Overview
Registration for the IDFA Women's Summit has reached capacity. New registrations will be added to a waitlist.
The inaugural IDFA Women’s Summit will celebrate and empower women in the dairy industry. The Summit will convene rising and established leaders to advance gender equality, bolster their leadership skills, advocate on behalf of dairy’s top policy priorities, and network.
IDFA is seeking attendees of diverse experience and background to participate in the IDFA Women’s Summit—the first event of its kind. Attendees will participate in sessions focused on practical strategies for better support women at all levels of dairy organizations, leadership development, mentorship, allyship, and advocacy. They will also spend a day on Capitol Hill meeting with policymakers and educating them about the impacts and importance of federal policies and programs.
At the IDFA Women’s Summit, we’re not just discussing change; we’re creating it. Together, we can shape a dairy industry that is more diverse, dynamic, and prosperous than ever before.
Presenting Sponsor
Supporting Sponsor
Agenda
*All Times Eastern Print Agenda
| March 18, 2024 | Event | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00pm - 6:30pm |
Welcome Reception
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The Westin Washington, DC Downtown Hotel — Meeting Room 5 | |
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Speakers: Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO, IDFA |
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| 6:30pm - 8:00pm |
Cherry Blossom Walk (Optional)
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Tidal Basin | |
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Join IDFA Staff and Women's Summit attendees for a relaxing walk in the Washington, D.C. Tidal Basin to enjoy Washington D.C.’s iconic cherry blossoms trees in peak bloom. |
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| March 19, 2024 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 8:00am - 8:30am |
Breakfast
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
| 8:30am - 10:00am |
The Leader’s Blueprint
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Join an interactive and intensive overview of the key elements critical in any leader, including practical application for implementing these elements in your own day-to-day. Facilitator: Elle O’Flaherty, Founder, Interlace Solutions |
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| 10:00am - 10:15am |
Networking Break
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
| 10:15am - 11:30am |
The Leader’s Blueprint (continued)
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Facilitator: Elle O’Flaherty, Founder, Interlace Solutions |
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| 11:30am - 12:15pm |
Breakout Session: Leadership in Action
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Join breakout groups and have guided discussion on what you learned from the morning, how you personally can apply it, and what your strengths and weaknesses are in putting leadership into action. Share ideas for supporting one another in leadership journeys, and brainstorm what IDFA and the industry can do collectively to support women in leadership. |
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| 12:15pm - 1:30pm |
Lunch Session: Leadership Styles in Action
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Join a working lunch with a leading Washington lawyer who has been at the forefront of workplace issues like gender and racial equity and culture risks associated with an exclusionary environment, to hear her expertise and learn how she implements her own leadership styles. Speaker: Lindsay Buchanan Burke, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP |
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| 1:30pm - 2:30pm |
Self-Advocacy in Leadership
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Learn more about what self-advocacy in action looks like by learning from an agricultural industry leader who has had to overcome challenges, tirelessly advocate for herself, and break gender barriers to become the leaders she is. Facilitator: Danielle Quist, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Counsel |
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| 2:30pm - 3:00pm |
A View from Washington and the Future of Women in Leadership
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Women are needed in all forms of leadership – both private sector and public service. Shifting from private sector leaders to public service, participants will have the opportunity to hear one inspiring leader give her view of women in leadership within public service, and their importance in Washington and governments worldwide. Facilitator: Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO, IDFA |
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| 3:00pm - 3:15pm |
Networking Break
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| 3:15pm - 4:00pm |
Leading with Confidence
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Hear from a leading dairy industry lobbyist veteran and a long-standing advocate for women in the workplace about the importance of confidence in leadership, how she has used confidence in her advocacy, and tips and tricks on how to advocate effectively. Speaker: Abigail Blunt, Corporate, Government Affairs and ESG Leader & Food Policy Expert |
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| 4:00pm - 5:00pm |
Policy Advocacy in the Dairy Industry
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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It is time to take all the leadership skills you have learned throughout the day and start to think about how those skills work in Washington on policymaking. You will learn about some key dairy policy issues and prepare to put your leadership into action by being dairy industry advocates. Speaker: Rob Rosado, Vice President, Legislative Affairs, IDFA |
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| 5:00pm - 6:00pm |
Be a Member of Congress
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Covington & Burling LLP - 850 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 | |
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Imagine you have just been elected to Congress and now have to use some of the leadership skills discussed throughout the day to step into your new role. Find out how one leading woman handles this by hearing from Congress’ newest elected representative, Congresswoman Celeste Maloy as she shares her journey to Congress and how she has learned to lead in her new role. |
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| 6:30pm - 8:30pm |
Reception & Dinner: Fireside Chat on Leadership and Strategic Thinking in Action
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The Metropolitan Club | |
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Women in Dairy are frequently juggling leadership responsibilities at work, often while also keeping their homes and families running. Join a candid discussion with a Women in Dairy leader who is a leading Chief Operating Officer while also balancing life demands at home and hear her lessons learned while continuing the conversation on IDFA’s newly released State of Women in Dairy Report and its recommendations for industry changes. |
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| March 20, 2024 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 7:30am - 8:30am |
