The Women in Agribusiness Demeter Award of Excellence, named after the ancient Greek goddess of the harvest, Demeter, recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the agribusiness sector. This year, the award will honor three outstanding women: Dr. Tracie Egger of Bright Changes Leadership Consulting, Connie Herschbach of Novus Ag, and Christine Gould of Thought For Food.
Award Criteria
To qualify for this prestigious award, recipients must have at least 10 years of experience in agriculture or the food industry, notable professional achievements, and serve as positive role models. They must also break down barriers, create opportunities, and exemplify professionalism.
Dr. Tracie Egger
Dr. Tracie Egger, the owner of Bright Changes Leadership Consulting, has considerably impacted the agriculture sector. She has served as the assistant director of the Office of Academic Programs at the Purdue University College of Agriculture, where she significantly increased the enrollment of women. Dr. Egger has also been instrumental in launching various initiatives aimed at leadership development and has facilitated workshops throughout North America.
Connie Herschbach
Connie Herschbach has had a decades-long career in IT for agriculture and is currently the VP of IT for Novus Ag. She co-founded “Women of Novus,” an organization to build a community of women in agriculture. Herschbach has been lauded for her commitment to professional development and has been a key player in launching women’s development programs at various companies.
Christine Gould
Christine Gould, the founder and CEO of Thought For Food, is a globally recognized thought leader in agriculture. Her organization has helped launch over 100 startups, raising $300 million in venture capital. Forbes has also named Gould one of the top 10 women in synthetic biology, and serves on various advisory committees, including the United Nations Food Systems Summit.
Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash
