A pest control adviser with over 10 years of experience, Ashley works with a variety of different field and tree crops across several counties in the Sacramento Valley

Billy's primary responsibility is overseeing the field work that takes place on BirdReturns agricultural habitats. This includes running field crews, managing relationships with farmers, and designing and conducting field experiments. One example is the sandhill crane social attraction experiment where we attempted to attract cranes to new viable habitats using visual and audio lures. In addition to this I also participate in many projects across the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership including a migratory shorebird drought response study and pacific flyway surveys.  

Before his current stint at The Nature Conservancy Billy worked in the field of avian ecology for many organizations including Point Blue, Audubon CA, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, CDFW and previous stints at TNC. I have a B.S. in Biology from UW-Platteville and a M.S. in Environmental Conservation from Florida Atlantic University.

Professor of Cooperative Extension
University of California, Davis

Egg Salvage Program Coordinator, Waterfowl Biologist
California Waterfowl Association

Melvin D. Androus Endowed Professor for Weed Science

Kate Walker is a Technical Service Manager at FMC with several years of experience in rice chemicals.

Lina Bernaola, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Department of Entomology. She was born in Lima, Peru. Her research interests lie in both applied and fundamental aspects of plant-insect interactions and the influence of soil microbes (predominantly mutualistic fungi such as arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi, AMF) on plant defense and interactions with other organisms. In particular, her research focus is in the interactions of rice with its major insect pests in Texas. Dr. Bernaola uses multidisciplinary tools to study these complex interactions, including agronomy, plant biochemistry and physiology, insect physiology, and ecology. Broadly, her research seeks to identify and develop sustainable and cost-effective management programs for insect pests of rice.

Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program Coordinator
California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Farm Advisor
University of California Cooperative Extension - Contra Costa, Sacramento, Solano, Yolo, San Joaquin, Capitol Corridor MCP 

Mike has spent several years as a Field Market Development Specialist at Valent USA, LLC, working in rice and other agronomic crops.

Sara Rosenberg is the University of California Cooperative Extension Regenerative Agriculture Advisor for Mariposa, Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Her extension and research program evaluate and support management decisions which improve soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation outcomes; decrease external input dependance.  Sara received her master’s degree in International Agriculture Development and a Ph.D in Horticulture and Agronomy with a focus in Agroecology, both from UC Davis. Prior to working on her Ph.D., she was an agriculture advisor in the Peace Corps for more than three years. Here, she worked closely with smallholder farmers in West Africa, implementing conservation agriculture programs such as minimal tillage and cover crop adoption in both annual crops and tree crops, mainly in the cashew forestry sector. In California, she has worked on farms for more than eight years, including running her own small, diversified farm in Woodland.

Sharon Bell has been working at UPL as a Territory Sales Manager for Northern California for over 2 years and has local experience in row crops.

President & CEO

California Rice Commission

Tim is the first President & CEO of the California Rice Commission, which traces its beginnings to 1998, and an act of the state legislature. The commission is one of the state’s most respected agricultural organizations representing all farmers and handlers that grow and mill rice on 500,000 acres each year, largely in the Sacramento Valley. 

Under his leadership, the commission has become known as the provider of rice in nearly every piece of sushi in the U.S., as well as a highly prized food in many countries around the world. 

Tim served in a number of leadership roles including the External Advisory Board for the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis. Tim and his wife Ann are also partners in a family vineyard. Their Sierra Foothills vines are known for producing award-winning Zinfandels.

Director of Seed Certification Operations, Foundation Seed Program Executive Director, Certified Seed Program Advisor
California Crop Improvement Association