The 2015 AIARD Future Leaders Class
Ms. Victoria Barth is an M.S. student in soil microbiology at Washington State University. A former state FFA officer, Victoria received a full scholarship as an undergraduate from the National FFA Association and the Howard Buffet Foundation to study in Rwanda. Currently, Ms. Barth works for the RippleEffect, a non-profit organization based in Malawi and affiliated with Washington State. After graduation, she intends to continue working in soil health and rural development.
Ms. Taya Brown attends Texas A&M University where she is a M.S. student studying international agricultural development. During her undergraduate studies, she had an opportunity to work in Rwanda where she worked with her colleagues to design passive-air solar food dehydrators. Continuing to focus on innovation, Ms. Brown recently competed on a top-ten finalist team in the Thought For Food global competition.
Mr. Adam Cobb studies natural resource ecology and management at Oklahoma State University where he is pursuing a Ph.D. With extensive experience working in and living in several countries (31 in total), Mr. Cobb has worked on projects in soil health, permaculture, and water quality. After graduation, he plans on working in international development through community entrepreneurship and then find a job in academia.
Ms. Angel Elisa Cruz is a Ph.D. student in agroecology at North Carolina State University. Her international experiences have been centered on working in Central America where she has worked for NGOs and conducted trainings. Her research is supported by a Borlaug Global Food Security Graduate Fellowship where she is evaluating the impact of soil conservation on food security. After graduation, Ms. Cruz hopes to conduct research and provide education in Central America.
Ms. Hannah Darr is an undergraduate studying global resource systems and biology at Iowa State University. She has traveled to Uganda for several summers to conduct nutrition and health research and supported research on farmer field schools. While in Uganda, Ms. Darr worked with colleagues to implement strategies to guarantee students one dependable meal each day. After graduation, she hopes to study epidemiology and work on local health infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ms. Katherine Dennis attends Texas A&M University where she is a Ph.D. student in recreation, park, and tourism sciences. Ms. Dennis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama after studying tropical biology and conservation in Costa Rica as an undergraduate. Her research is centered on biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. After graduation, she would like to work with local organizations on conservation and development issues.
Ms. Sarah Eissler is a M.S. student at The Pennsylvania State University studying rural sociology and international agriculture and development. As an undergraduate student, Ms. Eissler conducted an honors thesis on the agricultural, cultural, social, and historical implications of coffee production. Her graduate thesis research is being conducted on coffee innovation adoption in conjunction with CATIE. Ms. Eissler speaks French and Spanish and hopes to work on interdisciplinary projects after graduation.
Mr. Cedric Habiyaremye is a M.S. student at Washington State University where he studies crop science. Originally from Rwanda, Mr. Habiyaremye has worked for Rwandan NGOs and companies and has experience in project management and monitoring and evaluation. His research is focused on small grains and tubers. He currently works on expanding his skills in research and extension with a hope of improving smallholder farms.
Mr. Kashi Kafle attends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a Ph.D. student in international development economics. His research investigates the impact of livestock policy interventions, training, and asset ownership in Zambia, women’s empowerment in Nepal, and child development indicators in Tanzania. He has worked as a short-term consultant for the World Bank and for Heifer International. His passion is centered on designing policies that improve food security, child food security and gender equity.
Ms. Kara Riggs is completing a Ph.D. in plant, insect, and microbial sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Ms. Riggs’ undergraduate work included a course in Brazil that created her interest in international development. Her graduate research is on the physiological response of maize roots to drought conditions. She believes in interdisciplinary work and would like to work on dynamic and effective teams to address farmer malnutrition. With her colleagues, she recently published an article in Agrarian Frontiers focused on interdisciplinary teams for development.
Ms. Megan Wilkerson is a dual-major doctoral student in entomology and international agriculture and development at The Pennsylvania State University. Her research explores ant communities that threaten cocoa production in Ghana. She has also studied in South Africa and Trinidad and has received scholarships to attend the World Food Prize and the Universities Fighting World Hunger Forum. She would like to pursue a career in food security.