IDFA Advocacy Briefing
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The Westin Washington, DC Downtown Hotel | |
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Speaker: Robert Rosado, Vice President, Legislative Affairs, IDFA |
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| 8:30am - 9:00am |
Breakfast with Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small
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The Westin Washington, DC Downtown Hotel — Meeting Room 5 | |
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Speaker: Xochitl Torres Small, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, USDA Facilitator: Roberta Wagner. Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, IDFA |
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| 9:30am - 11:30am |
Morning Hill or Administration Meetings
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Capitol Hill | |
| 11:30am - 12:00pm |
Women’s Summit Photo
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U.S. Capitol Steps | |
| 12:00pm - 1:30pm |
Lunch with Guest Speaker
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The Monocle Restaurant | |
| 2:00pm - 4:00pm |
Morning Hill or Administration Meetings
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Capitol Hill | |
| March 27, 2024 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 1:00pm - 2:00pm |
Webinar: Concluding Reflections & Living Your Leadership Blueprint
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Revisit how the leadership blueprint themes came up over the course of the Summit through different meetings and speakers, how other women are living out their own leadership blueprint, and what that means for you. Join a time of discussion and reflection on how this Summit shaped you, your thinking, and your leadership, and what you will do with what you learned. Also participate in a short exit survey to share your suggestions on any future IDFA Women’s Summits. |
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Welcome Reception
Speakers: Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO, IDFA
Becky Rasdall, Vice President, Trade Policy and International Affairs, Women in Dairy Lead, IDFA
Becky Rasdall
Becky Rasdall joined the International Dairy Foods Association in July 2020 as Vice President, Trade Policy and International Affairs where she is responsible for advocacy strategy on international trade and supply chain policy issues impacting the global competitiveness of U.S. dairy products. Becky also currently leads IDFA’s Women in Dairy initiative.
Before she joined IDFA, Becky served as a Senior Advisor with the Foreign Agricultural Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a Deputy Director for Agricultural Affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Throughout her government career, she obtained extensive experience in negotiating technical resolutions to trade barriers for U.S. dairy exports, as well as representing the United States in trade agreement negotiations, including the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), China Phase One Agreement, and other negotiations with the European Commission and India.
Prior to joining the U.S. government, Becky managed regulatory compliance for ConAgra Foods’ export business and also worked for the International Food Information Council and former Congressman Dave Camp (MI-04). Becky holds a Master of the Arts in International Relations from the University of Warwick in England, and a Bachelor of the Arts in International Political Science from Hope College in Michigan, and speaks German and Spanish.
Michael Dykes
Michael Dykes, D.V.M., a long-time government affairs strategist, agricultural policy expert, and veterinarian, became president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association in January 2017. In this role, he represents members that make most of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts, and dairy-derived ingredients produced in the United States and marketed throughout the world. Since joining IDFA, Dykes has been a strong advocate for putting U.S. dairy at the center of health and wellness, innovation, sustainability, a vibrant U.S. economy, a stable and diverse workforce, and leading the world in global dairy exports. Prior to assuming his role at IDFA, Dykes served as vice president of government affairs for Monsanto, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a portfolio of U.S. government relations strategies and programs that included agricultural biotechnology policy. He led Monsanto's office in Washington, D.C., and served as the company's primary point of contact for elected officials, regulatory authorities, U.S. farm organizations, key industry participants, trade associations, international organizations and embassies. He directed the company's efforts in state and local government affairs, in addition to government affairs in Mexico and Canada. Dykes is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the National Academy of Practitioners. He is also a member of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC), which provides U.S. trade policy advice to the current presidential administration.
Dykes grew up on a small dairy and tobacco farm in Kentucky. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University. He also attended the University of Kentucky where he received a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.
Cherry Blossom Walk (Optional)
Join IDFA Staff and Women's Summit attendees for a relaxing walk in the Washington, D.C. Tidal Basin to enjoy Washington D.C.’s iconic cherry blossoms trees in peak bloom.
The Leader’s Blueprint
Join an interactive and intensive overview of the key elements critical in any leader, including practical application for implementing these elements in your own day-to-day.
Facilitator: Elle O’Flaherty, Founder, Interlace Solutions
Elle O’Flaherty
Elle O’Flaherty is an executive coach and global conference speaker with a focus on performance and ADHD. She founded Interlace Solutions, a coaching firm helping professionals and executives to fulfill their potential.
Elle came to coaching after 17 years as a federal attorney and trade negotiator. Her work has been published in national and international media outlets and her groundbreaking course teaching career coaches how to work with ADHD clients has been lauded by participants and coaching educators.
Elle holds a J.D. from the College of William & Mary and a journalism degree from James Madison University. She is a subject matter expert on international agricultural trade and World Trade Organization dispute settlement, which doesn’t come up much. She lives in Washington, DC with her family and the most beautiful dog in the world, Penny.
The Leader’s Blueprint (continued)
Facilitator: Elle O’Flaherty, Founder, Interlace Solutions
Elle O’Flaherty
Elle O’Flaherty is an executive coach and global conference speaker with a focus on performance and ADHD. She founded Interlace Solutions, a coaching firm helping professionals and executives to fulfill their potential.
Elle came to coaching after 17 years as a federal attorney and trade negotiator. Her work has been published in national and international media outlets and her groundbreaking course teaching career coaches how to work with ADHD clients has been lauded by participants and coaching educators.
