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Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics

CFAES

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight Allison Specht-JaynesASJ
MS ’07 Agricultural Economics, BS ’04 Agribusiness and Applied Economics

April 22, 2021

Allison Specht-Jaynes currently serves as Dairy Development Manager in Abbott Nutrition’s Global Dairy Operations. In this role, she executes Global Dairy Procurement strategies to drive ingredient innovation and improve productivity and connectivity with internal and external stakeholders. Prior to joining Abbott Nutrition, she worked as a Senior Dairy Economist for Leprino Foods, an Economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, and for the Office of Senator Mike DeWine as Legislative Assistant for Agriculture, Energy, and Environment. In 2014, she was awarded a CFAES' Young Professional Achievement Award.

Q: WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

I work in Commodity Procurement securing milk whey, and lactose from suppliers. I build models on pricing and conduct historical analysis on prices so Abbott can make sounds financial decisions. Being able to secure commodities for our products comes down to understanding supply and demand.

Q: OW HAS YOUR AEDE EDUCATION PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR CAREER?

My classes were very valuable and applicable to my work today. Econometrics, Econ and Statistical Analysis really helped. Other important classes were Commodity Futures, Risk Management, and my Trade class taught me the fundamentals of how goods move and what drives prices in the market.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR CURRENT OR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS?

My biggest advice would be to hold off on accepting a job offer until you finish your coursework. Back when I did my Masters, it was two years and you had to write a dissertation. I accepted a job in DC and had to finish my dissertation while working. My other piece of advice is to leverage your experience in and out of the classroom and make sure you connect how valuable it is to take on any new role.

Q: DESCRIBE WHAT RECEIVING AN ALUMNI AWARD MEANT TO YOU.

Since graduating from Ohio State, my goal has been to make a positive impact in the food and agricultural industry. From advocating for agricultural policy early in my career to supporting new products and markets for agricultural commodities later in my career, I feel it is important for our industry to always be looking ahead and exploring the next opportunity. Receiving the CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award was a meaningful moment early in my career and affirmed the fact I was fulfilling my personal mission.

Q: WHAT OTHER THOUGHTS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT YOUR CFAES ALUMNI EXPERIENCE? 

I am forever grateful I selected an undergraduate major and a graduate degree program in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. CFAES does an outstanding job of creating an inclusive culture among their alumni and remaining connected. CFAES is more than a college—it’s a family, a support system, and a network. Over the years, I’ve remained engaged in department activities and speaking to students. I look forward to continued opportunities to further my involvement.

Alumni Spotlight Update 
October 21, 2019constance cullman

Constance Cullman has just been appointed president and chief executive officer of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). There, she will lead the U.S. animal food industry through the current unprecedented time of change. Prior to joining AFIA, Cullman served as president and ceo of Farm Foundation, an agricultural policy institute that cultivates dynamic non-partisan collaboration to meet society's needs for food, fiber, feed and energy. In this role, Cullman and her team analyzed emerging issues to present objective, nonpartisan analysis to policy makers, government organizations, commodity groups, and non-profits.

Prior to joining Farm Foundation, Cullman was U.S. Government Affairs Leader with Dow AgroSciences. She previously served as Associate Administrator for the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and worked at the Corn Refiners Association, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Cullman is a graduate of Ohio State, earning her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, and a master’s degree in agricultural economics with an emphasis on international trade and agricultural policy.

WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

I was brought into the Farm Foundation two and a half years ago to be a strong voice for the organization and to get the Foundation's objective analysis in front of policy makers. Farm Foundation's 85-year mission has not changed but the way we engage policy makers has evolved with the times. We work diligently to bring leaders in farming, business, academia, organizations and government to the table through proactive, rigorous debate and objective issue analysis. We are committed to ensuring policy makers are aware of how policy decisions affect the business of agriculture and energy.

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANTED TO GO DOWN THIS CAREER PATH WHEN YOU WERE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL?

I knew I wanted to work in the ag space and that I wanted to do something that involved international trade and policy. I have made sure to be opportunistic in navigating my career path. I have been open to what is interesting and challenging. I took every job knowing it would expand my choices going forward. Developing a new skill or understanding makes myself a more well rounded professional.

Even when I was in graduate school, I would maximize opportunities. Here is a practical example: my thesis was on elasticity for corn gluten feed in the European Union. I applied what I learned researching trade flows, the impact of non- tariff barriers and how product is directly moved in my first job post-graduation working with OSU Extension. For five years I developed my input/output modeling skills, researched livestock supply and demand, and forecasted for agricultural outlook. I even learned grant writing.

HOW HAS YOUR AEDE EDUCATION PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR CAREER?

My time in AEDE taught me how to think critically which has served me well in my personal and professional life. My AEDE education also introduced me to the concept of how the economics of a situation drives so much of our collective approach to food production and the development of policy. Policy affects everything we do in food and agriculture. In addition, economics underpins all of that. I have used my degree and my knowledge of how to develop objective analysis in any role I have ever had.

