2026 Annual Meeting Speakers
Stay tuned for more speaker announcements!
David G. Valadao
Congressman David G. Valadao was born and raised in Hanford, California in the center of the agriculturally rich Twenty-Second Congressional District. As a lifelong resident of the Central Valley, he has been active in agriculture and dairy industry groups, as well as many local charities.
The Valadao family emigrated from the Azores Islands of Portugal to the United States in 1969. After settling in the Central Valley, Valadao’s father started a small dairy farm in 1973. Valadao was born on April 14, 1977. The family business now consists of two dairies and over 1,000 acres of farmland.
In 2010, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 30th State Assembly District. Valadao served on several California Assembly Committees including the Agriculture Committee, where he held the position of Committee Vice-Chair.
In 2012, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 21st Congressional District, which included Kings County and portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties, and he served from 2013 to 2018. In 2020, Valadao was elected to return to Washington to serve in the House of Representatives. Due to redistricting, Rep. Valadao was reelected to serve his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives as the representative for California's 22nd Congressional District, which includes Kings, Kern, and Tulare Counties.
Congressman
Twenty-Second Congressional District
Mike McCully
Mike McCully owns McCully Consulting, a firm that provides strategic consulting services to dairy and food companies. Client projects include business analysis, purchasing and supply chain strategies, market research, and commodity risk management. In addition, McCully Consulting has provided subject matter expertise for global consulting companies, private equity firms, and Wall Street investment banks. Prior to starting McCully Consulting, Mike worked for over 15 years at Kraft Foods where he held management roles in dairy, meat, and grain purchasing.
Throughout his career, Mike has provided leadership on dairy industry issues. He has served on the Board of Directors for International Dairy Foods Association’s Milk Industry Foundation, IDFA Dairy Ingredients, and the Dairy Institute of California. He has been a member of IDFA’s Economic Policy Committee, Legislative Oversight Committee, Farm Bill Committee, the National Cheese Institute’s Economic Policy and Legislative Committee, and the California Dairy Institute’s Producer Relations committee. He also has served on numerous dairy industry task forces on dairy policy issues.
Owner
McCully Consulting
Glenn Millar
Glenn has been with the California Milk Advisory Board for over 10 years, serving as Director of International Business Development. On June 1, 2025, he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Strategy and Global Markets.
His previous roles include EVP and Partner at Keller’s Creamery, creator and original market maker of the CME Globex Dairy contracts, and Risk Manager for Crystal Creamery. His extensive experience in the dairy industry also includes positions such as Plant Manager at Stella Reedsburg, Director of Purchasing at Stella Foods, Warehouse and Operations lead at Alta Dena Dairy, and Dairy Reorganization Analyst at Safeway Stores.
Glenn grew up in the foothills east of Sacramento, California, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Physiology from UC Davis.
Executive VP, Strategy & Global Markets
California Milk Advisory Board
Todd Wittlinger
Raised on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin, Todd Wittlinger developed an early, hands-on understanding of the dairy industry that continues to shape his career today. With more than 20 years of experience in the dairy ingredient sector, he has built a strong track record representing some of the world’s most recognized brands, earning a reputation for deep industry knowledge and trusted partnerships.
Currently serving as Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Global Dairy Trade, Todd leads the regional commercial strategy and customer engagement from his base in the Phoenix area. His career reflects a consistent commitment to connecting global dairy markets with customers across the Americas.
He lives in the Phoenix area with his wife, Cindi.
Vice President of Sales for the Americas
Global Dairy Trade
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Veronique Lagrange
Lagrange directs the California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC) since its formation in December 2020. The CDIC was formed by the California Milk Advisory Board, USA, to stimulate and support product-oriented innovation in the industry. The CDIC funds research, applications and training programs for the dairy industry, and support the “incubator” program for entrepreneurs and start-ups.
She worked for the American Dairy Products, USA (2018-2020) with a focus on educating American consumers on the superior benefits of dairy proteins, while also providing technical support to the industry. Previously, she spent over 20 years with the US Dairy Export Council, USA, where she ran business development, product and nutrition research programs in China, North and SE Asia, Mexico and Latin America.
Director
California Dairy Innovation Center
Joshua C. Walters
Joshua C. Walters is a resourceful political professional and attorney with a background in politics, campaigns, legislative process, issue advocacy, as well as association and litigation management. Walters is a proven crisis manager, combining nearly two decades of legislative and political experience to develop winning campaigns and creative solutions to complex political, policy and legal problems on behalf of elected leaders, political coalitions, ballot measure committees, independent expenditure committees, employers, and employee associations in a variety of high-stakes environments. Walters specializes in developing campaign strategy, coalition building and management, and crafting compelling and effective messaging that achieves results across the media spectrum.
A proud native Californian, Walters is a UC alum, attending UC Davis for his undergraduate education and UC Hastings College of the Law. He is a member of the California Bar.
When not helping his clients navigate California’s political landscape, you can find Walters SCUBA diving in the warm waters of some far-off land or honing his skills as an amateur chef.
