Kathleen Merrigan
From 2013-2018, she was executive director of sustainability, director of the GW Food Institute, and professor of public policy at George Washington University. From 2009 to 2013, Merrigan was deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the United States Department of Agriculture, a 110,000 person, $150 billion federal department.
Merrigan has been actively involved with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization since 1998, serving in various roles including delegation head, chairman and lecturer. She is currently a board member of FoodCorps, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, and the World Agroforestry Centre. She is a partner in Astanor Ventures and an advisor to S2G Ventures, two firms investing in ag-tech innovations.