When I left AEDE, I felt like I had an organization that could be my partner going forward. As I have progressed in my career, I have continued to stay in touch and collaborate on various projects. I am planning a visit back to the department in the near future to speak to Dr. Sohngen’s class about sustainability. Learning does not stop when you have degree and you can form lifelong working partnerships with faculty.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR CURRENT OR PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENTS?

Graduate school is really the first opportunity for a student to be a colleague of faculty. It is so important to fully engage faculty and take advantage of their expertise and the knowledge that you are surrounded by every day. I wish I had done that more. I wish I had taken the time to engage in more off the cuff conversations and gone out for coffee or a beer to talk through an issue to engage with faculty.  

It is easy to focus on the more practical matters of completing a degree, like completion dates and tuition costs and loans, but it is so important to learn outside the thesis and the classroom.

My other advice is to say yes. Volunteer for that extra workload so you get the opportunity to work on a paper or research project with a faculty member. It will pay off and deepen your educational experience. You have to set yourself up to have choices after graduation. Then you have to be judicious when you make decisions. If a job is not the right fit, cut bait and move on to something that is.

Alumni Spotlight

AEDE Graduate Kristi Scott Draws on Undergrad Coursework to Navigate Career PathKristi Scott

AEDE graduate Kristi Scott credits herself as a “yes” person; a trait she says has served her well in her life and career.  “Wherever possible, say yes,” she says.  “You never know the possibilities that can result.”

Being open-minded has served Scott well despite her being a bit of an academic late bloomer.  During undergrad, as she worked through the applied economics courses required to complete her degree, she never dreamed that her success in a few key classes would influence her life’s work. 

“At OSU, I was an average student,” Scott shares.  “I wasn’t really excelling and I didn’t hit my stride until my last year when I took Dr. Sheldon’s public policy class, a price analysis class and a consumer econ class.”

After graduation, she worked as a pricing analyst for a small food company and then as a purchasing manager at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.  While working full-time, she also worked towards her MBA.   Then in her late 20’s, personal health issues and the unexpected deaths of a handful of young African American acquaintances caused her to take stock.  

“People of color were dying really young and at a high rate,” says Scott.  “I had read about Japanese culture that boasts the most world citizens over 100 years-old who are healthy and I knew I had to use my skill set to figure out what we are doing differently than other populations and figure out why this was happening in America.”

She inventoried her strengths and her education and determined her niche had to do with those undergrad applied economics courses.  At the age of 30, she quit her job, moved from Chicago to Athens, Georgia and spent the next four years researching what drives consumer choices and how decisions affect health outcomes.   She also said yes to an unpaid internship.

“An internship at the CDC working on in the Obesity Prevention and Control Branch molded my research and dissertation which focused on subjective measures of food access and outcomes,” shares Scott. 

Today Scott is completing her second year as a Health Economics Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) furthering her work and building a body of evidence that she believes will contribute sound evidence to influence health policy and contribute to effective public health programs.     

“There is a saying ‘when you know better you do better’ but my work shows that isn’t true,” says Scott.  “What you do is not based on what you know, but what you WANT. “

She gives this example: If you are trying to decide what to order from a restaurant and you crave a burger but you are also considering a kale salad, chances are most people are going to order the burger if that is what they really want to eat at that moment.  She further explains that in the moment, most people go with personal preference and do not consider the longer-term health impacts or other negative impacts like slow digestion rate or heartburn when they choose the burger over the salad.   Scott is poised to continue to research the psychology behind human behavior to further understand consumer choices and offer sound evidence on ways to more positively affect consumer choice in the moment. 

“Figuring out how to influence people to pick the Kale salad over the burger is the hard part,” shares Scott.  “I’ve spent years trying to make strides towards the goal that I had initially set for myself – to use my skill set to make a contribution to better health outcomes for all Americans.”


Alumni Spotlight
January 3, 2019

Economics alum Andrea Kackley credits her ability to step out of her comfort zone as a key component in her success. While a student in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), she took classes that sounded interesting and ventured outside the college, surrounding herself with students who were having very different experiences from her.Andrea Kackley

“The things I learned the most from were things I didn’t think fit into my plan,” said Kackley. “I jumped at those opportunities.”

One such opportunity was to work as an undergrad research assistant with the Farm Income Enhancement Program.

“I was able to see firsthand the research being done by post docs and get an inside look into how to predict yields and understand the big picture of farm income, “says Kackley. “It taught me to be more aware of issues in the ag industry and to be prepared for the future.”

After graduation, she took a legal analyst position with Kohrman, Jackson and Krantz.  There she did research and legal writing and managed and drafted estate plans and worked with clients in the downtown Columbus law firm. The small town girl managed well in this environment and even though she found her footing, she missed agriculture and her roots.

Roots that run deep in her rural hometown where she grew up near her grandparents’ cattle and sheep farm. As a kid, she showed market hogs in 4H and FFA. She saw first-hand the hard work and passion required to make a living in the agricultural industry.

