Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness

Even though women have been working in agribusiness for decades, particular challenges face women in professional agribusiness roles. Through small group discussions and input from members, OABA is pleased to offer a forum for women who are looking for resources from experts and peers alike to face these challenges - the Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness program.

The program offers professional development, networking opportunities and more to OABA’s female leaders. Women new or seasoned in the industry are invited and encouraged to participate and share with one another.

Fall Summit

SAVE THE DATE! Make plans to join us for the 2025 Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness Fall Summit! This event will feature insightful speakers and dynamic breakout sessions. It's a great opportunity to network with other women in agribusiness!

Event Details

• Save the Date: November 19, 2025
• Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Location: Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Dr, Columbus, OH 43210
• Registration
  
  • Click here to register.

NEW! Event Registration Policy: All event registration fees must be paid online at the time of registration through our payment portal. A credit card is required to secure your registration, so please be prepared to provide payment at the time of booking. For assistance, contact info@oaba.net.

Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be received no later than 14 days prior to the event to be eligible for a full refund. No refunds will be issued after that date. No-shows will be invoiced. 

Speakers

Keynote: Brandi Buzzard, Ag Communications Consultant and Speaker Topic: Bet the Farm (On Yourself) When it comes to agriculture, the future is undeniably female. This inspiring keynote is a call to action for women to take bold risks and redefine what leadership looks like. With real stories of resilience, setbacks, hard-won triumphs and self-belief, this session will empower attendees to bet on themselves. Whether you're leading a family farm, running a startup, or stepping into executive roles, you'll leave this session with the mindset and momentum to grow beyond limits. It's time to cultivate your confidence, challenge the status quo and claim your space - both at the table and in the field.

Closing Speaker: Cam Camfield, Stratovation Group Founder & CEO Topic: Agri-Food Value Chain Trends Analysis Cam will provide a data driven industry analysis about the trends and likely drivers that could impact the agri-food value chain the next several business cycles. This will include data that includes, but isn’t limited to: political, economic, societal, technology, environmental, and legal trends.

Breakout Speakers:

• Brandi Buzzard – Strategic Communication in Controversial Ag Topics

• Jenny Cox, OSU AgOne – Leveling Up Your Leadership

• Steve Hamilton, Nationwide – Preparing for Retirement: It’s Never Too Early (or Late!) to Plan

• Amy Zimmerman, Vital Fitness – The Balancing Act: Juggling Work, Wellness & Real Life

Impact & Connection Series

The Ohio AgriBusiness Association is pleased to provide leadership development opportunities for the Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness Program. Through the Impact podcast series and Connection networking events, Ohio’s female leaders have the opportunity to dive into leadership and network with their peers.

Impact Podcast Series

Through the 8-part podcast series, Ohio’s agribusiness women will be inspired by the stories of other women in agriculture who have been successful in their various roles. Each episode is 45-60 minutes long and consists of an interview with one guest. The 8-part Impact Podcast series was recorded in 2022 and is available for OABA members only. If you are a non-member and would like access, please contact info@oaba.net.

OABA MEMBERS CLICK HERE to access the Impact Podcast series.

Episode 1 - Chasitie Euler 

The Impact podcast kicks off with Chasitie Euler as the first guest, diving into the critical need for intentionality in your work life and family life. As a working mom who has spent her career in agricultural sales and business, Chasitie shares her experiences evaluating priorities and modeling expectations for her team and for her kids. Learn how she approaches each day and why she believes gender isn’t a barrier in agriculture.

Episode 2 - Cheryl Ricketts

The second podcast features Cheryl Ricketts - you won't want to miss this conversation! “Is there anything that women can do in the ag school?"  When Cheryl Ricketts asked a college professor this question more than thirty years ago, she could never have imagined where her career would take her. Join us for this episode of Impact to hear how Cheryl eventually became president of her own HR and talent consulting firm and take away some great frameworks to consider for tackling problems, making decisions, and navigating career transitions.

Episode 3 - Angela Krile

“If the focus is on everyone else, it’s going to come back around; you just have to trust that.”

Angela Krile, President and CEO of Krile Communications, is our guest for the third podcast episode of the Impact & Connection series. In her conversation with host Marlene Eick, Angela describes identifying her greatest client (spoiler: it’s not who you think) and how focusing on others has guided her career and impacted her communications firm.

Episode 4 - Traci Bultemeier

What did selling hundreds of cases of fruit each year in high school teach Traci Bultemeier about selling? Find out in this month’s episode when Traci joins host Marlene Eick to discuss learning from mentors, making people feel heard, and more. Traci has worked with Pioneer for almost twenty years and also chairs the International Certified Crop Advisers Board, working with CCAs across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

Episode 5 - Anne Cook

Anne Cook focuses on safety every day in her role as Safety Director at Custom Agri Systems, so she knows a thing or two about stress, triggers and risks. In this month’s Impact Podcast episode, hear Anne’s ideas and experiences about how to notice stress in all areas of our work life and understand its impact on our bodies, brains and hearts.

Episode 6 - Jean Bratton

Jean Bratton is the CEO of Centerra Co-op, an agricultural cooperative here in Ohio, but the first season of her career found her working in Fortune 500 companies. Her training as an economist and experience with mergers and acquisitions has given her a unique perspective as a leader. You’re going to love her ideas about marginal differences on teams and how we lead a team through big changes like a merger.

Episode 7 - Rhoda Warnock

“Do it scared.” That’s just the beginning of the perspective Rhoda Warnock gives in this episode of Impact. Rhoda has served as CEO of Coshocton Grain for two decades and shares her wisdom about change, mentoring others, and leading through crisis.

Episode 8 - Carolyn Eselgroth

If you’ve ever contemplated a career change - big or small - this episode is for you. After beginning a career as an agriculture journalist, Carolyn Eselgroth decided to change course and charted the next season of her career in agriculture law. In this conversation, Carolyn talks through making decisions about change and how to find the courage to execute a decision. We all experience change - don’t miss this episode on finding the perspective and grit for your next change.

Join our Women Leading in Ohio Agribusiness LinkedIn Group where we will share updates, and insights, and connect with fellow attendees to expand your professional network.