Where are you originally from/where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Missoula, MT
Where did you go to school? Major?
I have a BA from University of Oregon in history and Spanish and an MBA from University of Montana.
Tell us about your family.
My fiancé Valentin is from Mexico, but has been living in Chile for about 10 years, which is where we met. The visa process has been interrupted due to the Embassy being closed since March, but he will be moving here hopefully before the end of the year. He is an entrepreneur and will keep his businesses in Chile and look to start something in Boise. My parents are still in Missoula along with my brother. Valentin’s side of the family is in Mexico City. We are very close to our families and spend a lot of time visiting them.
Hobbies/free time?
My main hobbies revolve around food, physical activity and travel. I love to be active and outdoors, a good fit in Idaho. I do a lot of running, walking, hiking and just bought a bike to commute to work occasionally. I like to cook and bake, mainly because I love to eat! In normal times, I pride myself on knowing the best restaurants and trying all different types of food. Travel has really defined my personal and professional life. I think it is the best education and helps us understand that we have a lot more in common with people from other backgrounds than what separates us. My goal in life is for my number of countries visited to always equal or exceed the number of years old I am. Right now I’m winning!
Tell us about your time in Chile.
I spent four years as the Marketing Manager for South America in the U.S. Wheat office in Santiago. We covered Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Brazil, doing market development activities for all six classes of U.S. wheat. I traveled all over the region, working with wheat buyers, millers and end product manufacturers to improve their understanding, handling and processing of U.S. wheat. Activities range from helping buyers write good contracts to ensure they receive the quality they need, to sending container of wheat so a mill can try a new class of wheat for the first time, to organizing large seminars to deliver crop quality data.
It was a huge challenge to learn a totally new job with such technical details and do it all in a second language. By the end I was very comfortable working in Spanish but creating such good professional relationships with customers throughout the region was probably by biggest professional feat to date.
South America is an incredible continent, full of incredible natural wonders and such warm people. I had a wonderful group of friends in Santiago from all over the world. It was normal to go to dinner and have six or seven countries represented in our group, we celebrated everyone’s holidays and enjoyed everyone’s traditional food. It was a wonderful life.
What brought you back to the US?
Idaho Wheat Commission! I was very happy with my job and life in Chile but Blaine Jacobson called me out of the blue one day and said he was getting ready to retire and looking for his successor. I initially told him I wasn’t interested but after speaking more with him and the commissioners, I knew it was an incredible opportunity. During my nine years with U.S. Wheat Associates, I was able to meet many of the past and current commissioners and always had a great impression of the commission. During the interview process, I really admired the style and philosophy of the commissioners. They are all very forward thinking, active, and passionate about the industry. I knew they would be great to work with and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Why Idaho?
My best friend and her family live in just 2 hours from Boise in Baker City, Oregon and my family is just an 8 hour drive away. That was a huge pro when considering the job and I’ve already been able to take advantage multiple times.
Favorite wheat flour recipe?
I’m not sure I’ve ever found one I didn’t like! I define myself as a “carbavore”, so now my natural habits also support my industry! When I lived in Chile, I was known for my chocolate chip cookies. It was very funny to me because it is just a traditional recipe but for my American friends it was a taste of home and for my non-American friends it was a delicious, unique treat. Anytime I was invited anywhere, I was expected to bring cookies. I’d offer to bring other things, but they always wanted cookies. Until they tried my mom’s Red Velvet Cake recipe…. I went through a lot of flour in my four and a half years in Chile and always tried to buy brands that I knew were made with U.S. wheat!
Favorite quote/words you live by?
I have two. In my 7th grade health class there was a poster on the wall that read: What is popular isn’t always right, and what is right isn’t always popular. That sums up what my parents always taught me; you will never regret doing the right thing, even if some people do not agree. I think in today’s world it can be hard to filter the endless information and constant feedback, but it is important to stay true to your values.
The other one is just as important: “There is always room for ice cream.” I created that one up based on a very scientific philosophy that, since ice cream enters your stomach already melted, it doesn’t fill you up, it just fills in the cracks between the other food in there. You can’t argue with science.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why (in non-pandemic times)?
This is the easiest and hardest question for me. My list is very long and narrowing it down is very tough. Right now I’m excited to get to know more of Idaho. Although I grew up right next door, I didn’t spend much time here so there are so many state parks and hiking spots to check out. I think my next destination inside the U.S. will be to visit New Orleans, I can’t wait to feel the vibe of the city and eat all the cajon food. My fiancé and I are talking about going to Japan for our honeymoon, but we’d also really want to see Morocco and Thailand.
If you could have dinner with one famous person from history, who and why?
Queen Elizabeth I. I have read extensively about her, she was incredibly intelligent, strategic and was able to remain independent and powerful throughout her reign. For a woman to achieve what she did in that era is impressive.
Thoughts on the wheat industry in Idaho and nationally?
I think the U.S. wheat industry is in an adjustment period that has been slowly building over the last decade or so, and Idaho is in an excellent position to lead the country into the next stage. Wheat is fighting for planted acres across the country and Idaho is one of the only states that has maintained its acres over the long term. More importantly, Idaho wheat growers have a long history of investing in new varieties with desirable end quality. For decades, the U.S. was one of the only quality suppliers in the world. However, other countries have started to catch up and it is critical that the U.S. continues to improve quality to be able to maintain a competitive advantage in the global market. Additionally, Idaho producers are in a great position because half of the state’s wheat is consumed domestically, and half is exported. I was surprised to find out how far Idaho wheat is shipped across the country, which speaks to the unique quality and logistics infrastructure.
Your goals for the IWC?
The IWC was handed to me in excellent condition thanks to great leadership by current and former commissioners and Blaine. My ultimate goal is for the IWC to continuously challenge the definition of success in fulfilling our mission. I want to be sure that our activities progress with the times and serve the evolving needs of our growers. Our international market development and research programs are very strong and robust. I’d like to find ways to supplement our domestic market development and grower education efforts. I really want to have a transparent and open dialogue with growers, and I hope they will provide feedback on our work and suggest ideas and topics that would benefit them. In the end, we are investing their money and I want as much input as possible.