Elle holds a J.D. from the College of William & Mary and a journalism degree from James Madison University. She is a subject matter expert on international agricultural trade and World Trade Organization dispute settlement, which doesn’t come up much. She lives in Washington, DC with her family and the most beautiful dog in the world, Penny.
Breakout Session: Leadership in Action
Join breakout groups and have guided discussion on what you learned from the morning, how you personally can apply it, and what your strengths and weaknesses are in putting leadership into action. Share ideas for supporting one another in leadership journeys, and brainstorm what IDFA and the industry can do collectively to support women in leadership.
Facilitators: Danielle Quist, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Counsel, IDFA
Taylor Boone, People Operations Administrator, IDFA
Michelle Matto, Associate Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Nutrition, IDFA
Victoria Pender, Membership and Programs Coordinator, IDFA
Jessica Matsko, Executive Administrator, IDFA
Lunch Session: Leadership Styles in Action
Join a working lunch with a leading Washington lawyer who has been at the forefront of workplace issues like gender and racial equity and culture risks associated with an exclusionary environment, to hear her expertise and learn how she implements her own leadership styles.
Speaker: Lindsay Buchanan Burke, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP
Lindsay Buchanan Burke
Lindsay Burke co-chairs the firm’s Employment Practice Group and regularly advises U.S., international, and multinational employers on employee management and culture issues and international HR compliance. She is a key member of the firm's Institutional Culture and Social Responsibility practice, working together with white collar colleagues to conduct culture assessments, internal investigations of executive misconduct, and civil rights and racial equity audits and assessments. Lindsay has been at the forefront of the changing workplace issues impacting employers in the U.S. in the last decade, including #MeToo, Covid-19, and the renewed focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She frequently advises employers in relation to their processes and procedures for investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and trains executive teams and board members on culture risk and the lawful implementation of DEI programs.
Lindsay also guides employers through the process of hiring and terminating employees and managing their performance, including the drafting and review of employment agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, separation agreements, performance plans, and key employee policies and handbooks. She provides practical advice against the backdrop of the web of state and federal employment laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the False Claims Act, with the objective of minimizing the risk of employee litigation. When litigation looms, Lindsay relies on her experience as an employment litigator to offer employers strategic advice and assistance in responding to demand letters and agency charges.
Lindsay works frequently with the firm’s privacy, employee benefits and executive compensation, corporate, government contracts, and cybersecurity practice groups to ensure that all potential employment issues are addressed in matters handled by these groups. She also regularly provides U.S. employment law training, support, and assistance to start-ups, non-profits, and foreign parent companies opening affiliates in the U.S.
Self-Advocacy in Leadership
Learn more about what self-advocacy in action looks like by learning from an agricultural industry leader who has had to overcome challenges, tirelessly advocate for herself, and break gender barriers to become the leaders she is.
Speaker: Dana Brooks, President and CEO, Pet Foods Institute
Facilitator: Danielle Quist, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Counsel
Dana Brooks
Dana Brooks serves as the president and CEO for the Pet Food Institute (PFI). With over 30 years of experience across the food and agriculture industries, Dana is a trusted advisor in the pet food industry.
Prior to joining PFI, Dana was the senior director of government relations at Land O’Lakes, Inc., where she focused on state governments and industry relations at the Arden Hills, Minn., headquarters.
Dana has lived and worked in Washington, D.C., for more than 15 years and has represented a range of agricultural interests. Her resume includes director of government relations for Elanco Animal Health, senior vice president of government relations at the National Milk Producers Federation and director of public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Dana began her career in the nation’s capital as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives for former Reps. Marion Berry and JoAnn Emerson. In 2002, she founded the Cuba Working Group in the House of Representatives and led a congressional delegation to Cuba to meet with former president Fidel Castro to discuss agricultural trade and humanitarian aid between the U.S. and Cuban governments.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Arkansas-Monticello and a master’s degree in Agribusiness from Kansas State University. Dana was awarded the alumni merit award at her alma mater at the University of Arkansas-Monticello in 2008, Arkansas State University Agriculture Outstanding Alumnus in 2018 and she is currently serving as an industry advisor for the Kansas State Master of Agribusiness program.
Dana’s passions include scuba diving, spear fishing, boating, horseback riding, skeet shooting and hosting Women in Agriculture events.
Danielle Quist
Danielle Quist leads IDFA’s work on environment, sustainability, packaging, worker safety, financial regulation, and environmental compliance, where she advocates industry positions and monitors regulatory issues impacting dairy processors. She has more than 20 years of legal experience and serves as IDFA’s legal counsel.
Before coming to IDFA, Quist worked as senior counsel for public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), where she co-led AFBF’s legal advocacy program, advised lobbyists on policy matters, and lobbied federal agencies on behalf of farmers and ranchers for almost 14 years. Before that, Quist worked on Capitol Hill as a counsel on the House Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs for former Congressman Doug Ose (CA). Previously, she was an associate at Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP, and served as a law clerk to Judge Eugene Sullivan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
Quist earned her Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School and her Bachelor of the Arts in Political Science from Columbia College of Columbia University in New York City. She is a member of the D.C. and New York Bars. Originally from southern California and New Mexico, she speaks Spanish.
A View from Washington and the Future of Women in Leadership
Women are needed in all forms of leadership – both private sector and public service. Shifting from private sector leaders to public service, participants will have the opportunity to hear one inspiring leader give her view of women in leadership within public service, and their importance in Washington and governments worldwide.
