Directors

Ellen Butterfield

BS '21, Animal Science & Agricultural Communication and Marketing 

Ellen is a public relations specialist at Curious Plot working on behalf of clients in the food and agriculture sectors. She grew up on her family's dairy farm near Hinckley, Minnesota, which sparked her passion for agriculture and pursuing a degree at the University of Minnesota. On campus, Ellen was involved in Beta of Clovia sorority and various agriculture clubs, including AECM Club, Gopher Crops and Soils, Gopher Dairy Club and more. Since graduation, Ellen has stayed involved in the University of Minnesota by serving as a CFANS Mentor Program Steering Committee member. Her hobbies are enjoying iced coffee at new coffee shops, showing Jersey cattle, gardening, spending time with her pets - Avery, Callie and Flint, traveling and coordinating the Pine County Dairy Princess Program.

Katharine Carlson

BS '06, Animal Science

Katharine Carlson has a background primarily in agriculture, focusing specifically on veterinary medicine for the past several years. She harbors a deep love for reading and the arts, often finding herself involved in community theater whenever the opportunity arises. An avid Gopher football fan, Katharine has held season tickets for several years, a passion that began during her undergrad years. She thoroughly enjoys the excitement of cheering as loudly as she can at the games. Katharine also takes pleasure in attending various sporting events, whether they involve the Gophers or professional teams. Her love for travel is evident, as she eagerly participates in alumni trips, with plans to embark on one this spring. Additionally, Katharine has a passion for singing and attending concerts. She remains deeply connected to her alma mater, actively supporting the University through attendance at events and patronage of alumni-owned businesses. Her spirited cry of "Ski-u-mah and go Gophers!" resonates with her unwavering dedication to her alma mater.

Lauren Chancellor

BS '19, Food Science

Lauren is currently a Sourcing Category Manager at Land O'Lakes, managing Fleet within indirect sourcing. Growing up in Minnesota, the University of Minnesota and CFANs has always been a special place for her to learn, grow and support, both personally and professionally. Lauren is passionate about building and maintaining relationships with individuals and cherishes all that can be learned from one another.

Alexandra Davis

BS '23, Applied Economics & Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management

Alexandra (she/they) is an accomplished professional with five years of experience in the non-profit and start-up sectors, dedicated to shaping a sustainable and net-positive future. Currently based in NYC, Alexandra holds a prominent position in the financial services industry. Driven by a passion for product management, Alexandra focuses on creating meaningful environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact. At the heart of her mission is the pursuit of positive change, where the well-being of people, the planet, and profit intersect.

Emily Jerve

BS '00, Science in Agriculture

Emily Jerve is a Marketing Supervisor in the Agricultural Marketing and Development Division (AMDD) at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).  She coordinates and promotes MDA’s local, regional, and domestic marketing services for agriculture, food and beverages.  Emily has been with MDA since 2008 in a variety of areas including agricultural statistics and international marketing.  Prior to joining MDA, Emily worked at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC, on international programs. Emily served as an agriculture volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa.  Emily has an MPS in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University and a BS in Science in Agriculture from CFANS at the University of Minnesota.  Emily loves to cook, especially with Minnesota Grown produce.

Emily Krekelberg

BS '13, Animal Science and MS '18, Agricultural Education

Emily grew up on her family’s dairy farm near Le Sueur, Minnesota. She earned a bachelor's degree in animal science and a master's in agricultural education from the University of Minnesota in 2013 and 2018, respectively. Emily works for University of Minnesota Extension as the Extension Educator for Farm Safety & Health. Her work focuses on grain bin safety, livestock safety, tractor safety, farmer mental health, and suicide prevention. A passion of Emily’s is advocating for wellness in agriculture.

Tracy Linbo

BS '94, Applied Economics

Tracy is the chief commercial officer for AgVend, working with agricultural retailers to help enable them to work digitally with their internal teams, their customers, and their partners in the value chain. She and her husband Todd also own a pick-your-own berry farm, Double T Acres, near their home in Nisswa, MN. She has held multiple leadership roles supporting advancements in US and international agriculture at BASF, Pioneer (now Corteva), Agtegra Cooperative and Growers Edge. Her cherished experiences at the U of M have served her well in her career and life. Tracy wants to raise awareness about the unmatched experiences available on the St. Paul campus to prepare students for amazing careers, and to pay it forward to students as mentors have done for her. She is very proud to be a Golden Gopher!

