Anne Ballou

Anne Ballou, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, is a molecular biologist and research strategist focused on advancing gastrointestinal health and host-microbiome interactions across animal species. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in animal science from the University of Kentucky. Driven by a passion for understanding complex biological systems, Ballou completed her Ph.D. in functional genomics in 2017 at NC State University’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science. Her doctoral research explored the intricate relationships between gastrointestinal bacteria and host immune function, providing a strong foundation for her innovative career.

As technical director at Siwa Bioworks, Ballou has built and leads a cutting-edge research platform that supports the health of both food animals and companion animals. She specializes in tailoring rigorous, science-based approaches to practical applications that improve animal well-being. Her work integrates molecular biology, data science, immunology, microbial ecology and artificial intelligence to decode the complex interactions within microbiomes. 

By democratizing access to these insights through scalable tools and translational research, she aims to empower veterinarians, producers and pet owners alike with actionable, science-based solutions that promote sustainable animal care and health outcomes.

In addition to her technical role, Ballou serves on the board of Triangle Biotech Tuesday, a nonprofit organization in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. The organization connects professionals in biotech and life sciences and supports personal and professional development across the industry. Ballou is passionate about fostering a collaborative scientific community and promoting inclusive innovation.

Reflecting on her journey, she credits the relationships she built during and since her time as a student as the most meaningful part of her experience. Ballou offers this advice to students: “Be curious and eager to learn — there is so much we don’t know and so many wonderful people ready to share their knowledge. Be generous in investing in others and measure your success by the people you inspire to work beside you.”

Angela Cauley

Angela Cauley, a native of Columbus, Ohio, is a seasoned food science professional, entrepreneur and passionate mentor. She earned her master’s in food science in 1998 from NC State University. With over 30 years of experience in food science and nutrition research, Cauley is the former co-founder and CEO of Coalescence, LLC — a custom food ingredient company that created healthy, functional solutions for food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. She launched the company in 2005 with her husband, Dr. Ian Blount, aiming to develop products that address health disparities and improve global nutrition.

Under Cauley’s leadership, Coalescence produced vitamin and mineral premixes used in ready-to-use therapeutic foods distributed in over 65 countries. The company also pioneered sodium-reduction strategies, egg white alternatives during the avian flu outbreak, and plant-based protein applications in snacks and beverages. In 2021, Cauley helped structure the successful sale of the company to another Black-owned, female-led enterprise.

Cauley currently serves as the executive director of the George Washington Carver Food Research Institute, a nonprofit she co-founded in 2013. The institute focuses on exposing underrepresented students to Agricultural STEAM careers and promoting entrepreneurship and mindfulness practices in food and wellness spaces.

She has received numerous honors, including the Hall of Distinction Award from The Ohio State University Department of Food Science & Technology, the Trailblazer Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and the Sojourner Truth Award from the Kellogg Company. Cauley also holds an ERYT 500 yoga teacher certification and volunteers her time educating communities about food as medicine and mental well-being through yoga and mindfulness.

Cauley’s greatest joy is being a wife and mother. She retired in a traditional sense at the age of 49, but she is very active and grateful for the opportunity to do her life’s work: guiding and mentoring the next generation of food professionals to lead efforts against malnutrition and food insecurity. Her advice to students: “Choose a degree in an area that feeds your soul — not just your pocketbook. Even when challenges seem insurmountable, don’t give up; push harder.”

Jeff Chandler

Jeff Chandler grew up in Montgomery County, North Carolina, where his family operated a diversified farm producing soybeans, corn, wheat and beef cattle. His agricultural upbringing led him to NC State University, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in animal science and poultry science in 1994 and a master’s in crop and soil sciences in 2000.

Chandler began his career with NC Cooperative Extension as an agricultural Extension agent in Polk and Wayne counties. He later joined the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Research Stations Division, as assistant superintendent at the Cherry Research Station. He then rejoined NC State University as superintendent of the Sandhills Research Station. In 2012, he was named director of the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River. The 397-acre facility supports field, lab and greenhouse research on apples, ornamentals, tomatoes, corn, soybeans, peaches, hops and caneberries, and is home to 12 faculty from across NC State colleges.

After retiring from NC State in 2022, Chandler became research coordinator for the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association. In this role, he facilitates strategic investments of soybean checkoff funds into research with university faculty, graduate students, industry and on-farm partners — advancing the profitability of soybeans in North Carolina.

