Speakers

Juan Mayta is an agricultural product leader with deep expertise in plant breeding, genomics, and digital agriculture. A graduate of Zamorano University and an agronomist by training, he has led commercial strategy and product innovation across the seed industry, including leadership roles at Monsanto, Bayer Crop Science, and currently Inari Agriculture. As Commercial Product Management Director at Inari, he drives the development and commercialization of AI-enabled gene editing technologies to improve crop productivity and sustainability. Juan is also passionate about agricultural innovation, entrepreneurship, and building new ventures that connect science, technology, and global agriculture.

Dr. Germán Sandoya-Miranda is the Endowed Chair in Raspberry Breeding and Associate Professor at Washington State University, specializing in plant breeding and genetics. Previously, he served as a faculty member at the University of Florida. His research combines classical breeding and genetics to develop crops with improved disease resistance, yield, and adaptation to environmental stresses. His current work focuses on developing high-yielding, resilient raspberry cultivars adapted to the Pacific Northwest, with improved resistance to diseases, pests, heat, and other environmental challenges.

Dr. Machado is a Technical Business Development Manager at Blue Diamond Growers, supporting strategic accounts across North America. Before joining BDG, she spent over six years at Novozymes (now Novonesis), where she led a team providing technical support for food and beverage applications involving enzymes. Earlier in her career, she worked for seven years at General Mills, contributing to product development and innovation for major brands like Chex Mix and Nature Valley. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Food Science from Purdue University and a B.S. from Zamorano University. Originally from Ecuador, she now lives in North Carolina and actively mentors students and young professionals.

Dr. Meneses joined the PSA team in March 2023 as a Spanish-Language Extension Associate. She supports growers, educators, and regulatory officials to ensure FSMA regulation and outreach are available to Spanish-speaking communities, domestically and internationally. Dr. Meneses has experience in industry and academia; she worked as a research assistant professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she conducted research on water reuse for the food sector. These projects integrated water treatment technologies, food safety microbiology, and the quantification of environmental impacts. Dr. Meneses' work has been presented at national and international conferences and published in reputable scientific journals. Dr. Meneses holds a Ph.D. and a Master's degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a B.Sc. in Agro-Industrial Engineering from Zamorano University.

Dr. Brian E. Myers is a nationally recognized leader in agricultural education, currently serving as Professor and Chair of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida. With over two decades of experience in academia, his career reflects a deep commitment to shaping the future of agricultural education, preparing educators and students alike to meet the evolving challenges of food, agriculture, and natural resource systems. Dr. Myers has authored or co-authored more than 100 refereed journal articles and conference papers, contributing significantly to the fields of experiential learning, teacher professional development, and science integration in agricultural curricula. Dr. Myers earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Communication from the University of Florida, following M.S. and B.S. degrees in Agriculture Education and Mechanization from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He has further honed his leadership skills through prestigious programs such as Cornell University's Executive Leadership Certificate and the Food Systems Leadership Institute. Nationally, he serves as President-elect of the American Association for Agricultural Education and is an Editor of the Journal of Agricultural Education, reflecting his standing in the discipline.

Dr. Keith Leslie Andrews is an academic administrator, artist, and development specialist with extensive experience in agricultural education and institutional leadership. He served as Director General of Zamorano University from 1993 to 2002 and returned as Interim President in 2025-2026, leading institutional modernization, strategic planning, and financial management. He also held leadership roles with IICA in Guatemala and El Salvador, managing major agricultural research and development projects. In parallel, he has developed a career as a sculptor, creating large-scale public works and participating in numerous exhibitions. His research focuses on rural education, well-being, and agricultural development in Latin America.

Dr. Paret's research includes characterization of plant pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses, development of field-based molecular and sensing-based diagnostic techniques, plant disease image classification using machine learning and artificial intelligence, and management of diseases using novel methods including natural and engineered nano materials.

Dr. Sara Salgado McDonald is the Urban Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County, where she leads countywide programs that advance sustainable landscaping, home horticulture, and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ practices. She oversees the Master Gardener Volunteer Program, providing strategic direction, training, and coordination for a large volunteer network that supports community education efforts. Her work integrates applied horticultural science with program management, stakeholder engagement, and community leadership to strengthen urban environmental stewardship across the region. Dr. McDonald is passionate about developing innovative, research-based initiatives and is committed to expanding her leadership impact within the land-grant and agricultural sectors.

Dr. Carlos Esquivel, from Guatemala and a Zamorano Class 2011, earned both his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from The Ohio State University. He is currently a Senior Entomologist at Bayer CropScience, where he leads safety studies supporting the risk assessment of genetically modified crops for global registration and commercialization.

Dr. Oswaldo Medina-Ramírez is an anthropologist and research methodologist from Loja, Ecuador, specializing in water governance, public policy, and social systems. A graduate of Zamorano University and the University of Florida, his career spans government, academia, and international development. He has worked with communities, governments, NGOs, and international organizations across the Americas on water governance, rural development, environmental governance, and food security.

Dr. Jiménez completed his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding at the University of Florida in May 2026, where his research focused on improving blueberry fruit texture by integrating sensory, instrumental, and genomic approaches. He has experience across multiple breeding programs, including blueberry, strawberry, wheat, rice, and beans, with a strong interest in applying quantitative genetics and genomic tools to support cultivar development. Originally from Colombia and trained at Zamorano University, Juan is passionate about connecting science, industry, and agricultural innovation to develop varieties that create value for growers and support more resilient farming systems.

