to working and family. From being an employee without children, to a new parent, and adding additional children into the mix, Austin shares just how important intentionality and time management can be. Austin will leave you with a moving message on the importance of appreciating your loved ones. Join us as we dive into work-life integration!