Chandler is deeply involved in his professional and local community. He served as president of the Research Center Administrators Society, co-chair of the research committee for the North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association, and secretary of the Mills River Partnership. He’s also contributed to the NC Irrigation Society Board, Alpha Zeta Alumni Association, CALS Alumni & Friends Society Board, and NC Agricultural Foundation Board.

Chandler and his wife Amy live in Mills River and have four children, including two NC State students and alumni. He enjoys old Chevy trucks, farm equipment and cheering on the Wolfpack.

His advice to students: “Focus on your professional relationships as much as, or more than, your technical skills.”

Dalton Dockery

Dalton Dockery, a proud resident of Columbus County, North Carolina, serves as the Southeast District director for North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Overseeing 18 southeastern counties, he provides leadership and strategic direction to meet Extension’s goals and advance agricultural education across the region.

Dockery holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural education and a master’s in agricultural and extension education from NC State University, as well as a Ph.D. in leadership studies from N.C. Agricultural & Technical State University. He began his career as a dedicated teacher in the Robeson County public schools before joining Cooperative Extension as an agricultural Extension agent. In 2009, he became county Extension director in Columbus County and was promoted to his current district leadership role in 2022.

Committed to community and professional growth, Dockery has served on numerous committees at the local and national level, addressing issues from economic development to ending the upheavals of racism. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Columbus County Farm Bureau, The Dream Center, and several other civic and professional organizations. Dockery has always had a strong love for helping people and believes that education is a vital part of being successful. For over 30 years, Cooperative Extension has allowed him to live out his passion for education and meaningful community service.

Dockery is married to his lovely wife, Sheila Applewhite Dockery, and they have two children — Whitley, a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, and Bryson, a junior at Whiteville High School. Out of all the things that Dockery has accomplished in life, being a Christian, a husband and a father are the most important to him.

Dockery encourages students to remember: “It’s never about you; it’s about those you have the privilege to serve in agriculture, especially those less fortunate. By helping others grow, you also allow yourself to grow.”

Brian DuMont

When Brian DuMont was preparing to head off to college, his dad asked him what he wanted to do with his life. Without hesitation, DuMont replied, “I want to play ball.” His dad looked him straight in the eye and replied, “Son, you’re not Mickey Mantle. What are you going to do with your life?”

His dad had started in the mailroom at IBM and worked his way up to installing SAP systems worldwide, often away from home. The father-son moments DuMont cherished most were simple: going to nurseries together, spreading mulch and working in the yard. Those experiences inspired him to pursue landscape horticulture at NC State. On his very first day of class, a professor told students, “Starting salary: $17,500. If you’re here for money, there’s the door.” DuMont thought, “That’s $17,500 more than I have — let’s go.”

The summer before graduation, DuMont worked in Wilmington under a boss known for yelling and belittling his crew. Deflated, he returned to campus, questioning his future. A friend suggested, “Why don’t you start your own business?” DuMont remembered an RFP project in Professor Stu Warren’s class, where he created a mock company named Yardnique. It was the best grade DuMont ever received in landscape horticulture, and Professor Warren’s feedback was simple but powerful: “Great name.”

At 21, DuMont turned that project into reality. With nothing more than a stack of flyers and a mission to treat others the way you want to be treated, he launched Yardnique, envisioning just five employees. As the company grew, Brian was honored in 2012 with the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award, recognizing Yardnique’s early impact. Today, nearly 29 years later, Yardnique operates over 42 locations with 2,500 employees across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. DuMont’s journey began with a question from his dad, and has become a lifelong mission of building teams, impacting lives and leading with purpose.

Lizzie Johnson Harrell

Lizzie Johnson Harrell, Ph.D, D(ABMM), is a trailblazing clinical microbiologist, educator and mentor whose distinguished career spans more than three decades. Born and raised in Shallotte, North Carolina, she was the oldest of 13 siblings and graduated as valedictorian of Union High School in 1961.

Inspired by the launch of Sputnik, Harrell pursued a career in science with determination. She earned a B.S. in biology from NC Central University in 1965, an M.S. in bacteriology and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1971 and a Ph.D. in microbiology from NC State University in 1978 — becoming the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in microbiology at NC State.

Before her doctoral studies, Harrell held positions at DuPont, the Veterans Administration Hospital in Washington, D.C., and UNC Chapel Hill. She later joined the Duke University School of Medicine, where she spent 33 years as a research professor of molecular genetics and microbiology, and pathology. At Duke, she became the first full-time African American faculty member in a basic science department. She established the Molecular Section of the Clinical Microbiology Lab and led research on antimicrobial resistance. Harrell published many peer-reviewed articles and delivered numerous lectures and seminars.

