This episode features: Beth Govednik, Dan Wertish, Stephanie Dembowski, Brittney Adams, Matthew Moyer, Melissa Burchette, Emily Derycke, Stephanie Bullington and Krista Koranda

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a special episode of the WiSPER Loud podcast, as we celebrate National Women in Agriculture Day by featuring a collection of candid stories from women and allies of growth, leadership, and resilience. This episode highlights the critical importance of active allyship, mentorship, and creating inclusive environments. Guests share powerful accounts of overcoming industry stereotypes, navigating unconventional career paths, the vital role of support networks, and the ongoing need for greater representation in leadership and decision-making roles. The episode serves as a powerful call to action for the industry and its professionals to advocate for one another and foster inclusive environments, ensuring that the next generation of diverse talent has a respected voice at the table where every individual is heard and valued. Make sure to leave a comment, share and follow so your voice can be heard too!  

Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we sit down with Daphne Ramsbottom for a candid conversation on career growth, resilience, and the power of stepping outside your comfort zone. What started as something “a little outside” her norm quickly turned into an authentic reflection on the moments that shape a career—and the mindset shifts that move us forward. We explore her journey through agriculture, the unexpected roles and “sidesteps” that shaped her path, and the moments where she had to pause, reflect, and ask: How do I continue to grow from here?  Daphne shares real, practical insights on building confidence, navigating change, and learning to advocate for yourself while maintaining strong relationships. If you’ve ever questioned your next step, felt uncertain in a transition, or wondered if you’re on the “right” path—this episode is for you. Because the truth is, growth rarely follows a straight line… and that’s exactly where the magic happens.

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a special episode of the WiSPER Loud podcast. In this episode our hosts lead a candid panel discussion with guests Flo Kesselheim and CJ Shank focused on navigating the journey of allyship. CJ defines allyship as intentionally leveraging one's privilege and access to support others, famously simplified by his daughter’s advice. The conversation explores common pitfalls, such as passive allyship and the "shame loop" caused by personal privilege, while emphasizing the importance of advocating for all marginalized groups. To show up consistently, the guests suggest practical tactics like intentionally directing the spotlight toward others' ideas, and Flo talks about practicing the concept of "take space, make space." The panel also provides guidance on handling feedback with grace when allyship falls short, encouraging listeners to move past guilt by asking colleagues what success looks like in the future. Finally, listeners are challenged to activate their allyship today by seeking out diverse perspectives through new media and directly asking their teams for feedback on how they are showing up. You don’t want to miss this extraordinary conversation!

Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we talk to Paige Thomsen-Russ, who shares insights from her 25-plus year career in the agriculture industry. Paige discusses her journey from being a collegiate athlete to helping build a biological soil health company and eventually returning to seed production, where she now manages the "adrenaline rush" of crop planning and grower contracting. She reflects on the resilience required to navigate early career skepticism as a female agronomist, detailing how she turned initial doubt into deep, trust-based relationships with her growers. The conversation explores how her competitive spirit drives her to master her role while acknowledging the importance of positive self-talk to manage the pressure of being her own toughest critic. As a mentor to young women in the industry, Paige emphasizes the value of being confident, setting daily goals, and leaning on available resources when facing challenges. She concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to challenge themselves daily with the empowering reminder that they are stronger than they know.

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for another exciting episode with our guest, Dr. Denise Bouvrette. As we walk through Denise’s professional journey, she shares how she tackled big transitions including moving up in the hospitality industry, going back to school later in life, falling in love with genetics, and, subsequently, leaving academia. She describes how skills she learned early on in her career set her up for future opportunities. She also talks about how to confront imposter syndrome and remain honest about what you don’t know and what value you do bring. Denise reminds listeners that often the best way to be intentional in one’s career is to understand yourself and what energizes you. Full of valuable insights, including an important reminder to seek joy and gratitude, this episode promises to leave listeners curious for more.

