Jim has nearly four decades of leadership experience in the global agriculture and food sector. In 2016, Jim retired from DuPont as executive vice president and a member of the company’s Office of the Chief Executive. In his final role at DuPont, he had responsibility for DuPont Pioneer, Crop Protection and Nutrition & Health businesses as well as the corporate functions of: Sustainability; Safety, Health & Environment; Product Stewardship & Regulatory; and Government Affairs as well as the Latin America Region. Mr. Borel joined DuPont in 1978 as a sales representative in the agricultural products business. Over his career, he held a variety of progressively responsible roles in product, sales and business management, as well as human resources and manufacturing roles in Agricultural Products and corporately in the US, United Kingdom, Canada and Japan.

Madeline is an experienced agriculture and animal health market researcher.  Prior to joining Context, she spent seven years as a Research Analyst and Manager with Kynetec / Ipsos Agriculture and Animal Health.

She has extensive experience in both qualitative and quantitative market research, spanning the full spectrum of project work from project planning and proposal design to in-depth analysis and communication of insights and recommendations to clients.  Madeline is also actively involved in the St. Louis Agribusiness Club and the Missouri Agricultural Foundation.

Madeline lives in St. Louis, Missouri

Brian has a diverse background in crop improvement and international agriculture development.  Brian brings a broad range of experience in integrating biological and social science approaches to enable data intensive, insight-led crop improvement.  His areas of focus include:

Experience / Specialties:

• Row crop and vegetable breeding
• Breeding operations (software, data, and support)
• Agricultural development
• Program management

Marianne has over 30 years of experience providing strategic nutrition consulting and communication strategy for the food and healthcare industry, ranging from biotechnology and food sustainability to food safety and consumer health issues.

• Former Senior VP, Nutrition & Food Safety Communications, International Food Information Council, Washington, DC
• Nationally recognized speaker in consumer insights and food systems issues.
• Marianne a past president of The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and served two terms on the USDA National Research, Extension, Education, & Economics Advisory Board, the advisory board to the Secretary of Agriculture.

Jeev has a decade of experience in consulting, strategy, and corporate development. He has worked in technology, finance, and consumer products industries. His geographic experience includes living and working in North America, Western Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Clay provides quantitative and qualitative analysis for clients across the ag value chain, including livestock, ag equipment, crop inputs, and ag-tech. His previous work experience includes interning at a USDA research station, working for a biopesticide startup, and being a ranch hand on his family’s cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Sarah Beth Aubrey’s mission is to enhance success and profitability in agriculture and rural communities by building capacity in people.

She believes everyone has a unique definition of success and strives to foster that potential whether through one-on-one executive coaching, by facilitating peer groups, or by leading boards through change-based planning initiatives.

An entrepreneur since 2003, in 2015 she founded A.C.T., Aubrey Coaching & Training, a performance-based leadership training and executive coaching firm. In January 2018 she launched Elevate Ag, a farmer and agribusiness CEO peer group network program.

Sarah began her career with Novartis moving next into business development and training with ABG, Inc. Entrepreneurial at heart, at 26 she launched a retail meat business and at 30 a grant writing firm. Both businesses have been sold to investors. As the former CEO of Prosperity Ag, LLC, She wrote over 300 successful grants, in 39 states, yielding nearly $60 million.

A partial list of clients includes: Nutrien/Crop Production Services, Valent USA, American Feed Industry Association, the National Sorghum Association, Indiana Farm Bureau, the State of Indiana, Brock Grain Handling, Purdue University, Wabash Valley Power Company, Farm Journal Media, Vectren, Virginia’s Ag Region 2000, NTCA The Rural Broadband Association, and Beck Ag, CornProTrailers, and Bayer Crop Science.

Jeffrey Verpaalen brings more than 25 years of business experience in the chemical, food, pharma, and seed industry. Strong and broad international experience with prior leadership roles in Europe, South America and the United States. Based in Europe Jeffrey will work directly with Context Network Partners, clients and project teams to deliver management consulting and strategy solutions in support of our mission for advancing agriculture globally.

Virgil is a successful senior manager with experience as a Leader in Agriculture Research & Development and Seeds Supply Chain. Expertise in directing a team of geographically dispersed applied scientists responsible for field experiments resulting in the delivery of high performing crop varieties, hybrids and crop protection products. Strengths in product evaluation, product development, seed production and product marketing of corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, grain sorghum and cotton. Management skills extend to the international markets of Brazil, Argentina and Chile for Product Development and Seed Production. His expertise includes:

• Head North America Soybean Product Evaluation, Syngenta Crop Protection
• Head of North America Corn and Soybean Development, Syngenta Seeds
• Director of Soybean Product Development, GarstSeed Company
• Director of Operations, GarstSeed Company