Council Announces Four Position Changes, Adds Chaudhry

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently elevated four staff members to new positions in the organization and added personnel to its accounting department.

Juan Diaz is the Council's new regional deputy director for Latin America (LTA). He originally joined the Council in 2017 as a regional ethanol consultant for LTA and will now help oversee and plan all of the Council's programming in the region.

"I'm very happy to have Juan move into the deputy regional director position and leverage his experience, especially in the ethanol sector, to take our programming to the next level and advocate for the U.S. agricultural industry across LTA markets," said Marri Tejada, USGC regional director for LTA.

USGC Manager of Global Programs Sam Redfern

Sam Redfern has assumed the manager of global programs position and will focus on the Council's efforts in LTA and Mexico.

Redfern joined the Council in 2024 as global ethanol programs coordinator and previously worked for several community development organizations in her native Nebraska.

USGC Manager of Global Programs Lucas Rudy

Lucas Rudy has also been promoted to manager of global programs and will now be responsible for the Council's programming in Asia.

Rudy joined the Council in 2023 as global programs coordinator and previously interned at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.

"Lucas has played a key role in program implementation, regulatory compliance, and supporting our market development efforts across Asia and Latin America as a coordinator and I'm looking forward to him continuing his success as a manager," said Stella Qian, USGC director of global programs.

"Sam's dedication to the Council's mission, coupled with her experience in overseeing federal grant applications and budget management, positions her well for her new responsibilities in the Western Hemisphere."

USGC Senior Global Strategies Coordinator Sam Clemence

Sam Clemence has been named senior global strategies coordinator, where, in addition to his duties in the global strategies department, he will lead the onboarding of Council coordinators and get them up to speed with the organization's processes and regulations.

Clemence has served as global strategies coordinator since 2019.

"Sam has become an instrumental part of the Council's international operations team, always willing to help onboard new staff and act as a resource as they navigate the internal operations of the Council," said Kurt Shultz, USGC senior director of global strategies.

USGC Accounting Coordinator Burhan Chaudhry

Burhan Chaudhry is the Council's new accounting coordinator. In this capacity, Chaudhry will support the members of the finance team to ensure the accuracy of accounts payable operations, vouchers and FAS expenses. He is a recent graduate from Virginia Tech with a bachelor's degree in accounting and information systems.

"Burhan has demonstrated that he possesses the right skills and professionalism for the position," said Addis Tilahun, USGC director of finance. "His passion for learning, great communication skills and welcoming attitude will significantly benefit our team."

Please join the Council in congratulating iBurhan, Juan, Lucas, Sam C. and Sam R.!

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