Speaker: Ambassador Kristen Hillman, Embassy of Canada
Facilitator: Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO, IDFA
Ambassador Kirsten Hillman
Kirsten Hillman has served as Canada’s Ambassador to the United States of America in Washington D.C. since 2020.
The first woman to be appointed to this position, Ambassador Hillman has stewarded the bilateral relationship through two administrations and the COVID-19 pandemic, managing a wide range of bilateral and global files, advocating for Canada’s interests, and advancing shared priorities.
Through her twenty-five-year career with the Government of Canada, Ambassador Hillman has held various senior diplomatic, policy, and legal positions at home and abroad. She has played critical roles in negotiating important trade agreements for Canada, including the modernization of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and served as Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Prior to this, Ambassador Hillman practised law at the Department of Justice in Ottawa and at a private law firm in Montréal.
Ambassador Hillman grew up in Calgary and Winnipeg and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and Bachelors of Civil Law and of Common Law from McGill University. She also holds a Doctor of Laws – honoris causa – from the Royal Military College of Canada.
She was recognized in the Maclean’s magazine 2022 Power List – 50 Canadians who are forging paths, leading the debate and shaping how we think and live – and named one of Washington’s most powerful women by the Washingtonian in 2021 and 2023.
She is married and is the mother of two sons.
Michael Dykes, D.V.M.
Michael Dykes, D.V.M., a long-time government affairs strategist, agricultural policy expert, and veterinarian, became president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association in January 2017. In this role, he represents members that make more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. Since joining IDFA, Dykes has been a strong advocate for the importance of global competitiveness to the future of the U.S. dairy industry. He has made preserving trade partnerships with Mexico and improving Canadian market access for U.S. dairy exports in all future trade agreements a priority for IDFA. Prior to assuming his role at IDFA, Dykes served as vice president of government affairs for Monsanto, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a portfolio of U.S. government relations strategies and programs that included agricultural biotechnology policy. He led Monsanto's office in Washington, D.C., and served as the company's primary point of contact for elected officials, regulatory authorities, U.S. farm organizations, key industry participants, trade associations, international organizations and embassies. He directed the company's efforts in state and local government affairs, in addition to government affairs in Mexico and Canada. Dykes is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the National Academy of Practitioners. He has served on the Farmhouse Fraternity board for 3+ years. He is also a member of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and has served on the USDA Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21).
Dykes grew up on a small dairy and tobacco farm in Kentucky. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University. He also attended the University of Kentucky where he received a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.
Leading with Confidence
Hear from a leading dairy industry lobbyist veteran and a long-standing advocate for women in the workplace about the importance of confidence in leadership, how she has used confidence in her advocacy, and tips and tricks on how to advocate effectively.
Speaker: Abigail Blunt, Corporate, Government Affairs and ESG Leader & Food Policy Expert
Abigail Blunt
Abby is a seasoned professional with almost 30 years experience in government and government affairs, ESG and corporate governance matters. She serves as a Director on two multinational sustainable packaging company Board’s, Ardagh Group and Ardagh Metal Packaging (NYSE-AMBP), which manufacture infinitely recyclable aluminum cans and glass bottles for leading brands such as Coca Cola, Smuckers and Diageo. She also sits on the Board of SmartStart, the number one alcohol interlock device company in the world. In August of 2022, Abby departed the Kraft Heinz Company after 21 years. Utilizing her expertise at the intersection of business and government, she led their Global Government Affairs function for 10 years, and most recently was a Senior Advisor on Government and ESG Affairs, Advisor to the Board of Directors and a member of the Kraft Heinz Foundation Board. During her first several years at Kraft she held a variety of other positions. Prior to shifting to business, Abby worked in and around government including on Capitol Hill, with a national trade association, two federal agencies and in presidential and party politics. Abby holds undergraduate degrees in Political Science and English from the University of Maryland and has been named one of the DC’s Top Influencers by Washingtonian Magazine for the past two years. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Inn at NIH, the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Foundation and is the Secretary and a member of the Ford’s Theatre Board. Mrs. Blunt is also a member of the Washington Economic Club (WEC) and Extraordinary Women on Boards (EWOB).
Policy Advocacy in the Dairy Industry
It is time to take all the leadership skills you have learned throughout the day and start to think about how those skills work in Washington on policymaking. You will learn about some key dairy policy issues and prepare to put your leadership into action by being dairy industry advocates.
Speaker: Rob Rosado, Vice President, Legislative Affairs, IDFA
Robert Rosado
Robert Rosado joined the IDFA team in January 2021. He works with members on policy development and legislative strategy while advocating for dairy foods companies and the dairy industry before the Congress and the Administration. Before joining IDFA, Rosado served the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as senior professional staff for nutrition and specialty crops policy. There, he drafted, managed, and led successful final bipartisan negotiations on the nutrition and specialty crops provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill and led the U.S. Senate COVID-19 policy response efforts impacting food assistance, nutrition, retail/foodservice supply-chain, and specialty crop agriculture.
Rosado has extensive experience in advocacy on behalf of food trade associations in the nation’s capital, having worked in the policy shops at the Food Marketing Institute, Biotechnology Industry Association, and American Meat Institute. He also served in the Foreign Agricultural Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Bush administration.