Harrell served nationally as an advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. She was among the first African Americans board-certified by the American Board of Medical Microbiology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Her many honors include the Legacy Award, the Phenomenal Woman in Science Award and recognition as a Trailblazing African American Woman in Clinical Microbiology. She is a life member of the NC State Alumni Association.

Now a retired emeritus professor, Harrell remains active in her community and church. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband of 59 years, Sampson Harrell, M.D., their son Kendal, daughter-in-law Marina, and three grandchildren: Laurin (Niles), Jaylen and Jared. Kendal, Marina and Laurin are proud NC State graduates.

As a first-generation college graduate, Harrell has long championed education and mentorship. Her advice to students: Be prepared for the unexpected, become a lifelong learner and share your knowledge with others.

Ryan Kurtz

Ryan Kurtz is originally from Leland, Mississippi, a small town in the Mississippi Delta where agriculture is a way of life. His early passion for the field led him to Mississippi State University, where he earned a B.S. in agricultural pest management in 2000. He then completed his Ph.D. in entomology at NC State University in 2005, studying resistance management in Bt crops to control cotton bollworm. Kurtz has called North Carolina home for more than 25 years.

Today, Kurtz serves as vice president of the Agricultural & Environmental Research Department at Cotton Incorporated in Cary, North Carolina. He leads a team of directors who implement research programs aimed at improving production efficiency and profitability while reducing cotton’s environmental impact. He joined Cotton Incorporated in 2012, where he initially developed and led the organization’s entomology research program, later serving as senior director of entomology research. 

Prior to joining Cotton Incorporated, Kurtz worked for Syngenta Biotechnology as the lead for Traits Insect Resistance Management, providing support for research and development projects, product registrations and new active ingredient discovery, as well as stewardship for Syngenta’s Bt traits. He also created and served as content director for Cotton Cultivated, a go-to resource for cotton production research and data trends.

In addition to his industry leadership, Kurtz has remained closely connected to NC State, directly involved in funding and steering research. He has served as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology since 2019 and has guest lectured in ENT 504, Professional Development for Agriculture and Life Sciences, since 2020. He has co-authored five peer-reviewed articles with NC State faculty and maintains strong research partnerships with the university.

Kurtz also serves on the Board of the Conservation Technology Information Center and the Science Advisory Council for Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.

Outside of work, he enjoys bird hunting with his spaniels and chasing redfish on the coast.

His advice to students: “The job market in agriculture isn’t great right now. I would encourage them to remain flexible and find a way to really stand out and differentiate themselves.”

James Lamb

James Lamb is a lifelong farmer and environmental specialist from Clinton, North Carolina. Raised on a diverse family farm, Lamb spent his childhood helping tend tobacco, corn, soybeans, cucumbers, okra, cows, chickens and pigs. That early foundation shaped his future. Today, he raises around 20,000 nursery pigs annually and rents his crop land to a neighboring farmer, continuing the agricultural legacy of his family.

A proud 1996 graduate of NC State University with a degree in agriculture and environmental technology, Lamb has spent more than two decades balancing production agriculture with environmental stewardship. For 22 years he has served as an environmental specialist with Prestage Farms. His leadership and service have extended into state and national roles, including the National Pork Board’s Environmental and Nominating committees, the North Carolina Pork Council Board, and the North Carolina Soil and Water Commission. He also served 15 years as a Sampson County soil and water supervisor and held roles with Cape Fear Farm Credit and the NC Agriculture Commissioner’s Circle.

His achievements have earned wide recognition: 2016 North Carolina Outstanding Pork Producer, graduate of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Ag Leadership Development Program, 2020 and 2021 NC Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Farmer of the Year, and 2022 North Carolina Ports Cold Chain Ambassador.

A vocal advocate for sustainable farming, Lamb partnered with the CLEAR Center at the University of California, Davis in a 2025 YouTube video titled “Carrying on a Pig Farming Legacy with Purpose and Progress.” Beyond work, he enjoys promoting rabbit habitats for his beloved beagle hounds.

Family remains at the heart of his life. He and his wife, Felicia, are parents to Maegan and Kensley, an NC State CALS undergraduate. His mother, Thelma Lamb, worked on the farm until age 91 and continues to inspire him at 94.

Lamb’s advice to students: “Network and build relationships any time you can — you’ll see the same faces again on your path.”

