Resource Innovation Institute ( RII ) , the not - for - profit vim and pee benchmarking brass ply imagination efficiency best practices for CEA producers , announced today the addition of six new member to its Board of Directors , each fetch a alone perspective and temper experience to assist guide RII ’s research and political platform .
“ Each of our novel board members is confide to RII ’s ideals of leverage resource to support a broad mountain range of producers and the excogitation and construction residential district around them , ” said Derek Smith , Executive Director of Resource Innovation Institute . “ Each will also be engaged in help us rove out new USDA - invested service to the grocery store , including efficiency credentialing and other enterprise . We are thankful to have them on the board and look forward to the great thing we can offer up the CEA community moving forward . ”
The six fresh plug-in extremity include Ohio State University ’s Dr. Chieri Kubota , Priva strategic business organization developer Dr. Jan Westra , researcher Kimberley Player , strategic intersection direction consultant Shanita Penny , Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture preservation and origination film director Mike Roth , and government affairs specialist Brian Herrington .
Dr. Chieri Kubota is a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science and Director of the Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at Ohio State University . A Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science ( ASHS ) , Dr. Kubota join the staff at the Ohio State University in 2017 . She received her Ph.D. in Horticultural Engineering and M.S. in Horticultural Science from Chiba University , Japan , and influence as faculty for 6 years at Chiba University , as well as 16 years in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona . In research , Dr. Kubota has work on consequence in CEA crop product , such as light engineering , water and nutrient management , and introducing fresh crops for CEA . Dr. Kubota is very active in training professionals through online course , hands - on training , and interview .
“ I am looking onward to working with my fella board appendage as RII amplify its roster of efficiency programs and overhaul for the growing CEA industry , ” Dr. Kubota said . “ There continues to be a tremendous need for cognition and entropy by CEA producer and the invention and mental synthesis sector that supports them . RII is render a decisive role that is completing to the academic sphere . ”
“ In many regard , the future of factory farm is CEA , ” Dr. Westra said . “ By providing the resources and cognition to help CEA producers optimize their facility , RII is helping to shape and secure that future . It is a privilege to work alongside their squad to assist in those efforts . ”
Kimberley Player is the Director of Research at Equilibrium , an plus management firm that acquire sustainable finance and active ESG strategies in food & agriculture and carbon transition substructure . Equilibrium has one of the enceinte portfolio of advanced technology indoor and greenhouse grow facility in North America , which delivers a year - round provision of invigorated green groceries to major retail merchant and food for thought divine service firms across the US . Kimberley focuses on identifying and evaluate substantial asset investment strategies that support a “ sustainability drives returns ” ism . Her role includes assess the economical , environmental , and social impingement of these strategies and their alignment with both planetary banner and Equilibrium ’s proprietary sustainability framework . Kimberley antecedently led Equilibrium ’s sustainability account initiatives , including the creation of this framework , and she proceed to preach for the usance of measurable outcomes to beat back usable productiveness .
“ CEA readiness are a necessary putz in the edifice of a resilient food system and management of water , vim , and labor constraints , ” Player said . “ Investors and operators necessitate benchmark to measure performance , and we rate RII ’s efforts to standardise and aggregate information that highlights the impact and potential of CEA as an agriculture production infrastructure . ”
Shanita Penny is an internationally pick out scheme and direction consultant with 20 years of experience helping Fortune 1000 party and startups solve complex issues and improve patronage performance . Penny is currently a Senior Vice President with Forbes - Tate Partners , where she help agricultural clients connect with federal resource , establish stain awareness , and plan for the future . She earned a type B in fare and logistics management from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and an MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University .
“ I am abide by to be on this board and forge with the RII squad , ” Penny said . “ It is exciting to avail shape the workforce development potential for modern USDA . This is crucial work and an incredible opportunity to ensure equitable outcomes as the industriousness scale . I am thankful to be a part of it . ”
Mike Roth serves as the Director of Conservation and Innovation at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture . A Pittsburgh native , Roth acquired his BA in Environmental Studies from Washington and Jefferson College and a Master in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh . Roth started at the Department of Agriculture in 2019 as a William Penn Fellow , where his work focused on mood alteration , industrial hemp , and food for thought security .
“ Pennsylvania is a leader in CEA , which helps supply the state ’s need for sassy , local produce while diversifying our agriculture industry , ” Roth said . “ I have been gratify to mold with Pennsylvania ’s CEA community of interests , and I expect forward to working with RII to help further the important body of work of build a stronger CEA industriousness . ”
Brian Herrington possess 21 years of experience in local , province , and Union government social occasion oeuvre . As Vice President of External Affairs & Foundation President at The Scotts Miracle - Gro Company , Brian work to acquire programme that improve our communities , build legislative and policy solutions , develop stakeholder relationships , and make employee engagement in the political procedure .
“ CEA is a new and dynamic sector full of potential . It needs to be analyse and supported , and that is why the work of RII is so critical , ” Herrington said . “ finally , we need datum , standards , and leadership recognition scheme to drive good insurance policy and smart public - private partnership to lick the energy and water challenges we face . ”
For more entropy : Resource Innovation Institutewww.resourceinnovation.org
