Wednesday, August 27

Dr. Yan Zhang
Director of Research, National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC)

Dr. Yan Zhang serves as Director of Research at NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. With a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Arkansas and 20 years of experience across biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science, she leads projects advancing ethanol production and coproduct development. Since joining NCERC in 2003, she’s worked with USDA, FDA, EPA, and commodity groups, and has been a national speaker on DDGS nutrition and cellulose conversion. She also spent five years as a Senior Analytical Chemist at Mallinckrodt.

Dan Christenson
Senior Director, Public Policy and Government Affairs, PepsiCo

Dan Christenson leads PepsiCo’s federal advocacy strategy and policy engagement in Washington, D.C. Since joining the company in 2016, he has overseen government affairs and corporate outreach to agricultural stakeholders. Dan’s work supports PepsiCo’s supply chain sustainability and corporate reputation efforts. PepsiCo operates in more than 200 countries, generating over $91 billion in 2023 from brands like Lay’s, Gatorade, Quaker, and Pepsi-Cola.

Doug Hanson
Farmer, Iroquois County, Illinois

Doug Hanson farms 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans and manages a 65-head beef herd on 76 acres using rotational grazing. A fourth-generation farmer, Doug is a former ag teacher and now works with ProHarvest Seeds specializing in forage and cover crops. His conservation-minded practices include no-till, strip-till, diverse cover cropping, and NRCS-supported infrastructure. Doug serves on the Illinois Beef Association Board and advocates for integrating livestock into row crop systems to enhance resilience and profitability.

Lance Nacio
Commercial Fisherman and Sustainability Advocate, Louisiana

Lance Nacio is a Louisiana-based commercial fisherman and owner of Anna Marie Shrimp. Raised in the bayous of Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes, he became a full-time shrimper in 1997. In response to market and environmental challenges, he adopted sustainable practices including turtle-excluder devices and bycatch utilization. Lance has become a national voice for Gulf seafood sustainability and is helping reshape domestic markets for wild-caught shrimp and underutilized species.

Mark Gebhards
Illinois Soybean Association LEAD Program Senior Advisor

Mark Gebhards recently retired after a 42-year career in Agricultural association work that included the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, and the American Soybean Association. He worked at Illinois Farm Bureau for 28 of those years, retiring as the Chief Strategy Officer and Advisor to the President. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director of the Governmental Affairs and Commodities division, overseeing all of IFB’s legislative and regulatory work in the local, state, and federal arenas. He was also responsible for all work and programs in the commodity area that included livestock production, specialty crop production, agricultural trade work, agricultural research, and ag industry partnerships. He served as a county Farm Bureau manager in Stark and Macoupin counties at the beginning of his IFB career. Mark was the Executive Director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association for just shy of 10 years. He was one of the main authors of the Livestock Management Facilities Act, which governs livestock siting and production in Illinois still today. From 1989 to 1994, Mark worked at the American Soybean Association in St. Louis, MO, and was involved in the creation and passage of the national soybean checkoff program. Mark grew up on a grain and livestock farm west of Springfield, IL. He received his undergraduate degree in business from SIU Carbondale and completed an MBA from the U of I. He and his wife Beth of 42 years have four grown children: Shane (wife Lauren) in SC, Grant(wife Laura), Logan in SC, and Molly. Mark and Beth reside in Springfield, IL.

Annie Hennen
Director, Industry Relations, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

Annie Hennen graduated from North Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition.  Annie began her career with Cargill, gaining extensive experience in the protein industry. After completing the operations training program at Cargill’s beef plant in Schuyler, Nebraska, she advanced through roles in research and development and marketing within the value-added meats business. While at the protein headquarters in Wichita, Kansas, Annie earned her MBA, further enhancing her leadership and management skills through roles in sales operations and product management. For the past decade, Annie has called Colorado home. Her passion for agriculture and the meat industry inspired her work at Midan Marketing, where she helped clients develop impactful communication campaigns and strategic marketing initiatives. In 2024, she joined the U.S. Meat Export Federation as director of industry relations. Annie brings a unique combination of a strong agricultural foundation, hands-on industry experience, and marketing expertise to her role. She is deeply committed to promoting American meat, ensuring its quality and attributes resonate with consumers around the globe. 

Jonathan Coppess
Associate Professor; Director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program, University of Illinois

Jonathan Coppess is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With a strong background in federal policymaking, his research, extension, and teaching in agricultural policy and law are deeply informed by historical insights into federal agricultural policy development. His work specifically addresses contemporary issues related to risk management and natural resource conservation. In his role, Jonathan is responsible for conducting research, outreach, and education on various agricultural law and policy matters, including farm support policy, risk management, conservation, and renewable energy. He engages with producers and agribusinesses through classroom instruction, meetings, and presentations, and he communicates key insights through platforms such as farmdoc and farmdoc Daily. Growing up on his family’s corn and soybean farm in Darke County, Ohio, Jonathan maintains a strong connection to agriculture. His family’s farm continues to be operated by his father and brother. He earned his Juris Doctor with honors from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., and holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Corey Lacey, Ph.D.
Environmental Policy Manager, Illinois Soybean Association

Corey Lacey is the Environmental Policy Manager at the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). In his role, Dr. Lacey focuses on advocating for Illinois soybean farmers on conservation and environmental policy issues. He works to monitor, prioritize, and provide consultation on environmental policy developments that may impact Illinois farmers. He holds degrees in Environmental Soil and Water Science (University of Arkansas, BSc.), Agriculture Science (Illinois State University, MSc.) and Soil Fertility and Conservation (Purdue University, PhD). Prior to working at ISA, he managed an agricultural testing laboratory based in Central Illinois. Additionally, he has over a decade of agronomic experience working with Illinois growers.

Abigail Peterson, CCA
Director of Agronomy, Illinois Soybean Association

Abigail Peterson is the Director of Agronomy and a Certified Crop Adviser for the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). She earned a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from Iowa State University in Ames, IA. Peterson started her agronomy career in soybean production in Hedrick, Iowa, working with agronomists and farmers in seed production throughout southern Iowa. In her former role as Field Manager for the Soil Health Partnership, funded by the National Corn Growers Association, Peterson developed soil health transition plans, guided agronomic decision-making with cover crop applications to conventional systems, enrolled participants in field trials, and coordinated with multiple state organizations. At ISA utilizing experiences within seed production and cover crop systems Peterson strives to find the best soybean solutions for farmers across the state. Peterson guides ISA’s production efforts and aids in the development and implementation of agronomic agricultural research and outreach programs.