President & CEO
Walters Strategies
Bob Carroll
Bob has been with the California Milk Advisory Board for eleven years, and in the role of CEO for the past year. Previous assignments include marketing and general management at Blue Diamond Growers, where he led the team which launched branded snacks and beverages around the world, and Kraft Foods in brand management across multiple cheese, meals and enhancers brands.
A U.S. Army veteran, Carroll served from 1991 to 2006 as an Infantry officer, in roles from Rifle Platoon Leader to Battalion Operations Officer. While in the Army Reserves he was mobilized for a one-year deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.
Carroll holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Science in Business Administration from Bucknell University.
CEO
California Milk Advisory Board
Katie Davey
Katie Davey is the Executive Director for the Dairy Institute of California. She has over 20 years of experience successfully implementing federal, state and local legislative and regulatory programs, political strategies and initiatives in business and government. Prior she served for over 10 years during her career as a senior lobbyist for the California Restaurant Association. Katie has extensive experience in government service, the private sector, and trade associations across a variety of industries from construction to biotechnology.
A graduate of San Diego State University, Katie in her free time enjoys participating in the She Shares Mentorship Program, spending time with her family, dining in Sacramento restaurants and traveling.
Executive Director
Dairy Institute of California
Gary Germaine
Gary is the Vice President of Production Operations for Leprino Foods, a leading manufacturer of mozzarella cheese and nutrition products. He has been with the company for the past 14 years and he currently leads the Western Region production facilities in California and New Mexico. Before moving responsibilities to operations, Gary was the Vice President of Global Quality for Leprino Foods. He was responsible for the food safety and quality systems for all nine manufacturing facilities. Prior to joining Leprino Foods, Gary was part of the Western Region Operations team at Land O Lakes for 18 years, where he worked in the manufacturing of cheese, butter and dried dairy products.
He went to college at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and a Master's degree in Business Administration. He is still actively involved with the campus and participates on the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Science Advisory Board.
Vice President – Production Operations
Leprino Foods Company
Michael Boccadoro
Michael Boccadoro serves as executive director of the California Creamery Operators Association.
Michael has participated in California’s environmental policy arena for more than 30 years. He specializes in public affairs consulting and has distinctive expertise in the areas of environmental, climate, natural resources, and sustainability management. As president of West Coast Advisors, Boccadoro is responsible for overseeing the firm’s climate and sustainability practices. Boccadoro has served as the executive director of Dairy Cares since its inception 20 years ago and is a leading national expert on sustainable dairy production. Dairy Cares is a statewide coalition of dairy farmers, processors, and trade associations that works to help advance sustainable practices on California’s family dairy farms. Additionally, Boccadoro serves as executive director of the Agricultural Energy Consumers Association. Boccadoro received his Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from the University of California, Davis.
Executive Director
California Creamery Operators Assoc.,
Dairy Cares
John Coletta
John Coletta is the CEO of Clover Sonoma. He has over 35 years of global CPG, food service and beverage experience where he held senior leadership positions with industry leading brands including Peet’s Coffee, Quiznos and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group. His many accomplishments focused on financial management, operational infrastructure, supply chain logistics and strategic expansion.
CEO
Clover Sonoma
Katie Burgess
Katie Burgess developed a passion for the industry while growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm and joined the Ever.Ag team in 2012. She works with clients across the dairy supply chain – including producers, cooperatives, processors, retailers, restaurants and multi-national end-users. As a trained economist and commodity broker, she keeps customers updated on dairy supply and demand fundamentals and helps them manage price volatility via hedging programs. She holds a Master’s Degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Business Management, both from the University of Wisconsin.
Dairy Market Advising Director
Ever.Ag
Amy DeLisio
Amy DeLisio is a dynamic public health nutrition leader, recognized for her innovative approaches and dedication to advancing policies, practices and programs at the intersection of nutrition, agriculture, and health. As CEO of the Dairy Council of California, she combines her strategic expertise and executive leadership to drive impactful statewide initiatives that improve health outcomes and foster sustainable food systems. With expertise in food and nutrition policy, program evaluation, and community building, Amy advances dairy’s role in nutrition and health equity.
Previously, Amy served as Executive Director for the Center for Wellness and Nutrition at the Public Health Institute. Her ability to lead with responsiveness to local needs and build cross-sector partnerships has been instrumental in achieving common goals across diverse communities.
Amy holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Southern California, a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health in Leadership at the University of Illinois Chicago.
CEO
Dairy Council of California
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Darrin Monteiro
Darrin Monteiro is the Senior Vice President of Sustainability & Member Relations for California Dairies, Inc. He manages CDI’s sustainability team that develops and maintains key sustainability metrics throughout the supply chain, from the farm to the customer. Additionally, he engages with customers, identifying and securing value-add opportunities on behalf of CDI and our member-owners. Darrin also manages the CDI field team and government relations for the company. With nearly 25 years of experience in the industry, he started his career on his family farm, Monteiro Bros. Dairy. Prior to joining CDI, Darrin worked for the USDA – Farm Service Agency.
Senior Vice President of Sustainability & Member Relations
California Dairies, Inc.