Jury 2026

Mathilde Brion has been working as a journalist since 2011 and specialized in agricultural trade media with a focus on livestock production in 2018. She particularly values direct exchanges with farmers as well as technical professionals on site. Throughout the year, she is committed to making their voices visible and representing their concerns. She considers the advancement of women in agriculture to be a central component of an egalitarian approach at both the societal and international level.

Women have long been the backbone of agriculture, constituting approximately 43% of the global agricultural labor force according to fao.org and this means they are responsible for at least half of the world’s food production.

Despite their significant representation, women often face challenges such as limited access to land, financial resources, and education. Addressing these barriers is essential to unlocking their full potential and ensuring a more equitable and productive agricultural sector. As the global demand for sustainable and resilient food systems grows, so does the need for greater recognition and empowerment of women in the industry. It is a time to call for a strong execution to recognize women in AG to create a role model and networking platform to inspire our young generations. 

CV:

May holds a PhD in Biotechnology from Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. She began her career in Monsanto to guide and lead the quality, then she was the Executive Director of the regional seed association namely the Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA) where she had built a strong network with multi- stakeholders in the seed supply chain in both public and private sectors. Her expertise is in seed policy advocacy and capacity building programs on plant variety protection and international seed movement. Her current role at East-West Seed is to guide and monitor stakeholder engagement, policy and regulatory update, strengthening public relations and promoting the company's position and mission on serving smallholder farmers with innovative seeds and sustainable agricultural practices.   
 

Agriculture and aquaculture are facing complex challenges, from climate change to resource constraints and food security. To deal with this, we need a wide range of perspectives and skills. We need everyone at the table to build solutions that are both resilient and sustainable.

Increasing the number of women in our industry is key to this. Diverse teams make better decisions and are better equipped to deal with complexity.
Visibility also matters. Showing the role and achievements of women helps create role models and encourages the next generation to enter the field.
This is crucial if we want to build a stronger and more resilient food system.

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Cécile Deterre is a French physicist and entrepreneur, CTO and co-founder of Blue Planet Ecosystems, a Vienna-based company developing modular, data-driven aquaculture systems.

After a career in experimental particle physics at institutions including CERN and DESY, she moved into climate-tech to work on sustainable food production. Her work focuses on designing scalable aquaculture systems that combine microalgae cultivation, recirculating aquaculture, and automation to enable efficient and resource-conscious fish farming.

Through Blue Planet Ecosystems, she contributes to the development of new approaches to aquaculture that reduce pressure on wild fish stocks and support more resilient food systems.

She is also a French Foreign Trade Advisor and co-president of the French Tech Vienna initiative.

Women make up approximately 50% of society and are therefore also part of agriculture and active in this sector. They often bring new perspectives into farming operations that lead to progress and at the same time positively influence employee motivation and the working environment.

Mixed teams are more creative and better at solving problems. Women often develop additional sources of income for farms and take care of marketing as well as leisure and educational services, among other things. This does not exclude leadership roles – quite the opposite: well‑trained women are crucial in agriculture, especially in times of skilled labour shortages, and can also help secure farm succession. Supporting women in their abilities in agriculture contributes to fairer structures.

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Maren Ebinger is a veterinarian living in Argentina. Her connection to agriculture comes from her mother, whose grandfather founded a dairy farm that is now run by the fourth generation. Today, the family farm focuses on arable farming and cow–calf operations.

Driven by her love of nature, Maren Ebinger studied veterinary medicine and worked as a large‑animal veterinarian in rural areas, specializing in calf rearing. She recently began teaching at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires and at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. In addition, she works as a consultant.

It’s time we move beyond the narrative of women “joining” agriculture and instead celebrate the fact that they’ve always been here – and now, they’re getting the opportunity to lead it too."

Women have always been a part of agriculture – working alongside family, managing households, running books, raising children, and feeding shearing teams, all while contributing to the day-to-day running of farms and agribusinesses. Their presence is not new, but the visibility of their leadership is. What’s shifting now is that more women are stepping into formal leadership roles – on boards, in research, as innovators, and as voices shaping the future of our industry. It’s not that women are entering agriculture for the first time, it’s that we’re finally recognising the depth of their contribution and their capacity to lead.