When an opportunity arose for her to be a voice for farmers who are busy toiling away on the farm, she once again jumped at the opportunity. She recently was named Organization Director for Ohio Farm Bureau in MorganMuskingumPerry and Washington Counties. where she will work with the county Farm Bureaus to address issues important to members and their communities.

“In my role I will advocate for agriculture and communities,” said Kackley. “This includes working with partners in the community, holding events, engaging with our membership, and helping establish policies for my counties.”

Being a recent college graduate, Kackley thinks she is in the position to reach out to the younger generation of farmers to embrace the emerging technology in agriculture.

“It’s all changing and I see young ag professionals leading the way.”


Alumni Spotlight
November 1, 2018

Andrew Holden serves as the Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Educator in Ashtabula County, Ohio.  He is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University, earning his bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Applied Economics from the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics Andrew Holden(AEDE). Andrew grew up in Ashtabula County and is thrilled to return home to work to improve his community.

WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

My main responsibility is to help people in Ashtabula connect with the excellent research and resources provided by Ohio State. Producers need tools that will help them run their businesses and weather the challenges we face today in agriculture.

Ashtabula is the largest county in Ohio and it is diverse agriculturally. We have farms, wineries, and green houses that benefit from the lake climate whereas southern parts of the county are much drier. With the drop in commodity prices and the state of dairy farming, running an agricultural business is a challenge.

I have been on the job for two weeks and I have already fielded some interesting questions such as “what kind of weed is this growing in my yard?” My minor in agronomy came in handy for that one. “How tall to my tie stalls need to be at my dairy barn?” My experience growing up on a dairy farm enabled me to respond to that one.

HOW HAS YOUR AEDE EDUCATION PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR CAREER?

My degree in Agribusiness and Applied Economics taught me to think of a farm as a business. So many courses, including Farm Business Management, enabled me to feel confident that I have the tools needed to be effective in this position. I also believe my financial classes will come in handy during tax season.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR CURRENT OR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS?

I guess I would say to remain open to possibilities. I knew I wanted to come back home and work to make a difference but I did not know what that would look like. So I came home after graduation. I was helping my father and grandfather on our dairy farm when this position opened up in my home county. I knew I wanted to apply. It may not be what I had imagined I would do, but it is a dream come true to be able to work to make Ashtabula County even stronger. 

Alumni Spotlight
July 25, 2018
Dr. John Newton serves as Chief Economist for American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest farm organization of independent farmers in the United States. John Newton
In this role Dr. Newton provides analyses used for the development of and advocacy for Farm Bureau policy. From 2004 to 2014, he was with the United States Department of Agriculture as an agricultural economist, working on issues related to risk management, policy analysis and marketing. While serving in this role Dr. Newton was detailed to both the Senate Agriculture Committee majority staff and the USDA Office of the Chief Economist to provide policy analysis on the 2014 farm bill.  Dr. Newton holds a Ph.D. and two Master’s degrees from The Ohio State University in applied and agricultural economics.

WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

I work for the American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest farm organization of independent farmers in the United States. My job is to provide economic analyses for the organization in order to develop policy and advocate for Farm Bureau policy.  The ag world is a competitive environment full of risk.  I assess that risk in order to formulate action plans that will support the success of the agricultural community. It is an honor to be trusted to communicate the many complicated issues facing farmers when I speaks to policy makers.

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANTED TO GO DOWN THIS CAREER PATH WHEN YOU WERE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL?

I credit my time as a graduate student in AEDE, working on decision tools to mitigate agricultural’ risk, as the catalyst for my itch to serve the agricultural industry and work on ag policy. While I was working on my masters and PhD, my research and dissertation focused on developing a decision tool that brought forth innovative ideas in dairy risk management.  This led to the creation of an award winning decision tool used by extension educators which after graduation, led to a job with the United States Department of Agriculture.

HOW HAS YOUR AEDE EDUCATION PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR CAREER?

The scholarly expertise and advice afforded me by my advisor Dr. Cameron Threan and other AEDE faculty was integral in shaping my career path.  Faculty’s unofficial open door policy encouraged me to ask questions and caused me to remain inquisitive and curious.  I also had access to experts in the agricultural community through participation in the Farm Science Review (FSR), which is this huge outdoor agricultural education and industry trade show that takes place annually right outside Columbus, Ohio.  People come from across the state and the Midwest come to the FSR to learn about new products, equipment and hear from exhibitors and experts in the field.  AEDE Faculty and researchers participate in panels and give talks on the latest research.  I was able to keep in touch and learn how research and tools affect the end user.  This was a formative experience of knowing constituents, their issues and learning how to better answer tough questions. 

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR CURRENT OR PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENTS?

Learning to conduct research, econometric research, is important but so is talking to people in the field.  Then the research will be much more relevant. 

AEDE faculty have a wealth of diverse knowledge and experience in econometrics, agricultural production, markets, the farm bill and trade.   Ask questions. That is why you are there.  I know from my experience, faculty are happy to answer them and appreciate curiosity.  In addition, make sure to attend the Farm Science Review.