Popular Pig

Daniel Linhares, DVM, MBA, PhD –  Professor & Director of Graduate Education at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Worked for 8 years as a practicing veterinarian, technical services, and health assurance; now he is dedicated to training MSc and PhD students as part of the ISU fieldepi team, working with swine producers and health professionals in the US and abroad.

Edison Magalhães, DVM, MBA, MSc, PhD  – Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. Dr. Edison Magalhaes previously worked for four years in the Brazilian swine industry as a swine veterinarian practitioner. He then pursued his Master’s and PhD in Swine Epidemiology at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, Dr. Magalhaes leads the SwinalytIQ Lab, a multidisciplinary team composed of undergraduate and graduate students from veterinary medicine, animal science, data science, and computer engineering. His program focuses on research and extension that supports the U.S. and global swine industries by developing data-driven approaches to improve health, productivity, and decision-making, helping producers better utilize their production data.

Dr. Bill Christianson is the former Chief Operating Officer of PIC. He has a background in agriculture and biotechnology, with broad industry knowledge and extensive commercial and global experience. He earned his DVM and PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Christianson joined PIC in 1993 and held a range of operational roles across Europe, South America, and the United States before becoming General Manager of PIC North America in 2007. He later led the combined ABS and PIC businesses across the Americas starting in 2010 and became COO of Genus PIC in 2012.

Edwina and her husband run Blantyre Farms, a 2,200 sow pig farm and a mixed farm of sheep, cattle and crops, near Young, NSW, Australia.

In operation for more than a decade, a methane digestion system captures methane gas from pig manure and converts it into electricity. Blantyre also utilizes food waste products for pig feed and saves 13,500 of tonnes of landfill each year. The NSW EPA has awarded Blantyre with a Green Globe Award for Resource Efficiency.

What began as a spontaneous job application became a lifelong commitment to protecting animals across New South Wales and supporting some of the state’s most underserved and marginalized communities.

Throughout his career, Steve has developed a deep understanding of human behavior and an exceptional ability to inspire people to take meaningful action. His experience across animal welfare, government relations and the justice system has shaped his insight into what drives individuals, organizations and communities.

As CEO, Steve leads the largest animal welfare organization in Australia with authenticity, integrity and a clear strategic vision — creating the conditions for lasting, impactful change.

Dr. Dustin Oedekoven is the chief veterinarian for the National Pork Board, based in Des Moines, Iowa. In this role, Dr. Oedekoven leads a team of veterinarians and swine production experts in Pork Checkoff-funded work for pork producers, including foreign animal disease (FAD) preparedness, protecting the U.S. herd from African swine fever and developing a national swine health strategy.

Dr. Oedekoven has over 20 years of experience in the agriculture sector. Prior to joining the National Pork Board in 2022, he served as state veterinarian and executive secretary for the South Dakota Animal Industry Board, where he provided strategic leadership and direction for the state’s animal health agency – a seven-member, governor-appointed board of livestock producers with responsibility for all animal health programs and disease control efforts in the state.

Dr. Oedekoven received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University and bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science from South Dakota State University. He resides in Pierre, South Dakota, with his wife and kids.

Nat Stas is a Technical Services Director for PIC and has been in the commercial swine industry for 15 years, 8 of which have been with PIC. He holds a master’s degree from University of Illinois under Dr. Mike Ellis focusing on swine genetics and reproduction.

In addition to Nat’s commitment to the commercial swine industry, he currently stays involved in the American Society of Animal Science and many livestock youth development programs and swine research programs. Nat resides in Latrobe, Pennsylvania with his wife and twin daughters.

Al Wulfekuhle lives on Lake Delhi in east central Iowa, he is the owner of G&W Pork, a farrow-finish operation that markets around 50,000 pigs per year to Tyson Foods. Al also farms 640 acres of corn and soybeans. Al has business experience in managing farrow to finish pig farms and providing pork industry consulting and is a past President of the Iowa Pork Producers Association and is now serving as Past President of the National Pork Board.

Al has a passion for improving pig production and health, creating more long term demand for pork and assisting others to be successful in the pig industry. He has served on numerous IPPA, NPB and Iowa State University research projects, advisory boards, committees, and task forces. Al and his wife Kathy have 3 married children, all very successful in their careers outside of the pork industry and 9-grandchildren. His personal hobbies are traveling, physical fitness and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Derald Holtkamp is a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostics and Production Animal Medicine (VDPAM) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa, U.S.). He received his DVM, MS in Agricultural Economics, and B.S. in Agricultural Business with a minor in statistics, all from Iowa State University.

Prior to joining Iowa State, he was a private veterinary consultant. He has also served as a technical services veterinarian for ADViSYS Inc., Vice President of Swine Applications for MetaFarms Inc., Director of Pork Development for E-Markets, Inc., and veterinarian for Smithfield Foods in Warsaw, North Carolina. Dr. Holtkamp’s research focuses on managing infectious swine diseases, biosecurity, disease risk assessment, and the economics of animal health and disease. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, delivered over 70 invited presentations internationally, and given more than 220 invited talks across the United States. In addition, he has mentored over 275 professional and graduate students.

Sawyer Whisler is an Iowa hog farmer and the co-founder of Farmer Grade. He built an audience by sharing real day-to-day farm life through the @thislldofarm channel and later launched the Barn Talk podcast. His father, Tork Whisler, is part of the father-son dynamic behind the show and the long-term focus on trust and credibility.

Jenelle Dunkelberger has worked as a geneticist at Topigs Norsvin for the past eight years. She holds a PhD from Iowa State University, where the focus of her research was on the role of host genetics in response to viral disease in pigs. She continues to study this topic, along with other health-related issues, as Head of the Topigs Norsvin Global Health and Behavior Research Platform. Jenelle resides in Minnesota with her husband and young boys.