Rosado holds an M.A. in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University in Arlington, Va., and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Drew University in Madison, N.J.
Be a Member of Congress
Imagine you have just been elected to Congress and now have to use some of the leadership skills discussed throughout the day to step into your new role. Find out how one leading woman handles this by hearing from Congress’ newest elected representative, Congresswoman Celeste Maloy as she shares her journey to Congress and how she has learned to lead in her new role.
Rep. Celeste Maloy
After decades of living in small-town southern Utah, Celeste Maloy is uniquely aware of the issues facing the Second Congressional District. She is known for being a passionate defender of land rights and ownership after spending time in the district surrounded by its rich natural resources and public lands.
Celeste was born in Cedar City and raised in small-town Hiko, Nevada with her five siblings before attending Southern Utah University and earning a degree in agriculture.
Celeste began her public service career as a soil conservationist for ten years before going on to earn her law degree from Brigham Young University and becoming a deputy Washington County attorney. She also served as a public lands attorney for the Utah Association of Counties and a staff attorney for the Washington County Water Conservancy District. Most recently, she served as Chief Legal Counsel to former Representative Chris Stewart.
Celeste joined Congress in 2023 and serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the House Committee on Small Business. She is also proud to serve on several caucuses, including the Colorado River Basin Caucus and Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, where she can address issues directly impacting the West.
Congresswoman Maloy is honored to represent Utah’s Second Congressional District and is dedicated to solving the challenges facing the district and state, from federal overreach of Utah’s public lands to out of control government spending.
Reception & Dinner: Fireside Chat on Leadership and Strategic Thinking in Action
Women in Dairy are frequently juggling leadership responsibilities at work, often while also keeping their homes and families running. Join a candid discussion with a Women in Dairy leader who is a leading Chief Operating Officer while also balancing life demands at home and hear her lessons learned while continuing the conversation on IDFA’s newly released State of Women in Dairy Report and its recommendations for industry changes.
Speaker: Ashley Ellixson, Chief Commercial Officer, United Dairymen of Arizona
Facilitator: Roberta Wagner, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, IDFA
Ashley Ellixson
Ashley Ellixson is the Chief Business Operations Officer at United Dairymen of Arizona.
After completing a B.S. in Business Finance at Arizona State University, she attended Texas Tech University School of Law where she received a J.D. with a certificate of Science, Engineering, and Technology Law before moving on to receive an LL.M. in Agricultural and Food Law from University of Arkansas School of Law.
Ashley currently serves on committees and task forces for the Innovation Center for U.S Dairy, National Milk Producers Federation as well as the International Dairy Foods Association.
Ashley’s love and passion for the dairy industry stems from being born and raised on her family’s dairy in Gilbert, Arizona.
Roberta Wagner
Roberta Wagner is the Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association.
Prior to IDFA, Roberta served as vice president of regulatory and technical affairs for the Consumer Brands Association, formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association since 2019.
Wagner spent 33 years in public service, most recently as the assistant administrator of the Office of Policy and Program Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Previously, Wagner served as the deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Field Operations at FSIS where she oversaw a workforce of 7,800 inspection program personnel, including consumer safety officers, public health veterinarians and food inspectors. Wagner also spent more than 25 years with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), working in a variety of roles from analytical chemist to associate commissioner for Food Safety Modernization Act implementation.
IDFA Advocacy Briefing
Speaker: Robert Rosado, Vice President, Legislative Affairs, IDFA
Robert Rosado
Robert Rosado joined the IDFA team in January 2021. He works with members on policy development and legislative strategy while advocating for dairy foods companies and the dairy industry before the Congress and the Administration. Before joining IDFA, Rosado served the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as senior professional staff for nutrition and specialty crops policy. There, he drafted, managed, and led successful final bipartisan negotiations on the nutrition and specialty crops provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill and led the U.S. Senate COVID-19 policy response efforts impacting food assistance, nutrition, retail/foodservice supply-chain, and specialty crop agriculture.
Rosado has extensive experience in advocacy on behalf of food trade associations in the nation’s capital, having worked in the policy shops at the Food Marketing Institute, Biotechnology Industry Association, and American Meat Institute. He also served in the Foreign Agricultural Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Bush administration.
Rosado holds an M.A. in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University in Arlington, Va., and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Drew University in Madison, N.J.
Breakfast with Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small
Speaker: Xochitl Torres Small, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, USDA
Facilitator: Roberta Wagner. Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, IDFA
Xochitl Torres Small
Xochitl Torres Small was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture on July 11, 2023. She is the first Latina to hold this position.
Prior to her confirmation as Deputy Secretary, Torres Small served as Under Secretary for Rural Development. In this role, she oversaw loans and grants to provide infrastructure improvements; business development; affordable housing; community facilities; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal, and high-poverty areas.
Before joining USDA, Torres Small was a United States Representative for the fifth largest district in the country. She is the first woman and first person of color to represent New Mexico's second congressional district.
Roberta Wagner
Roberta Wagner is the Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association.
Prior to IDFA, Roberta served as vice president of regulatory and technical affairs for the Consumer Brands Association, formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association since 2019.
