Women in Agribusiness Summit 2020
Recorded - September 16-18
2020 WOMEN IN AGRIBUSINESS
DEMETER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS
Three exceptional women in agribusiness have been chosen to receive the 2020 WIA Demeter Award of Excellence. The award recognizes those who have achieved excellence in their field or demonstrated an extraordinary contribution to the agribusiness industry.
Ponsi Trivisvavet, CEO & Director, Inari
Ponsi Trivisvavet is CEO and Director of Inari, a seed company using breakthroughs in genomic and computational science to transform plant breeding and radically reduce the amount of natural resources needed to grow our food. Ms. Trivisvavet has broad expertise in global agriculture as well as extensive management skill in the seeds business. Prior to joining Inari, she held a number of leadership roles at Syngenta, most recently as president of Syngenta Seeds North America. Before Syngenta, she held positions with McKinsey & Company. Ms. Trivisvavet holds an MBA from Cornell University.
Priscila Vansetti Machado, Director of Global Strategy and Business Development, Corteva Agriscience
Ms. Vansetti Machado leads the global strategy and operating plans for Corteva’s $6.2 billion crop protection business. By networking with internal colleagues, customers, value-chain partners, and external influencers, Ms. Vansetti Machado applies her broad global business and technical knowledge to accelerate innovation and expand market opportunities, making strategic business recommendations with far-reaching implications. A well-respected leader, Ms. Vansetti Machado leverages the knowledge she has gained through her 35-plus year career, with roles in regulatory, research & development, marketing, strategy and business leadership positions in Latin America, Canada and the United States. Ms. Vansetti Machado joined DuPont in 1981 in São Paulo, Brazil, as a science engineer in the crop protection division. Most recently, she served as the president of DuPont do Brasil and VP of Crop Protection Business for Latin America, with responsibilities for growing key strategic markets. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Suzano S.A. in São Paulo, Brazil, and on Suzano’s Sustainability, Strategy and Innovation Committees. Also, she serves as chair of the Development Committee of The International Center of Indiana, in Indianapolis, and on the board of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, D.C. as well as the Dialogue’s Finance and Audit Committee. Ms. Vansetti Machado received her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Engineering from the University of São Paulo in Brazil.
Amy Wu, Founder & Chief Content Director, From Farms to Incubators
Ms. Wu is an award-winning writer for the women’s ag and agtech movement. From Farms to Incubators is a multimedia platform that uses documentary, video, photography and the written word to tell the stories of women leaders and innovators in agtech. It has a mission of highlighting women in food, farming, and farmtech, especially women of color. From Farms to Incubators includes a documentary and a forthcoming book that spotlights women leaders in ag and agtech. The documentary and stories have been screened and presented at SXSW and Techonomy. The initiative was awarded grants from the International Center for Journalists and International Women's Media Foundation's Howard G. Buffett Fund. In 2020 Ms. Wu was named on Worth magazine’s “Groundbreakers 2020 list of 50 Women Changing the World” list. Prior to starting From Farms to Incubators, Ms. Wu spent over two decades as an investigative reporter at media outlets including the USA Today Network where she reported on agriculture and agtech for The Salinas Californian. She’s also worked at Time magazine, The Deal and contributed to The New York Times, The Huffington Post and The Wall Street Journal .She earned her bachelor’s degree in history from New York University, and master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. She is also an avid open water swimmer, and completed the 28.6 mile Manhattan Island Marathon swim in 2010.