Congressman David G. Valadao was born and raised in Hanford, California. 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 started a small dairy farm in the Central Valley in 1973. The family business now consists of two dairies, as well as over 1,000 acres of farmland in Kings County, on which Valadao and his family grow almonds, corn, and dairy feed.

In 2010, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 30th State Assembly District. Valadao served on several California Assembly Committees including the Agriculture Committee.

In 2012, Valadao was elected to represent CA’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.

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.

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 involving dairy policy and price volatility issues. 

Madeline Cline serves as First District Supervisor in Mendocino County. She grew up in Redwood Valley, where she currently resides with her husband, hunting dog, and 36 pet chickens. After college, Madeline worked in the California State Assembly, advising a member of the California State Legislature on legislation, with a particular focus on the state budget. Her policy portfolio covered natural resources, tax reform, labor and employment, public safety and housing. During this time, Madeline also earned a Graduate Certificate in Policy and Government from Sacramento State University. After leaving the Assembly, Madeline took her skills and knowledge of the legislative process to the private sector, working closely with local governments across the state on their public policy and operational priorities. She went on to work with the business community, including small and veteran owned businesses, to advocate for improving California’s business climate. She also worked closely with state agencies to help them better utilize technology in serving our residents. Madeline works as a consultant, advocating for businesses and farmers in the local policy making process, in addition to her role as Supervisor.

Terry Stout is a technical expert in dairy processing with 34 years of experience in the food industry. He spent the first 17 years of his career on the production side, mostly working on drying processes. For the past 17 years, he has been on the vendor side of the business, providing sanitation solutions to food companies. Terry is the Technical Director for Hydrite, a leading provider of specialty chemicals and sanitation systems. He enjoys his hands-on role in helping customers assure food safety while also promoting plant efficiency and sustainability. 

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.

Lagrange directs the California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC) since its inception 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.

She holds a BS and MS in Food Science, Engineering Management PhD programs at George Washington University, and executive courses as Yale and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She lives in Sacramento, California.  

Abby Taylor-Silva joined KSC in 2025 as the firm’s Managing Director of Regulatory Affairs. Abby previously served as the Executive Vice President of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation, a non-profit public benefit corporation that supports leadership development for members of the agricultural industry. The Foundation supports the longest continuously operating leadership educational experience of its kind in the United States, and is widely regarded as the premier program, in its niche, in the world. She is a proud alumnae of the Foundation’s Class 45.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Abby spent two decades working on behalf of growers, shippers and processors on the Central Coast of California. In her various roles with the California Strawberry Commission, Ag Against Hunger, and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California she engaged on a variety of issues, including water supply and quality, food safety, sustainability, crop input management, community hunger solutions, and various industry-wide philanthropic endeavors.

Abby is a native of Monterey and San Benito counties, coming from a family of diversified farmers who operated in Monterey County for over 50 years. 

Kristen Putch is the editor of Dairy Processing. She joined Sosland Publishing in 2019 as the editorial project manager for the International Baking Industry Expo (IBIE) before moving to Dairy Processing in 2020, serving as managing editor until she was promoted in 2025. Prior to joining Sosland Publishing, Kristen spent over a decade covering a wide range of topics for both print and online media. Kristen holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Alma Perez-Mendez is a senior food safety leader based in Denver, Colorado, with extensive experience in microbiology, guiding food safety strategy, risk management, and cross-functional collaboration. Before coming to the United States over 15 years ago, she built 20 years of experience working in diagnostics for the poultry industry, bringing technical expertise and industry insight to her leadership. She holds a master’s degree in biochemistry and a PhD in food safety from Colorado State University. As Senior Director of Food Safety, she focuses on strengthening food safety and microbiology programs, supporting operational excellence, and building strong partnerships across teams to protect consumers and uphold quality standards. Over 12 years ago, she joined Leprino, a world leader in mozzarella cheese and dairy nutrition products, with a long history of partnering across the dairy industry to support strong food safety practices. She is passionate about practical, science-based solutions, continuous improvement, and developing teams that drive accountability and long-term results.

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.

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.

As a seasoned marketing professional, Phaedra Martin is results-focused, with proven success in driving revenue and profit gains, cost savings, and improving organizational productivity and performance.  Phaedra is passionate about enlightening customers on the value and benefits of digital transformation to help them achieve business excellence.  Known for her infectious energy, she inspires organizations to consistently excel in all endeavors.  Phaedra’s professional journey includes a 10-year career with Procter & Gamble and she holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

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. 

Michael Boccadoro has participated in California’s policy arena for more than 40 years. He specializes in public affairs consulting with distinctive expertise in environmental and sustainability management. Boccadoro has served as the executive director of Dairy Cares since its inception 25 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. Additionally, Boccadoro serves as executive director of the Agricultural Energy Consumers Association and the California Creamery Operators Association. 

Paul is the CEO and Founder of Athian, a sustainability software company that has built the world’s first carbon Marketplace for the livestock industry.  Athian’s platform provides quality greenhouse gas insetting credits that fund livestock producers’ sustainability measures.  Athian was funded by industry leading companies in animal health (Elanco & DSM Venturing), Dairy (Newtrient & California Dairies Inc.), and Beef (Tyson Ventures & AACo). Paul is a serial software startup CEO, but he comes from three generations of cattle ranchers in the 4-corners region of the US Southwest.

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

Chase DeCoite serves as the Vice President, Food Industry Outreach for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Chase’s responsibilities include leading a coordinated cross-industry approach to maintain and grow strong relationships with major retail, restaurant and consumer packaged goods companies who purchase U.S. dairy products. As a key part of the Innovation Center’s proactive outreach efforts is to encourage alignment and support for U.S. dairy’s sustainability and social responsibility programs and initiatives including animal care. Chase received a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from UC Davis and a M.S. in Agribusiness from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Allison A. Thomas is the Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Thomas joined USDEC in August 2025, following a distinguished 25-year career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A member of the Senior Executive Service, Thomas, recently served as the Deputy Administrator for Trade Policy and Geographic Affairs at the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). In her role as COO of USDEC, Thomas works directly with President Krysta Harden to oversee the senior leadership team and spearhead initiatives to accelerate growth and drive innovation in efforts to enhance U.S. dairy’s global competitiveness.

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.

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 securing and administering an extensive portfolio of nutrition and public health grants. Her ability to lead with responsiveness to local needs and build cross-sector partnerships has been instrumental in achieving common goals across diverse communities.

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.

​Mike is a Professor of Agribusiness at California Polytechnic State University and senior economist with ERA Economics specializing in agricultural economics. In addition, he is the Chief Executive Officer of the Beeronomics Society. He teaches courses focused on data analysis, research methods, and applied economics.  His research interests deal with California production agriculture including the regulatory environment currently faced by producers, as well as the economics and policy of beer and wine. Mike has worked on a range of agricultural cost studies for private and agency clients across California. This includes grower interviews to develop production cost studies and assess regulatory costs. Mike has published extensively on the effect of regulations on farm profitability and competitiveness. Mike hails from Idaho and completed his undergraduate and graduate work at Boise State and Washington State University, before moving to California and spending the last 17 years working on agricultural issues in California.   

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