PRESS RELEASE: Women in Agribusiness Announces Winners of Inaugural Leadership Awards

NEW ORLEANS, August 24, 2026 – Women in Agribusiness (WIA) has announced the 13 winners of its inaugural WIA Leadership Awards, a new program recognizing the industry’s most influential women for their specific contributions to the future of the food and agriculture sector.

The WIA Leadership Awards are the only independently judged, discipline-specific recognitions in agriculture designed to honor the executives, investors, technologists, and advisors shaping the industry’s future. The program is part of WIA's broader awards platform alongside its long-standing Demeter Award of Excellence – WIA's highest honor since 2013, which recognizes cumulative, career-defining contributions to the sector. Together, the two programs form a complete picture of women's contributions to agriculture: the Demeter Award for exceptional achievement built over a career, and the Leadership Awards for the most consequential work being done in specific disciplines right now.

“We are proud to announce the inaugural class of WIA Leadership Award honorees as they represent the strategic and operational excellence that is driving the agribusiness sector forward,” said Svitlana Synkovska, WIA portfolio director. “These leaders are not just excelling in their fields; they are defining what is possible in agricultural technology, finance, talent development, and executive strategy. Their achievements provide a clear benchmark for leadership across the industry.”

The selection process was guided by an independent judging panel, which evaluated nominations against defined criteria for each of the six categories. Nominees were assessed based on quantifiable outcomes, recent achievements, and impact beyond their immediate organizations.

The winners of the 2026 Women in Agribusiness Leadership Awards are:

Executive Leadership

·      Sarah Beth Aubrey, Founder & CEO, The Envoy Group

·      Marji Guyler-Alaniz, CEO, AgriSompo North America

·      Meryl Kennedy, CEO, Kennedy Rice Mill, LLC

·      Christy Seyfert, CEO, Farm Credit Council

·      Sara Wyant, Founder & President, Agri-Pulse Communications

Innovation & AI Leadership

·      Sarah Hinkley, Co-founder & CEO, Barn Owl Precision Agriculture

Investment & Capital Leadership

·      Susan Payne, Co-founder & CEO, Holistic Agricultural Investments Group Ltd (HAIG)

Talent & Workforce Leadership

·      Kathy Eichlin, Head of Corporate & Crop Protection Communications, Syngenta North America

Advisory & Consulting Leadership

·      Jacqueline Langlois, Founder & CEO, Gen D Consulting

·      Krista Swanson, Chief Economist, National Corn Growers Association

Rising Leadership

·      Samantha Shapess, General Manager, Mercer Milling

·      Natalie Shaw Wagner, Communications Lead, CHS Inc.

·      Baylie Williams, Owner & CEO, Eden Bay Advising

The winners will be formally recognized at an awards presentation on September 24 during the 2026 Women in Agribusiness Summit in New Orleans.

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About Women in Agribusiness

Women in Agribusiness (www.womeninag.com), an Arc company, is the foremost organization dedicated to leading the growth in global female agribusiness leadership with a platform that encourages collaboration for innovation and development. Its renowned annual Women in Agribusiness Summit serves as a vital platform for women to network with professionals across the agriculture value chain, build business relationships, learn from esteemed thought leaders and stay informed on key commercial topics in agribusiness. Follow us on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About Arc

Arc is a B2B events, data and media platform, backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital. Founded to redefine business networking, Arc organizes over 150 events a year and operates critical content platforms in HR, agriculture and food, financial services and investing, and education. Arc has over 350 talented colleagues located in the U.S., U.K., Netherlands and Singapore who focus on seeking out new ways to connect communities, wherever, whenever or however people need to come together to grow their businesses. For more information, visit www.arc-network.com or fin