Michael McDonald

Michael E. McDonald, a longtime resident of Cary, North Carolina, is a nationally recognized environmental scientist with a career spanning decades in environmental engineering, aquatic ecology, simulation modeling, water and wastewater treatment, and the study of environmental impacts on human health. He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in environmental engineering and oceanography from the University of Michigan in 1973, followed by a master’s in zoology in 1978 and a Ph.D. in civil engineering and zoology in 1984 all from NC State University, where he was inducted into the honor society Phi Kappa Phi.

After completing postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, McDonald began his academic career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. There, he served as a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and as director of the Minnesota Sea Grant Program from 1994 to 1998. Under his leadership, the program strengthened community-based stewardship of the Great Lakes and expanded research into sustainable aquatic systems.

In 1998, McDonald joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where he led the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program. His work established critical tools to assess the condition of the nation’s waters and ecosystems. His efforts earned him both bronze and silver EPA service medals for pioneering science that laid the groundwork for programs later adopted by the EPA’s Office of Water. He was later named branch chief of the Ecological and Human Community Analysis Branch, served as deputy national program director for Safe and Sustainable Water Resources, and retired as the branch chief for Landscape Ecology. McDonald also received an additional EPA bronze medal for his leadership on the Children’s Environmental Health Research Roadmap.

Throughout his career, McDonald authored more than 90 scientific publications, contributing foundational insights into Arctic lake ecology, Great Lakes systems, aquaculture engineering, and ecosystem restoration. His work continues to influence public health and environmental policy nationwide.

Now retired, McDonald encourages students to stay curious, persevere through challenges, and embrace lifelong learning as the foundation for a rewarding scientific career.

Ray McKinnie

M. Ray McKinnie, a native of Wayne County, North Carolina and its Nahunta community, serves as associate dean and Extension administrator for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T). He returned to N.C. A&T in January 2023 after seven years as dean and 1890 Extension administrator for the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University. Before his tenure at Virginia State, McKinnie held multiple leadership roles within CAES at N.C. A&T.

McKinnie earned his B.S. in animal science from N.C. A&T in 1976, followed by a master’s in animal science/reproductive physiology from The Ohio State University in 1978 and a Ph.D. in the same field from NC State University in 1987. His Cooperative Extension career began in 1979 as an assistant agricultural Extension agent in Wayne County with NC State Extension, then transitioned to N.C. A&T in 1980 as an Extension animal science specialist.

As a specialist and researcher, McKinnie focused on developing technologies and resources for small-scale, part-time and limited-resource farmers in North Carolina and the Southeast. He played key roles in establishing the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) at Cherry Research Farm and N.C. A&T’s Semi-Confinement Small-Scale Swine Research Program and Production Unit. As an administrator, he is dedicated to building strong organizations, recruiting talented people, developing high-quality educational programs, and using cutting-edge technology for program delivery.

McKinnie’s professional service includes chairing both the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and the Administrative Heads Section (AHS), as well as graduating from the Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) and the National Extension Leadership Development Program (NELD).

An advocate for college sports, motorsports, traveling and family, Ray is also active in professional and alumni organizations, including the American Society of Animal Science, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the N.C. A&T Aggie Athletic Foundation.

McKinnie advises students to find passion in their work and always strive for excellence, reminding them that “Excellence is intentional, not accidental.”

Aaron Messer

Aaron Messer grew up in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he developed a love of agriculture through his involvement in FFA, serving as a state FFA officer in 1998. He became a first-generation university student when he attended NC State University, where he was active in Collegiate FFA, Alpha Zeta, the NAMA Club and Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. After earning his degree in agricultural business management in 2002, Messer began his career with Cargill, spending 18 years in the animal nutrition business. He advanced from sales representative to sales manager to sales leader, earning a place in the President’s Club, which recognizes the top 1% of employees. He also held dual roles in customer segmentation and merger integration.

In 2020 Messer joined Bayer Crop Science, leading the crop protection business in the mid-Atlantic states for four years before taking his current role as business partner lead for the southern U.S.

Messer remains actively connected to NC State, serving on the CALS Alumni and Friends Board and the Master’s in Agricultural Business Development Board. In 2020, he launched “Professional Selling in the Modern Ag Industry,” a workshop designed to help agricultural business students develop career paths and strengthen sales skills. Now in its sixth year, the workshop has trained hundreds of students and serves as the primary recruiting tool for NC State’s Ag Sales Team, which Messer coaches. Competing nationally at the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) conference, the team has earned multiple top finishes, including first, second and third place under his leadership, with NC State students claiming five of the 12 finalist spots over the past two years.