Wagner spent 33 years in public service, most recently as the assistant administrator of the Office of Policy and Program Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Previously, Wagner served as the deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Field Operations at FSIS where she oversaw a workforce of 7,800 inspection program personnel, including consumer safety officers, public health veterinarians and food inspectors. Wagner also spent more than 25 years with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), working in a variety of roles from analytical chemist to associate commissioner for Food Safety Modernization Act implementation.
Webinar: Concluding Reflections & Living Your Leadership Blueprint
Revisit how the leadership blueprint themes came up over the course of the Summit through different meetings and speakers, how other women are living out their own leadership blueprint, and what that means for you. Join a time of discussion and reflection on how this Summit shaped you, your thinking, and your leadership, and what you will do with what you learned. Also participate in a short exit survey to share your suggestions on any future IDFA Women’s Summits.
Becky Rasdall
Becky Rasdall joined the International Dairy Foods Association in July 2020 as Vice President, Trade Policy and International Affairs where she is responsible for advocacy strategy on international trade and supply chain policy issues impacting the global competitiveness of U.S. dairy products. Becky also currently leads IDFA’s Women in Dairy initiative.
Before she joined IDFA, Becky served as a Senior Advisor with the Foreign Agricultural Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a Deputy Director for Agricultural Affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Throughout her government career, she obtained extensive experience in negotiating technical resolutions to trade barriers for U.S. dairy exports, as well as representing the United States in trade agreement negotiations, including the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), China Phase One Agreement, and other negotiations with the European Commission and India.
Prior to joining the U.S. government, Becky managed regulatory compliance for ConAgra Foods’ export business and also worked for the International Food Information Council and former Congressman Dave Camp (MI-04). Becky holds a Master of the Arts in International Relations from the University of Warwick in England, and a Bachelor of the Arts in International Political Science from Hope College in Michigan, and speaks German and Spanish.
Speakers
Abigail Blunt
Corporate, Government Affairs and ESG Leader & Food Policy Expert
Abigail Blunt
Abby is a seasoned professional with almost 30 years experience in government and government affairs, ESG and corporate governance matters. She serves as a Director on two multinational sustainable packaging company Board’s, Ardagh Group and Ardagh Metal Packaging (NYSE-AMBP), which manufacture infinitely recyclable aluminum cans and glass bottles for leading brands such as Coca Cola, Smuckers and Diageo. She also sits on the Board of SmartStart, the number one alcohol interlock device company in the world. In August of 2022, Abby departed the Kraft Heinz Company after 21 years. Utilizing her expertise at the intersection of business and government, she led their Global Government Affairs function for 10 years, and most recently was a Senior Advisor on Government and ESG Affairs, Advisor to the Board of Directors and a member of the Kraft Heinz Foundation Board. During her first several years at Kraft she held a variety of other positions. Prior to shifting to business, Abby worked in and around government including on Capitol Hill, with a national trade association, two federal agencies and in presidential and party politics. Abby holds undergraduate degrees in Political Science and English from the University of Maryland and has been named one of the DC’s Top Influencers by Washingtonian Magazine for the past two years. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Inn at NIH, the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Foundation and is the Secretary and a member of the Ford’s Theatre Board. Mrs. Blunt is also a member of the Washington Economic Club (WEC) and Extraordinary Women on Boards (EWOB).
Dana Brooks
President and CEO, Pet Foods Institute
Dana Brooks
Dana Brooks serves as the president and CEO for the Pet Food Institute (PFI). With over 30 years of experience across the food and agriculture industries, Dana is a trusted advisor in the pet food industry.
Prior to joining PFI, Dana was the senior director of government relations at Land O’Lakes, Inc., where she focused on state governments and industry relations at the Arden Hills, Minn., headquarters.
Dana has lived and worked in Washington, D.C., for more than 15 years and has represented a range of agricultural interests. Her resume includes director of government relations for Elanco Animal Health, senior vice president of government relations at the National Milk Producers Federation and director of public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Dana began her career in the nation’s capital as a legislative assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives for former Reps. Marion Berry and JoAnn Emerson. In 2002, she founded the Cuba Working Group in the House of Representatives and led a congressional delegation to Cuba to meet with former president Fidel Castro to discuss agricultural trade and humanitarian aid between the U.S. and Cuban governments.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Arkansas-Monticello and a master’s degree in Agribusiness from Kansas State University. Dana was awarded the alumni merit award at her alma mater at the University of Arkansas-Monticello in 2008, Arkansas State University Agriculture Outstanding Alumnus in 2018 and she is currently serving as an industry advisor for the Kansas State Master of Agribusiness program.
Dana’s passions include scuba diving, spear fishing, boating, horseback riding, skeet shooting and hosting Women in Agriculture events.
Lindsay Buchanan Burke
Partner, Covington & Burling LLP
Lindsay Buchanan Burke
Lindsay Burke co-chairs the firm’s Employment Practice Group and regularly advises U.S., international, and multinational employers on employee management and culture issues and international HR compliance. She is a key member of the firm's Institutional Culture and Social Responsibility practice, working together with white collar colleagues to conduct culture assessments, internal investigations of executive misconduct, and civil rights and racial equity audits and assessments. Lindsay has been at the forefront of the changing workplace issues impacting employers in the U.S. in the last decade, including #MeToo, Covid-19, and the renewed focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She frequently advises employers in relation to their processes and procedures for investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and trains executive teams and board members on culture risk and the lawful implementation of DEI programs.
