WASHINGTON: The Women’s Meat Industry Network (WMIN) is created to bring together women from entry-level to C-suite in a variety of industry jobs from sales, operations, food safety, academia and management.
The organization will offer mentoring, professional development and networking opportunities in the meat and poultry industry.
“I am very proud to be in the company of a distinguished and talented group of women working in the meat and poultry industry who want to share their knowledge with other women pursuing careers in our fields,” said Heidi Buske, chair of the WMIN.
“I look forward to WMIN providing a more formal support system that will expand and strengthen the participation of women in our industry.”
“Recognizing that meat and poultry production and related businesses are typically male-dominated, a group of women in industry and academia agreed to work together to address this disparity and to improve professional development and career opportunities for women,” WMIN said.
WMIN’s Board of Directors includes:
Angie Krieger – vice president, Operations, National Pork Board
Carol L. Lorenzen – professor and department head, Oregon State University
Casey M. Owens, PhD – professor, Poultry Processing & Products, University of Arkansas
Cathy East – vice president of Procurement, Albertsons Companies
Cheyenne McEndaffer – director, Export Services/Access, US Meat Export Federation
Collette Kaster – chief executive officer, American Meat Science Association
Heidi Buske – strategic portfolio lead – North America Protein, Cargill
Jess Pryles – owner, Hardcore Carnivore
KatieRose McCullough, PhD, MPH – director, Science and Public Health, North American Meat Institute
Kay Stinson – vice president of Human Resources and Employee Communications, Seaboard Foods
Meredith Strickland – senior director of Finance & Accounting, Tyson Foods
Natosha Walsh – senior vice president of Sales – CPS Division, Hormel Foods
Wendy Pinkerton – head of Industry Relations, Zoetis
Corporate sponsors of the network include American Foods Group, Cargill, Pork Checkoff, Clemens Food Group, Seaboard Foods and the US Meat Export Federation. Membership in the network is not exclusive to women.