Beyond agriculture, Messer serves as an elder at Triangle Grace Church in Durham, serving in adult education and leading the men’s ministry. He is a devoted husband to Ginna and proud father to Savannah and Ethan.

Aaron’s advice to students: If you build a strong network by showing genuine interest in others and sharing your passion, it will benefit you for your entire career.

Machelle Baker Sanders

Machelle Baker Sanders, a native of Belhaven, North Carolina, has built a career defined by leadership, innovation and service across the biopharmaceutical industry and state government, with more than 30 years in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, and eight years as a cabinet secretary in North Carolina appointed by Governor Roy Cooper. Sanders has led transformative initiatives that drive organizational success and economic growth.

A proud NC State University alumna with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and an Master of Healthcare Administration from Pfeiffer University, Sanders is passionate about STEM education. Her former Biogen employees established the Machelle Sanders Science Endowment at NC State in recognition of her leadership.

She served as North Carolina’s secretary of Commerce from 2021 to 2025, leading the state to recognition as the best place to do business by Business Facilities and CNBC. Under her leadership, North Carolina secured more than 70,000 jobs and $45 billion in capital investment, while launching the “First in Talent Plan” to strengthen workforce development. Previously, as secretary of the Department of Administration, she streamlined operations, championed small and minority-owned businesses, and chaired the Andrea Harris Task Force.

In the private sector, Sanders spent over a decade at Biogen, serving as vice president of manufacturing and general manager, and later as vice president of the Multiple Sclerosis Franchise Product Operations, an $8 billion franchise impacting many lives around the world. She oversaw global product launches, directed manufacturing for biologics and small molecules, and led teams of more than 1,200 employees.

Today, Sanders is president and founder of Aspire Leadership & Consulting, LLC, providing strategic workforce development, organizational transformation, and leadership coaching — especially to empower women leaders. She also serves on the boards of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Fortrea, the UNC Health Foundation, and MyFuture NC.

Sanders attributes her value-driven leadership and successes to her parents, Albert and Bertha Baker. She was deeply shaped by her parents, who spent decades as dedicated public educators and influential community leaders. Their unwavering support, inspiring example and steadfast encouragement made them her fiercest advocates and lifelong role models. 

Sanders is a proud mother of twin daughters — one an attorney and NC State alumna, the other a medical doctor completing a pediatric neurology residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Sanders encourages students to embrace curiosity, use their knowledge ethically, and remember that their background does not define their potential. She reminds them that long hours and hard work are worth it — and that representation matters.

Thaddeus Pender Sharp III

Thaddeus Pender Sharp III, a lifelong resident of the Rock Ridge community in western Wilson County, North Carolina, has built a legacy rooted in agriculture, family, and service. A 1971 graduate of NC State University’s Agricultural Institute, he has spent more than five decades advancing farming and rural leadership.

As president of Sharp Farms Inc., Sharp works alongside his brother Alan and son Thad IV to manage a diverse operation that includes flue-cured tobacco, soybeans, corn, broccoli, sweet corn, sweetpotatoes and a 400-head swine show pig enterprise. He’s also a partner in Flower’s Slaughterhouse, a custom beef and pork processing business.

During his senior year at NC State, Sharp was a proud member of the Collegiate Livestock Judging Team under the mentorship of the late animal science professor Ray Harvey. Competing across the eastern U.S., Sharp gained lifelong lessons in leadership, teamwork and finding joy in the journey.

Sharp’s commitment to agriculture and community includes leadership roles with the USDA FSA State Committee (three terms as chair), the NC Agri-Business Council (past president), and over 40 years in rural banking—serving as chairman of The Heritage Bank-Bailey and on the Board of Managers for Southern Bank. He currently serves on the Wilson Medical Center Hospital Board of Trustees.

A committed member of Nobles Chapel Baptist Church since 1961, he has faithfully served as church treasurer since 1990. His many contributions to agriculture and the community have earned him honors such as North Carolina’s Outstanding Young Farmer, Conservation Farm Family of the Year and the Commissioner’s Excellence in Agriculture Award.

Family remains his greatest joy. He shares life with partner Debbie Houston, sons Thad IV (Donna) and James (Courtney), and four beloved grandchildren: T., Alyson, McLane and Kynslee. He reminds students: “Follow a professional path focused on your dreams and what you love to do. Life requires the same sacrifices and perseverance you learn in school — sometimes cramming for life’s big tests, but always pushing forward with purpose.”