Lindsay also guides employers through the process of hiring and terminating employees and managing their performance, including the drafting and review of employment agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, separation agreements, performance plans, and key employee policies and handbooks. She provides practical advice against the backdrop of the web of state and federal employment laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the False Claims Act, with the objective of minimizing the risk of employee litigation. When litigation looms, Lindsay relies on her experience as an employment litigator to offer employers strategic advice and assistance in responding to demand letters and agency charges.
Lindsay works frequently with the firm’s privacy, employee benefits and executive compensation, corporate, government contracts, and cybersecurity practice groups to ensure that all potential employment issues are addressed in matters handled by these groups. She also regularly provides U.S. employment law training, support, and assistance to start-ups, non-profits, and foreign parent companies opening affiliates in the U.S.
Michael Dykes
President & CEO
Michael Dykes
Michael Dykes, D.V.M., a long-time government affairs strategist, agricultural policy expert, and veterinarian, became president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association in January 2017. In this role, he represents members that make most of the milk, cultured products, cheese, ice cream and frozen desserts, and dairy-derived ingredients produced in the United States and marketed throughout the world. Since joining IDFA, Dykes has been a strong advocate for putting U.S. dairy at the center of health and wellness, innovation, sustainability, a vibrant U.S. economy, a stable and diverse workforce, and leading the world in global dairy exports. Prior to assuming his role at IDFA, Dykes served as vice president of government affairs for Monsanto, where he was responsible for developing and implementing a portfolio of U.S. government relations strategies and programs that included agricultural biotechnology policy. He led Monsanto's office in Washington, D.C., and served as the company's primary point of contact for elected officials, regulatory authorities, U.S. farm organizations, key industry participants, trade associations, international organizations and embassies. He directed the company's efforts in state and local government affairs, in addition to government affairs in Mexico and Canada. Dykes is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the National Academy of Practitioners. He is also a member of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC), which provides U.S. trade policy advice to the current presidential administration.
Dykes grew up on a small dairy and tobacco farm in Kentucky. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University. He also attended the University of Kentucky where he received a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.
Ashley Ellixson
Chief Commercial Officer, United Dairymen of Arizona
Ashley Ellixson
Ashley Ellixson is the Chief Business Operations Officer at United Dairymen of Arizona.
After completing a B.S. in Business Finance at Arizona State University, she attended Texas Tech University School of Law where she received a J.D. with a certificate of Science, Engineering, and Technology Law before moving on to receive an LL.M. in Agricultural and Food Law from University of Arkansas School of Law.
Ashley currently serves on committees and task forces for the Innovation Center for U.S Dairy, National Milk Producers Federation as well as the International Dairy Foods Association.
Ashley’s love and passion for the dairy industry stems from being born and raised on her family’s dairy in Gilbert, Arizona.
Ambassador Kirsten Hillman
Ambassador of Canada to the United States
Ambassador Kirsten Hillman
Kirsten Hillman has served as Canada’s Ambassador to the United States of America in Washington D.C. since 2020.
The first woman to be appointed to this position, Ambassador Hillman has stewarded the bilateral relationship through two administrations and the COVID-19 pandemic, managing a wide range of bilateral and global files, advocating for Canada’s interests, and advancing shared priorities.
Through her twenty-five-year career with the Government of Canada, Ambassador Hillman has held various senior diplomatic, policy, and legal positions at home and abroad. She has played critical roles in negotiating important trade agreements for Canada, including the modernization of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and served as Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Prior to this, Ambassador Hillman practised law at the Department of Justice in Ottawa and at a private law firm in Montréal.
Ambassador Hillman grew up in Calgary and Winnipeg and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and Bachelors of Civil Law and of Common Law from McGill University. She also holds a Doctor of Laws – honoris causa – from the Royal Military College of Canada.
She was recognized in the Maclean’s magazine 2022 Power List – 50 Canadians who are forging paths, leading the debate and shaping how we think and live – and named one of Washington’s most powerful women by the Washingtonian in 2021 and 2023.
She is married and is the mother of two sons.
Rep. Celeste Maloy
R-Utah, 2nd District
Rep. Celeste Maloy
After decades of living in small-town southern Utah, Celeste Maloy is uniquely aware of the issues facing the Second Congressional District. She is known for being a passionate defender of land rights and ownership after spending time in the district surrounded by its rich natural resources and public lands.
Celeste was born in Cedar City and raised in small-town Hiko, Nevada with her five siblings before attending Southern Utah University and earning a degree in agriculture.
Celeste began her public service career as a soil conservationist for ten years before going on to earn her law degree from Brigham Young University and becoming a deputy Washington County attorney. She also served as a public lands attorney for the Utah Association of Counties and a staff attorney for the Washington County Water Conservancy District. Most recently, she served as Chief Legal Counsel to former Representative Chris Stewart.
Celeste joined Congress in 2023 and serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the House Committee on Small Business. She is also proud to serve on several caucuses, including the Colorado River Basin Caucus and Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, where she can address issues directly impacting the West.
Congresswoman Maloy is honored to represent Utah’s Second Congressional District and is dedicated to solving the challenges facing the district and state, from federal overreach of Utah’s public lands to out of control government spending.