Ms. Kelly Wilson attends the University of California, Davis where she is a Masters student in international agricultural development. After she served in the Peace Corps in Madagascar working with rice farmers, Ms. Wilson moved to Benin to work for Partners for Development. As a graduate student, she focuses on integrated livestock management practices that include good animal welfare and environmental stewardship as a means to improve livelihoods.
Ms. Taya Brown attends Texas A&M University where she is a M.S. student studying international agricultural development. During her undergraduate studies, she had an opportunity to work in Rwanda where she worked with her colleagues to design passive-air solar food dehydrators. Continuing to focus on innovation, Ms. Brown recently competed on a top-ten finalist team in the Thought For Food global competition.
Mr. Adam Cobb studies natural resource ecology and management at Oklahoma State University where he is pursuing a Ph.D. With extensive experience working in and living in several countries (31 in total), Mr. Cobb has worked on projects in soil health, permaculture, and water quality. After graduation, he plans on working in international development through community entrepreneurship and then find a job in academia.
Ms. Angel Elisa Cruz is a Ph.D. student in agroecology at North Carolina State University. Her international experiences have been centered on working in Central America where she has worked for NGOs and conducted trainings. Her research is supported by a Borlaug Global Food Security Graduate Fellowship where she is evaluating the impact of soil conservation on food security. After graduation, Ms. Cruz hopes to conduct research and provide education in Central America.
Ms. Hannah Darr is an undergraduate studying global resource systems and biology at Iowa State University. She has traveled to Uganda for several summers to conduct nutrition and health research and supported research on farmer field schools. While in Uganda, Ms. Darr worked with colleagues to implement strategies to guarantee students one dependable meal each day. After graduation, she hopes to study epidemiology and work on local health infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ms. Katherine Dennis attends Texas A&M University where she is a Ph.D. student in recreation, park, and tourism sciences. Ms. Dennis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama after studying tropical biology and conservation in Costa Rica as an undergraduate. Her research is centered on biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. After graduation, she would like to work with local organizations on conservation and development issues.
Ms. Sarah Eissler is a M.S. student at The Pennsylvania State University studying rural sociology and international agriculture and development. As an undergraduate student, Ms. Eissler conducted an honors thesis on the agricultural, cultural, social, and historical implications of coffee production. Her graduate thesis research is being conducted on coffee innovation adoption in conjunction with CATIE. Ms. Eissler speaks French and Spanish and hopes to work on interdisciplinary projects after graduation.
Mr. Cedric Habiyaremye is a M.S. student at Washington State University where he studies crop science. Originally from Rwanda, Mr. Habiyaremye has worked for Rwandan NGOs and companies and has experience in project management and monitoring and evaluation. His research is focused on small grains and tubers. He currently works on expanding his skills in research and extension with a hope of improving smallholder farms.
Mr. Kashi Kafle attends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a Ph.D. student in international development economics. His research investigates the impact of livestock policy interventions, training, and asset ownership in Zambia, women’s empowerment in Nepal, and child development indicators in Tanzania. He has worked as a short-term consultant for the World Bank and for Heifer International. His passion is centered on designing policies that improve food security, child food security and gender equity.
Ms. Kara Riggs is completing a Ph.D. in plant, insect, and microbial sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Ms. Riggs’ undergraduate work included a course in Brazil that created her interest in international development. Her graduate research is on the physiological response of maize roots to drought conditions. She believes in interdisciplinary work and would like to work on dynamic and effective teams to address farmer malnutrition. With her colleagues, she recently published an article in Agrarian Frontiers focused on interdisciplinary teams for development.
Ms. Megan Wilkerson is a dual-major doctoral student in entomology and international agriculture and development at The Pennsylvania State University. Her research explores ant communities that threaten cocoa production in Ghana. She has also studied in South Africa and Trinidad and has received scholarships to attend the World Food Prize and the Universities Fighting World Hunger Forum. She would like to pursue a career in food security.
Ms. Kelly Wilson attends the University of California, Davis where she is a Masters student in international agricultural development. After she served in the Peace Corps in Madagascar working with rice farmers, Ms. Wilson moved to Benin to work for Partners for Development. As a graduate student, she focuses on integrated livestock management practices that include good animal welfare and environmental stewardship as a means to improve livelihoods.