Board of Directors &
Sponsors

A listing of Officers 2025 thru 2026 and links to the Sponsorship Letter and Form. You can also view/download the 2026 NEQS Regular Meeting Notice for Atlanta, GA.

2026 NEQS Regular Meeting Notice, Atlanta, GA (PDF)

View/download Sponsorship Letter

View/download Sponsorship Form

Officers 2025 thru 2026

Ken Koelkebeck, PhD, Asst. Director (2025)
Department of Animal Sciences
282 Animal Sciences Lab
1207 W Gregory Dr. MC-630
Urbana, IL 61801
Telephone: (217) 244-0195
Email: kkoelkeb@illinois.edu

Michael Abbott (2026)
NEQS Coordinator 
California Dept of Food & Ag
1220 “N” Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 900-5060
Fax: (916) 900-5359
Email: Michael.Abbott@cdfa.ca.gov

Board

Roland Mader (2027)
Arizona Department of Agriculture
1688 W Adams
Phoenix, AZ, 85007
Office: 602-542-0884
Cell: 602-466-0075
Fax: 602-542-4194
Email: rmader@azda.gov

Elisa Maloberti (2028)
American Egg Board
Manager Innovation & Food Safety
8755 W. Higgins Rd, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60631
Telephone: (847) 296-7043
Email: EMaloberti@aeb.org

Shari Yeatts (2027)
ProEGG Cooperative, Food & Farm Compliance Coordinator
30749 W. Latham St
Buckeye AZ 85326
Office Phone: 720-858-4081
Cell: 623-692-8451
Email: shari.yeatts@proegg.com

E. L. Knicely, (2026)
Virginia Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Division of Marketing & Dev.
102 Governor St.
Richmond, VA 23219
Telephone: (804) 786-0480
Fax: (804) 225-4434
Email: el.knicely@vdacs.virginia.gov

Justin Jarocki, (2027)
Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture
Meat, Egg and Poultry Inspection
Dairy and Meat Inspection Division
Farmington, MN 55024
Telephone: (651) 285-8327
Email: justin.jarocki@state.mn.us

Pratina Adhikari, DVM, PhD(2027)
Associate Professor, Dept. of Poultry Science
Mail Stop 9665
325 Wise Center Dr.
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: (662) 325-3416
Email: Pratima.adhikari@msstate.edu 

Brandon Peachey (2028)
Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture
Food Safety Program Specialist
Bureau of Food Safety & Lab Services
2301 N. Cameron Street
Harrisburg Pennsylvania, 17110
Telephone: (717) 787-4315
Email: bpeachey@pa.gov

Lifetime Honorary Board Members

Joe Beck, retired USDA
Jewell Hutto, former Georgia Egg Association Director
Cary Wise, retired, Utah Department of Agriculture & Food
Dave Reeseman, retired UEP
Danny Hughes, retired Arkansas Livestock & Poultry Commission
Richard Hoyle, retired North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Tony Herrera, retired California Department of Food & Agriculture
Deanna Baldwin, former Program Manager, Maryland Department of Agriculture
Kenneth Anderson, PhD, North Carolina State University

The National Egg Quality School gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the following organizations:

American Egg Board, Auburn University, Arizona Department of Agriculture, Arkansas Department of Agriculture, CCF Brands, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Egg Nutrition Center, Food and Drug Administration, University of Georgia, ProEgg Cooperative, University of Illinois, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota, Mississippi State University, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Penn State University, North Carolina State University, United Egg Producers, United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and Virginia Tech.  The instructor staff includes leading university scientists, experienced state and federal regulatory officials, and seasoned industry organization representatives.

The National Egg Quality School gratefully acknowledges the following Donors for their Generous Support of the 2025 School.

DIAMOND

Hickman’s Family Farms

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association

Versova & Companies

Center Fresh Group

Centrum Valley Farms

Hawkeye Pride Egg Farm

Iowa Cage-free

Morning Fresh Farms

Oakdell Egg Farms

Ovation Farms

Trillium Farms

Willamette Egg Farms

PLATINUM

Mid-States Specialty Eggs LLC

MPS Egg Farms

Opal Foods 

GOLD

Arkansas Department of Agriculture

Eggland’s Best

Hendrix Genetics

MOBA

Prairie Star Farms

Weaver Eggs

SILVER

Braswell Family Farms

CCF – Great Day Foods

Frost, PLLC

Hidden Villa Ranch/Nest Fresh Eggs

Kuhl Corporation

BRONZE

Coast Packaging Co.

Evonik Corporation

Lathem Family Farms

Marketing Concepts Group

ProEgg Inc.

FRIEND OF NEQS

Aviagen Inc. 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CAL-MAINE FOODS FOR DONATING THE EGGS USED IN THE LABORATORIES