Elle O’Flaherty
Founder, Interlace Solutions Coaching
Elle O’Flaherty
Elle O’Flaherty is an executive coach and global conference speaker with a focus on performance and ADHD. She founded Interlace Solutions, a coaching firm helping professionals and executives to fulfill their potential.
Elle came to coaching after 17 years as a federal attorney and trade negotiator. Her work has been published in national and international media outlets and her groundbreaking course teaching career coaches how to work with ADHD clients has been lauded by participants and coaching educators.
Elle holds a J.D. from the College of William & Mary and a journalism degree from James Madison University. She is a subject matter expert on international agricultural trade and World Trade Organization dispute settlement, which doesn’t come up much. She lives in Washington, DC with her family and the most beautiful dog in the world, Penny.
Becky Rasdall
Senior Vice President, Trade and Workforce Policy
Becky Rasdall
Becky Rasdall joined the International Dairy Foods Association in July 2020 as Vice President, Trade Policy and International Affairs where she is responsible for advocacy strategy on international trade and supply chain policy issues impacting the global competitiveness of U.S. dairy products. Becky also currently leads IDFA’s Women in Dairy initiative.
Before she joined IDFA, Becky served as a Senior Advisor with the Foreign Agricultural Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a Deputy Director for Agricultural Affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Throughout her government career, she obtained extensive experience in negotiating technical resolutions to trade barriers for U.S. dairy exports, as well as representing the United States in trade agreement negotiations, including the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), China Phase One Agreement, and other negotiations with the European Commission and India.
Prior to joining the U.S. government, Becky managed regulatory compliance for ConAgra Foods’ export business and also worked for the International Food Information Council and former Congressman Dave Camp (MI-04). Becky holds a Master of the Arts in International Relations from the University of Warwick in England, and a Bachelor of the Arts in International Political Science from Hope College in Michigan, and speaks German and Spanish.
Robert Rosado
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
Robert Rosado
Robert Rosado joined the IDFA team in January 2021. He works with members on policy development and legislative strategy while advocating for dairy foods companies and the dairy industry before the Congress and the Administration. Before joining IDFA, Rosado served the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as senior professional staff for nutrition and specialty crops policy. There, he drafted, managed, and led successful final bipartisan negotiations on the nutrition and specialty crops provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill and led the U.S. Senate COVID-19 policy response efforts impacting food assistance, nutrition, retail/foodservice supply-chain, and specialty crop agriculture.
Rosado has extensive experience in advocacy on behalf of food trade associations in the nation’s capital, having worked in the policy shops at the Food Marketing Institute, Biotechnology Industry Association, and American Meat Institute. He also served in the Foreign Agricultural Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Bush administration.
Rosado holds an M.A. in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University in Arlington, Va., and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics from Drew University in Madison, N.J.
Xochitl Torres Small
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, USDA
Xochitl Torres Small
Xochitl Torres Small was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture on July 11, 2023. She is the first Latina to hold this position.
Prior to her confirmation as Deputy Secretary, Torres Small served as Under Secretary for Rural Development. In this role, she oversaw loans and grants to provide infrastructure improvements; business development; affordable housing; community facilities; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal, and high-poverty areas.
Before joining USDA, Torres Small was a United States Representative for the fifth largest district in the country. She is the first woman and first person of color to represent New Mexico's second congressional district.
Hotel
The Westin Washington, DC Downtown
The IDFA Women’s Summit will be held at The Westin Washington, DC Downtown. You may make your hotel reservations online or directly with the hotel by calling (202) 898-9000. When calling, refer to the IDFA Women’s Summit to receive the special room rate of $379 per night plus applicable taxes. The deadline to secure a room is February 26, 2024.
Registration for the IDFA Women's Summit has reached capacity. New registrations will be added to a waitlist.
Registration fees for IDFA Women’s Summit are based on your company's IDFA membership status. For more information about membership, please email membership@idfa.org.
Member: $749
Non-Members: $949
Registration Substitutions
Registration is non-transferable from one company to another; however, substitutions within companies are welcome at any time. Please email registrar@idfa.org if you would like to make a registration substitution.
Registration Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellations received in writing will be accepted prior to February 19, 2024 for a full refund, minus a $75 processing fee. Cancellations received after February 19, 2024, will be eligible for a 50 percent refund, less the processing fee. Your registration fee is non-refundable after March 4, 2024. Substitutions may be made without penalty. All cancellations and substitutions must be received in writing at registrar@idfa.org.
Questions: If you have questions or need assistance with the registration process, please contact IDFA at (202) 737-4332 or registrar@idfa.org.
Sponsors
The inaugural IDFA Women’s Summit will celebrate and empower women in the dairy industry. Spread across three days in the nation’s capital, the Summit will help female leaders grow and inspire others to gain the relationships and recognition they deserve for their professional and personal growth. The Summit will feature interactive and engaging programming focused on leadership development, mentorship, allyship, and advocacy.
Sponsorship is one of the best ways to demonstrate your business’s support for empowering women in the dairy industry. Each sponsor will be gratefully acknowledged on the IDFA Women’s Summit website and materials and will receive recognition leading up to, during, and post-event through IDFA’s marketing channels gaining visibility and respect among industry peers for your commitment to investing in the future of the dairy industry.
Please contact mlembke@idfa.org for more information.
Presenting Sponsor
Supporting Sponsor