The International Fresh Produce Association will debut a regional event model next month in the Yakima, Washington, area for women in the produce industry, building on the success of its annual Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference.
The new event will be held May 6 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Fontaine Estates in Naches. Cat Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing for Superfresh Growers and one of the event organizers, said the vision is to bring the empowering experience of the national event, held each year in April, to more women in the produce industry.
“What I’m really excited about is this has a lower cost-barrier, and we’re hoping that people who don’t usually get to leave the office for events like this can attend,” she said. “We’re encouraging people to look to all departments.”
The conference will include professional singer and motivational speaker Rev. Amy Roon, who will talk about how women find their voice, and panels of industry members sharing their experiences with building confidence and seeking mentorship. CMI sales manager Sarah Barkley will also share her journey to qualifying for the CrossFit Games and what she learned about pushing herself in her work, her career and finding the balance needed for a healthy life.
Gipe-Stewart said that creating a conference space only for “women and femme-identifying” people is important so that they can have honest conversations about challenges such as navigating sexism and finding work-life balance.
“It’s not just about gender, but we are all walking a similar path,” she said.
She and other members of the organizing committee — Carrie Mack of Walmart, Veronica Rodarte of Progressive Produce and Megan Nash of IFPA — hope the Yakima event becomes a role model for other regional conferences as well.
To learn more and register ($100 for IFPA members and $150 for nonmembers) head to: my.freshproduce.com/s/community-event?id=a1uUR000008BvkjYAC.
—by Kate Prengaman
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