Named a Champion of Diversity in Canada, Brenda is committed to the empowerment of others and has traveled as a Nuffield Scholar, inspiring the development of mentorship programs for women and girls. Brenda owned and operated her own ranches employing solar power, regenerative grazing and extensive animal welfare practices. She was recognized as a Canadian leader in the field, earning the Award of Excellence in Communication for her work in advocating for food animal care and handling. Brenda earned her MA Global Leadership in 2019 and is currently the Vice Chair of Nuffield Canada.

Robert is the Founder and CEO of AI-First Consulting, helping organizations across Atlantic Canada use AI to work smarter, improve processes and build confidence with new tools. With a background in industrial engineering, he focuses on practical AI adoption that supports people, strengthens operations and delivers real results. 

Dr. Laura is an agricultural scientist, experienced communicator and 2025 Nuffield Farming Scholar working at the forefront of farmer-led knowledge exchange in the UK arable sector. As Senior Knowledge Transfer Manager at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), she designs and delivers research and engagement programmes that place farmers at the centre, translating scientific evidence into practical on-farm decision-making through peer-to-peer learning, on-farm trials and innovative knowledge exchange approaches.

Ken is a passionate agri-innovator with 30 years in agriculture research and extension with private industry, government and a non-profit charity, Farming Smarter. Ken has built Farming Smarter into a world class agriculture innovation hub and believes strongly that regionally focused groups are essential to ensure that farms remain competitive and resilient. Ken holds of Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Science from Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC, and is a 2022 Nuffield Scholar, a professional Agrologist and certified crop advisor.

Brooke is an independent behavioral insights consultant and the founder of Tributary Consulting. She works with agricultural and conservation organizations to apply human-centered approaches to planning, program design, and advisory strategies. Her work focuses on understanding the factors that influence decision-making and practice adoption to support more effective program design and implementation.

With more than 20 years of experience working with farmers in Washington State, Vermont and New York, Kristen leads extension programming and applied research focused on nutrient management and environmental sustainability for Cornell University’s PRO-DAIRY program and is a member of the Cornell Nutrient Management Spear Program team. She enjoys working with all facets of the dairy industry to demonstrate and evaluate conservation cropping systems that benefit farms and the environment. As a Certified Crop Adviser, she aims to identify practical and effective strategies that can be adopted by northeast producers that both increase environmental sustainability and improve farm profitability and management.