World Potato Congress names new Executive Director

October 21, 2022

Incoming Executive Director Ellen Kouwenberg will be replacing outgoing General Manager Brian Douglas at the World Potato Congress (WPC) Inc., the organisation announces.

In a recent press release, WPC President John Griffin extends a congratulations and warm welcome to the new Executive Director.

Global connections

‘Kouwenberg brings experience to the World Potato Congress through her global connections, facilitating incoming and outgoing agricultural missions and trade shows involving countries in North Africa, Central and South America, Philippines, USA, and the Middle East’, WPC states. ‘The new Executive Director has been recognized with a Women In Agriculture award for her on-going contributions, sitting on various boards and committees in organizations within her community’, they add.

Expanding international trade

Kouwenberg received her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) through the University Prince Edward Island (PEI) and studied International Business at the University of Copenhagen. As part of her studies, she travelled extensively throughout Europe and Russia, exploring various business models. Upon her return, she worked with the PEI Department of Agriculture in various capacities including Potato Services, Farm Business Management, and the International Programs Division. During a period of secondment, the new WPC Executive Director got back to the private sector, where she completed a feasibility study into and the establishment of the PEI Potato Quality Institute (PQI), a nationally accredited testing laboratory which she subsequently managed and expanded. After her departure from PQI, she has kept working in the global potato network, collaborating on projects with USA University potato variety research programs, expanding international technical and regulatory trade, and farm biosecurity.

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