As NMPF’s Trade Policy Director, Tony Rice works with NMPF’s Trade Policy team to develop, implement and communicate NMPF’s work to support policies that promote U.S. dairy exports, seek removal of policies that impede those exports and address foreign barriers to U.S. dairy sales. NMPF does this work in concert with the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Tony also manages supply chain policy for both organizations.
A native of a Pennsylvania dairy farm, Rice has a master’s degree in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University and an undergraduate degree in agribusiness management from Penn State University. He currently lives in Arlington, VA.
Miquela Hanselman joined NMPF in 2019 as its director of regulatory affairs, leading NMPF’s regulatory-focused efforts on nutrition and public health, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. She also oversees NMPF’s efforts for the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shipments, the multi-sector Tuberculosis Working Group and NMPF’s internship program. She is also the program lead for FARM Biosecurity, focused on protecting the health of dairy farmers’ herds and employees.
Hanselman received her Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science and Master of Public Health with a concentration in food systems from Cornell University. Growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York still operating today, she is thankful for the opportunities that being a part of the dairy industry has given her. She enjoys going home to help her brothers feed calves, milk cows and to spend time with her dog, Poppy.
Theresa Sweeney-Murphy serves as the senior director of communications and outreach for NMPF. In this role, she manages regular member communications, including the organization’s news alerts, newsletters, member alerts, toolboxes and more. She also manages NMPF’s website and social media accounts, and leads NMPF’s National Young Cooperators Program.
Sweeney-Murphy grew up on her family’s 300-cow dairy in California’s San Joaquin Valley. She studied Government and Animal Science at Cornell University and worked for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets as a special assistant for three years before she was hired as NMPF’s communications manager in 2019.
As the Senior Director of Information Technology, Bobby Yi assists with all technical needs for both NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council staff working in the Arlington office and remotely. Bobby has been with NMPF for 23 years, leading the organization through numerous innovations and evolutions in technology.
Before joining the team, he worked for various IT companies in the Northern Virginia area. He holds several Microsoft technical certifications.
Emily Yeiser Stepp is the Executive Director of the National Dairy FARM Program, responsible for managing strategic initiatives for the U.S. dairy industry’s social responsibility program encompassing animal care, antibiotic stewardship, biosecurity, environmental stewardship and workforce development. She joined NMPF in 2016.
Yeiser Stepp holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a minor in Agribusiness Management from Penn State University as well as a Master of Science Degree in Dairy Science from Virginia Tech. Her research focused on how mastitis and metabolic diseases impact on dairy cow behavior. She also served as the Dairy Initiatives Manager for the Center for Dairy Excellence in Harrisburg, and the Dairy and Beef Extension Coordinator at the University of Maryland prior to joining NMPF.
Yeiser Stepp and her family maintain a small herd of registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss under the Spots-Pride prefix housed at Palmyra Farm in Maryland and Bullcreek Farm in Pennsylvania.
Peter Vitaliano has long served as NMPF’s chief economist, responsible for conducting, communicating and implementing economic analysis that supports the Federation’s programs relating to dairy policy. He is the longest-serving staff member of the NMPF-USDEC Economics Team, formed in 2022, and has been the project director since the 1992 inception of a contract to provide economic analysis services to Dairy Management, Inc., the national dairy promotion organization.
Prior to joining NMPF, Vitaliano was a member of the faculty of agricultural economics at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He was responsible for NMPF’s trade policy during negotiations for the Uruguay Round World Trade Organization Agreement on Agriculture and the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Shawna Morris serves as Executive Vice President of Trade Policy and Global Affairs at NMPF. In this role she leads the organization’s efforts to advance beneficial dairy trade policies through work with the U.S. and foreign governments as well as with domestic and international allied organizations to maximize U.S. dairy export opportunities, promote a more balanced playing global field for the U.S. dairy sector, and address policy-related barriers to the sale of their dairy products around the world. She acts in the same capacity with NMPF’s partner organization on trade policy, the U.S. Dairy Export Council. As part of that work, she is a confidential trade advisor to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office and the Department of Commerce.
Prior to joining NMPF in 2003, Morris worked for an economic consulting firm. The Pennsylvania native is a graduate of the College of William & Mary. She is a past Chair of the U.S. International Dairy Federation.
Louise Kamali, CMP (Certified Meeting Professional), serves as Vice President, Meetings & Office Services and has worked at NMPF for the past 21 years. As Vice President Meetings & Office Services, she handles conferences, meetings and events management including contracting, project management and logistics for NMPF and U.S. Dairy Export Council committee, board and annual meetings. She also manages office services, including mailroom and reception areas, administering and coordinating all facilities, equipment, and supplies.
Kamali has more than 31 years of association experience. She worked for more than 10 years at the National Pasta Association as Manager, Program Administration, covering numerous roles in meeting planning, office management, accounts receivable, and membership services.
Jamie Jonker, Ph.D. is NMPF’s Chief Science Officer and Vice President of Sustainability & Scientific Affairs. Jonker is NMPF’s lead scientific expert on dairy issues ranging from animal health and sustainability to dairy farm biosecurity, air and water quality, and more. Jonker leads NMPF’s engagement with scientific groups such as the U.S. Animal Health Association, the International Dairy Federation (IDF), the World Animal Health Organization, and Codex Alimentarius. Jonker serves on the IDF Board of Directors and in 2020 was elected chair of the IDF Science Program Coordinating Committee. Jamie is also involved in coordinating relations with the Federation’s Animal Health & Wellbeing Committee and Environmental Issues Committee.
Jonker received his B.S. degree and M.S. degree from Cornell University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Prior to joining NMPF he worked at the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture.
Khadija Gibson-White is the Program Manager for Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) and American Butter Institute (ABI), where she is responsible for CWT activities including CWT reimbursement claims, membership services, CWT news releases, and other administrative duties. She joined NMPF in 2008. In 2016, she was appointed as ABI’s program manager, where she handles membership services, membership dues, ABI meetings, and other ABI administrative duties.
Gibson-White graduated from London Metropolitan University, London England, with a degree in Public Administration and Social Policy. Before relocating to the United States in 2007, she worked for the U.K. Office of The Deputy Prime Minister in London, where she was finance manager. She also supports NMPF during its board meetings and annual conferences.
Chris Galen is NMPF’s Senior Vice President of Member Services and Governance. He also serves as Executive Director of the American Butter Institute.
Galen is responsible for ensuring that NMPF’s members derive value from that membership and that NMPF is effective in engaging other dairy, agricultural and food organizations. This includes overseeing the delivery outstanding member services while also creating and strengthening relationships between the organization and other stakeholders nationwide. Galen previously served as NMPF’s communications lead from 1997 to 2018.
His professional background includes work as a television anchor and reporter in the Midwest. His first job in Washington was as press secretary to Congressman Hal Daub (R-NE). He also served under Marlin Fitzwater in the Reagan Administration’s White House Press Office and then as Communications Director for Congressman Jim Lightfoot (R-IA). Outside government, Chris has worked in communications at the National-American Wholesale Grocers Association and at Ketchum Public Relations in Washington, D.C. Chris is a graduate of the University of Nebraska.
Clay Detlefsen is NMPF’s senior vice president of regulatory and environmental affairs as well as its staff counsel, responsible for issues related to the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act, food safety and defense and environmental issues.
He is engaged in numerous homeland security activities and serves as chair of the Food and Agricultural Sector Coordinating Council (FASCC), a presidentially mandated partnership between government and private sector. Detlefsen was formerly employed by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) where he worked for 25 years. He has a Bachelors of Science degree in Microbiology, an MBA in finance and a law degree. He has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 1997.
