I grew up on my family’s dairy farm in Watertown, Wisconsin and now live in Omaha, Nebraska where I work for Union Pacific Railroad as a marketing manager for export grain. In this role, I lead pricing and strategy for export grain, helping move corn, soybeans, and milo from origin to global markets. Prior to this position, I was a sales manager on our grain products team working with soybean crush and ethanol accounts. Over my 11 years at Union Pacific, I have held a variety of sales roles, including assignments on the industrial team in Chicago and the food and beverage team in Northern California.

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2015 with a degree in life sciences communication and a certificate in entrepreneurship. While working, I earned my MBA with a supply chain management concentration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2023.

Outside of work, I stay connected to agriculture through my involvement in the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA) at UW-Madison Alumni and as a lifetime member of the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association (WALSAA). In my free time, I enjoy staying active, reading, and traveling to visit family and friends.

Describe your AFA experience as a student.

I first learned about AFA through UW-Madison CALS Career Services and applied to attend the AFA Leaders Conference my freshman year. I remember feeling disappointed when I wasn’t accepted and missing the opportunity. After deciding to apply again, I was excited to be accepted into Track 2 my sophomore year.

While reviewing the pre-conference materials, I recall my surprise to see that Union Pacific Railroad was my company partner. At the time, I knew nothing about railroads or transportation; I don’t believe I had even heard of Union Pacific before that.

I attended the Leaders Conference in 2012 (Track 2) and returned in 2013 and 2014 to complete Tracks 3 and 4. Through these experiences, I broadened my experience in agriculture, developed leadership skills, and built lifelong professional and personal connections. I had the opportunity to meet peers from across the country, learn about different parts of the agriculture industry, and practice key skills through AFA’s leadership development programming.

How did your AFA Student experience influence your career journey?

AFA introduced me to a side of agriculture I wouldn’t have seen otherwise and ultimately led to my career at Union Pacific. After meeting UP’s team, including Brian Salmon and Emily Peters, I stayed connected with them at each Leaders Conference.

By my senior year, I knew I wanted to build a career in agriculture and move out of state, but I wasn’t sure what that might look like. At the career and opportunity fair that year, I reconnected with Brian and Emily. Within a few weeks I was traveling to Omaha for interviews and soon after accepted a role in Marketing & Sales with Union Pacific.

Fellow AFA alum Jon Calhoun also played an important role as I transitioned from college to career in a new city. The relationships I built, along with the experience and skill development from AFA, set the foundation for my career.

Finish this sentence: Because of AFA, I…

experienced the premier collegiate development program for agricultural students, found a path in agriculture I did not know existed, returned to recruit students like me, and became part of a strong, impactful network.