Promoting and celebrating women in agriculture is important because it encourages diversity of thought, attracts future generations of women into the industry, and ensures that decision-making reflects the full spectrum of those contributing to the sector. Visibility matters – when women see themselves represented, they see what’s possible. 

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Belinda Lay is the Chief Administration & Finance Executive (CAFÉ) and a partner at Coolindown Farms, a sheep and grain operation near Esperance in Western Australia. Having worked in agriculture since 1994, she brings over 30 years of experience and holds diplomas in business management, agriculture, and project management; in 2020, she also completed the program of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2019, she won the WA AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award for her GPS sheep‑monitoring innovation. She works intensively on innovations in livestock management, particularly IoT technologies, EIDs, and data‑driven decision‑making. Belinda holds a research license, conducted research projects during Covid, and represented livestock producers for four years on the board of WAMIA. She is a member of the ARC committee and, since 2024, part of the Industry Advisory Committee of the Zero Net Emission Agriculture CRC. In addition to her professional activities, she serves in several voluntary leadership roles within her community.

Dr. Maria Theresa Mercene Mutia is Scientist I and Executive Director of the DA‑NFRDI in the Philippines. She earned her PhD and undergraduate degrees in Environmental Science and Zoology from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. She founded the Freshwater Fisheries Research and Development Center and led key programs such as the National Stock Assessment Program and the Aquabiz TBI. Among her most significant contributions are the conservation of the endemic Sardinella tawilis—through a closed season, protected area measures, and science‑based governance with local stakeholders and the PAMB TVPL—as well as the first successful breeding of the maliputo, which has opened new opportunities for aquaculture. Dr. Mutia has authored numerous publications, mentored aspiring scientists, and received both national and international recognition.

I am so honored to serve on the jury of the Women in Ag Awards. I am so excited to learn more about the amazing women leaders in Agriculture and to play a role in elevating and acknowledging outstanding contributions they are making. Women play an essential role in Agriculture and it’s a wonderful opportunity to highlight and celebrate these amazing leaders.

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LaKisha Odom works at the intersection of sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in agriculture, focusing on innovative solutions for sustainable food production and economic viability for producers. Often one of the few in key discussions who looks like her, she believes diversity drives innovation. Her passion is creating inclusive spaces where all voices contribute to addressing global challenges like climate change, population growth, and food security. At the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), she leads DEI efforts and research programs that support regenerative farming, healthier food access, and diverse farmer adoption of sustainable practices.

Women have always played an important role in agriculture across different levels, yet their contributions are not always fully recognized. 

There is a need to continue creating space for women to grow, lead, and be acknowledged for their work. When women are supported, they bring value through knowledge, innovation, and commitment that benefit the entire agricultural sector. Recognizing women and their achievements encourage others to step forward and contribute to building a more inclusive and balanced industry."

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Dr. Ogunleke Funmilayo Oladunni is a Principal Lecturer at the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology in Ibadan, Nigeria. She holds a PhD in Animal Science (Dairy Products) from the University of Ibadan and has a background in Agricultural Biochemistry and Nutrition. With over 20 years of experience in teaching, research, and administration, she has strengthened the college’s academic structures and programs. She has served as Deputy Provost (Administration), Director of Extension Services, and the first Head of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Management. Her work focuses on capacity building in animal production, curriculum development, and student mentorship. She also organized Nigeria’s first World School Milk Day.

Kim Schoukens is the founder of Women in Ag Magazine, co-founder of the Women in Ag Foundation and co-organiser of the Women in Ag Awards.

After obtaining her master’s degree in Italian, Spanish & English linguistics and literature, Kim started her career in the equestrian sector before making the switch to agriculture. Coming into the industry as an outsider, she noticed first-hand how women in agriculture work hard for little visibility or recognition. Her work focuses on empowering women in agriculture from around the world to tell their stories, be visible and set an example for the next generations of women in agriculture.

Through the newly founded Women in Ag Foundation, Kim endeavours to build a global sisterhood of women in agriculture and their allies, where women can learn, grow, raise issues and feel safe to be seen.

When she is not leading the Women in Ag movement, Kim grows flowers and herbs on her regenerative micro farm and studies herbalism.