Kentalé Morris

BS '04, Agricultural and Food Business Management
MBA '12, Carlson School of Management

Kentalé Sr. is a two-time Golden Gopher graduate, earning degrees in Agricultural and Food Business Management & Master of Business Administration. Experiences at the U have supported his growth both personally and professionally. At Land O’Lakes, Inc. he has held a variety of roles with cross-functional breadth and increasing responsibility. Kentalé currently leads the strategic accounts team where he focuses on building long-term strategies, developing high performing sales talent, and motivating them to achieve annual goals. Outside of work Kentalé has a passion for enabling others and spending time with his family. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and the President of 100 Black Men of the Twin Cities, Inc. where members activate mentorship-based programs to promote intellectual development of youth and community empowerment. Kentalé looks forward to understanding CFANS’s core, long-term goals and working together as a Board and alumni community to develop a path toward achieving each one. He also looks forward to engaging our student body and conveying the many benefits that await them as official U of MN Alumni.

Kurt Nelson

BS '94, Agricultural Industries & Marketing - Food Industries 

Kurt is currently Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing for Opal Foods, a large shell egg producer with both conventional and cage-free farms in Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Colorado, where he is responsible for sales and marketing strategy supporting the wholesale, retail, and foodservice channels.  Previously he served in local and national sales, marketing, merchandising, and general management roles with US Foods, an industry-leading foodservice distributor. As a Minnesota native and CFANS alumnus, Kurt is a passionate Gopher sports fan, cheering on the maroon and gold in his spare time.

Gail Nozal

BS ’94, Urban Forestry and MS ’97 Forestry

Gail Nozal is an Urban Forester and Area Manager with Davey Resource Group, Inc., where she brings extensive experience across municipal, non-profit, and commercial sectors of urban forestry and arboriculture. As a manager and principal consultant, she leads projects ranging from urban forest inventories and management plans to ordinance development and policy review. With a strong focus on technology, Gail integrates innovative tools to improve efficiency and outcomes for urban forestry initiatives. She is also deeply committed to public education and community engagement, often speaking on a wide range of forestry topics and mentoring students interested in arboriculture and urban forestry. Active in several industry committees, Gail has built a career dedicated to advancing the field, fostering collaboration, and sharing knowledge to strengthen the future of urban forestry. 

Colin Robinson

BS '21, Environmental Science Policy and Management

Colin grew up in Rosemount, MN and completed in 2021 a B.S. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management and a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in French. As a student he participated in the CFANS Policy and Engagement Program and the CFANS Mentor Program, and worked as an undergraduate herbarium assistant at the Bell Museum. Inspired by this change of work from environmental policy to museum curation, he continued to pursue that interest and now currently works in the research department at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s herbarium in St. Louis, MO where he helps curate one of the world's largest collections of dried plants.

Will Teachout

BS '21, Agricultural Communications and Marketing & Computer Science

Will currently serves as the Education Coordinator for the Minnesota Farmers Union where he works in Cooperative Education, Leadership Development, and Youth Programming. While an undergrad in CFANS, he was involved in Student Unions and Activities, Agricultural Communications and Marketing events, and worked at the St. Paul Student Center as a building manager and events coordinator. Will continues to be involved in cooperative development and education both at a local and national level. He serves on cooperative boards and philanthropy boards to always be working for a brighter future. In his free time, Will enjoys working at his brewery side gigs, being out on the water on his paddleboard, biking around the twin cities, mountaineering in the Rockies, and alpine skiing. Will is looking forward to being active in enriching the CFANS community through inclusivity and cooperation.

Dawn Wyse-Pester

BS ’93 Science in Agriculture

Dawn Wyse-Pester is a research and development and commercial innovation leader with over 20 years of experience advancing global agriculture. She has expertise in strategic planning, customer engagement, and cross-functional leadership, consistently delivering market-ready products that transform farming systems.  She has held pivotal roles at Land O’Lakes, Bayer Crop Science, and Monsanto, where she advanced biotechnology, crop protection, and seed treatment innovations. Dawn has led international research programs, digital transformation initiatives, and launched more than 15 products spanning regulatory, breeding, biotech, and market platforms. A strong advocate for mentorship, she has developed programs such as the Market Development IDEA initiative, partnered with universities, and actively supports the next generation of scientists. Dawn earned her Ph.D. in Weed Science from Colorado State University, an M.S. in Weed Ecology from the University of Nebraska, and a B.S. in Plant Science from the University of Minnesota. As a board member, she looks forward to continuing her efforts to champion collaboration, education, and innovation within and beyond her field.