Join the Women in Seed Production Network as we sit down with Amy Sanders, the Head of Digital and Data Enablement, to explore her nearly 30-year journey from chemist to leadership roles. Amy shares her insights on navigating major career shifts, emphasizing that transferable skills like problem-solving and driving change are far more valuable than technical expertise alone when moving up the ladder. She also breaks down her four essential leadership rules, which involve hiring the best talent, providing clear direction and tools, and ultimately getting out of the way to let teams thrive. The conversation takes a personal turn as Amy recounts a powerful "gut punch" moment involving her young son that taught her the critical importance of advocating for herself and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Amy further explains the value of finding mentors who ask great questions and surrounding oneself with a "tribe" that offers both support and accountability. Amy leaves listeners with the inspiring message that you can achieve anything you believe you are big enough to do, making this a must-listen for anyone navigating a complex career path.

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an exciting 50th episode to kick off 2026! Our guest in this episode is Tracy McKay, a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience across the agriculture, automotive, and food industries. The central theme of this episode is Tracy's mindset of embracing discomfort, as she emphasizes that leaning into "scary" or "awkward" changes is often where the most significant learning and personal growth occur. To navigate these transitions, she advises professionals to be inquisitive and ask frequent questions, which demonstrates engagement and a desire to learn rather than a lack of ability. She encourages listeners to accept unexpected roles even if they do not meet every qualification, noting that transferable skills and unique perspectives are often more valuable than "checking every box" on a job description. Furthermore, she highlights the importance of balanced teams that blend "pro in-position" experts with versatile individuals who can "shake things up" across different functions. Tracy leaves listeners with advice for owning your own career by acting as your own advocate and treating networking as a "second job" to remain visible and competitive. Tune in to hear Tracy’s energizing and practical advice — you won’t want to miss it.

In this year-end episode we reflect on a season of candid conversations about career progression, tough choices, and motivation faced by women in seed production. We celebrate the WISP Network’s 10year anniversary and underscore the episode’s central message: the power of community and a strong professional network. Key themes included taking ownership of your career (insights from Cheryl Werner, Melissa Phillips, and Angie Black), redefining trust and leadership (including the idea that “trust is a choice”), and resilience and energy management (practical tips from Debbie Holderman and Dr. Sheilah Oltmans-Deardorff). Guests also highlighted mentorship, allyship, and concrete strategies like career mapping, building transferable skills, and scheduling recovery time. This episode wraps with the signature “shout from the rooftops” answers from this year’s guests — from “I am enough” to “keep swimming” — and a reminder to follow the podcast so you don’t miss next year’s conversation.  

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for a candid conversation with Angie Black, a US Navy veteran and mother with 24 years of experience in agriculture, who shared profound insights on career progression and challenges faced by women in seed production. Angie detailed her career journey through two segments: the intense "prove it" phase, rooted in proving value by working long hours and constantly seeking visibility, and the current "demonstrate" phase, which focuses on the quality and how she delivers work. The transition from overextending herself and prioritizing work, even on vacation, was catalyzed by a health crisis that required her to implement "guard rails" and shift toward working smarter. A key lesson learned throughout her career is the necessity of securing partnerships over seeking universal approval and recognizing that time lost cannot be recovered. Angie strongly advocates for influential leadership, emphasizing that success in service organizations often comes from increasing one's scope of influence across the business rather than solely relying on managing direct reports. Ultimately, she encourages listeners to embrace the confidence that she now holds: the belief that "I am definitely enough".

Join the Women in Seed Production Network for an insightful conversation with Melissa Phillips, the North America Laboratory Research Lead. In this episode, Melissa shares her inspiring journey from working a seasonal part-time position while reevaluating her career trajectory, to earning her Registered Seed Technologist accreditation and pursuing advanced degrees in agriculture. She highlights how her drive for self-reliance spurred her on to continuous learning and helped her develop what she calls "back pocket information," or transferable skills that come in handy. Melissa also opens up about overcoming significant life challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, and how careful pre-planning along with a robust support system made navigating critical workplace decisions more manageable. As a "silent motivator," she provides valuable insights on guiding the next generation, addressing gender bias with her daughter in the traditionally male field of engineering, and raising her son to be a supportive ally. Finally, Melissa imparts essential advice for women in agriculture, stressing the importance of self-awareness, particularly regarding body language and approachability, and emphasizing the need to build a foundation for self-reliance. Don't miss this empowering episode!