Dr. Robert Gilbert has served as dean for research and director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station at UF/IFAS since 2019 and as executive director for academic affairs since 2024. He oversees the UF/IFAS research enterprise, which includes more than $200 million in annual research expenditures. Dr. Gilbert joined the UF/IFAS faculty in 2000, later serving as director of the Everglades Research and Education Center, chair of the Department of Agronomy, and interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources.

Jeffery P. Cohen is the president of Zamorano University with more than 20 years of international development experience. Before joining Zamorano, he held leadership positions at USAID across Latin America and Asia, specializing in sustainable development, climate resilience, and strategic partnerships. He is committed to strengthening Zamorano's role as a global leader in tropical agriculture and food systems innovation.

Issa Diaz is originally from San Luis, Comayagua, Honduras. She is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) at Cornell University, where her research focuses on developing technology-driven solutions to improve nutrient management practices in New York corn production systems by integrating advanced data analytics and precision agriculture technologies. Issa earned her M.S. in Soil Physics from Auburn University in Alabama in 2024 and her B.S. in Agricultural Science and Production from Zamorano University in Honduras in 2020.

Dr. Kevin M. Folta is a Professor in the UF/IFAS University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Horticultural Sciences Department. His research focuses on plant molecular biology, photomorphogenesis, genomics, and crop improvement, with particular expertise in how light influences plant growth, flavor, and development. Dr. Folta has contributed to major advances in strawberry genomics and is widely recognized for his efforts in science communication and public engagement on agricultural biotechnology and plant science.

Dr. T. Grady Roberts is a Professor of Agricultural Education and Distinguished Teaching Scholar at the University of Florida, specializing in agricultural education, experiential learning, and faculty development. His work focuses on advancing teaching and learning in agricultural and extension settings. He has authored over 200 refereed journal articles and contributed to projects exceeding $38 million in external funding. Dr. Roberts is also an active leader in professional organizations and has received numerous national and international honors for his contributions to teaching, research, and service.

Dr. Juan E. Andrade Laborde is an associate professor of global food and nutrition at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville. He holds a B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences from Zamorano University, Honduras, and a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from Purdue University. Dr. Andrade's long-term goal is to develop sustainable strategies that can be used to deliver adequate nutrition, especially micronutrients and high-quality protein, to residents of low-resource countries and thereby help to promote human health and economic development. His research interests are focused on innovative concepts for food fortification, point-of-use sensing technologies for micronutrients in fortified foods, reformulation of relief food products, and service, experiential learning education programs. Dr. Andrade is an affiliated faculty in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, the Global Food Systems Institute, the Center for Latin American Studies and the Center for African Studies at UF.

Dr. Al Wysocki is the Associate Dean and Professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida. His current responsibilities include overseeing the college's distance (including UF Online, PACE, and self-supported programs) and statewide education efforts, assisting faculty and students with study abroad opportunities, facilitating international agreements between IFAS faculty and international institutions, assisting in the delivery of the college's faculty teaching development, helping students engage in undergraduate research opportunities, and directing the CALS Honors Scholars Certificate program.

Dr. Pablo Lamino is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida, specializing in agricultural leadership, communication, and global engagement. His research focuses on community development, migration, food systems, and underrepresented populations. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and conducted research across the United States and Latin America. His work emphasizes developing future agricultural leaders and strengthening communities through inclusive education and leadership development.

Dr. MacDonald is a professor in the Agronomy Department at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He teaches undergraduate courses in weed science and crop production, and three graduate level courses on herbicide physiology, tropical crop production and advanced weed science. His research focus is invasive plant biology and management. In addition, Dr. MacDonald has served as the principal investigator for 3 USAID Peanut projects in Guyana and Haiti, and where peanuts were utilized to develop a school snack program and therapeutic foods. He has also worked in Ghana and most recently Malawi. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to work in Guyana in cooperation with the University of Guyana in 2021 and continues to provide teaching and student mentoring.

Hugh Smith specializes in integrated pest management with an emphasis on vegetable pests. His research focuses on management of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), thrips (Thysanoptera) and other pests, including spider mites (Tetranychidae). Dr. Smith's program evaluates insecticide resistance and efficacy for key pests of horticultural crops, and incorporates biological control, biopesticides and host plant resistance to promote sustainable pest management solutions for Florida's specialty crop growers.

Dr. Johan Desaeger was born and raised in Belgium, and he graduated as an agricultural engineer from the University of Ghent. He started working with nematodes in 1994 in Kenya at the International Center for Research in Agroforestry. After completing his PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from the University of Leuven in 2001, he moved to the U.S. to work on nematode management in vegetables at the Universities of Florida and Georgia. He made the leap to industry in 2005 when he joined DuPont to start up a nematology program at their former research facility in Delaware. Dr. Desaeger came back to Florida and joined the UF/IFAS faculty in the summer of 2016 to build a new nematology research group at the GCREC.

Dr. Fisher manages two university/industry groups to undertake applied research and grower training for greenhouse floriculture production and water conservation. Floriculture is a globally connected network with flow of plant material, inputs, and diseases/pests. We collaborate with other UF researchers, as well as universities and companies around the U.S. and overseas.