SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Deidre Jaensch
Almond Board of Australia Master of Ceremonies , Experts ’ Forum Deidre joined the ABA in October 2019 as Industry Development Manager . She holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and has worked in irrigated horticulture within the government , industry and private sectors for over 27 years . Deidre manages the research and development program working with growers , researchers , suppliers and service providers as well as industry collaborators to generate the knowledge , skills and technologies required to enhance industry ’ s competitiveness and further development in line with the almond industry strategic investment plan .
Burcu Turkay ofi The Almond Trail , Tuesday , Grand Stage , 9.30am Expectations of Operating in the Global Village , Tuesday , Grand Stage , 4.15pm Burcu Turkay completed her Bachelor ’ s Degree from both Boğaziçi University and State University of New York , Binghamton on Global and International Affairs , continued with Master ’ s Degree on International Relations in 2010 . She started her career in a non profit human rights organisation titled Amnesty International as the Campaigns Coordinator between 2008-2012 . She continued her career in various private sector companies as Corporate Social Responsibility Manager , Sustainability Manager between 2012-2017 . Burcu joined Olam International now titled ofi in 2017 as the Sustainability Manager for hazelnuts in Turkey and Georgia . In 2020 , she was appointed as the Global Head of Sustainability for Nuts responsible from hazelnuts , cashews , almonds , pistachios , and walnuts that are produced in multiple continents .
Tonya Wiechel
Agriculture Victoria Hullrot and Trunk Disease , Tuesday , Experts ’ Forum , 11.45am Tonya is a plant pathologist with Agriculture Victoria based at AgriBio in Melbourne and has experience in researching foliar and soilborne disease of horticultural crops including grapevine , potato and almond . She has achievements in understanding the biology of horticultural pathogens and identification of novel treatments to manage plant disease . Tonya has successfully co supervised to completion two PhD and two Masters students . She is a scientist on the project AL16005 : An Integrated Disease Management Programme for the Australian Almond Industry with funding from Agriculture Victoria , SARDI and Hort Innovation .
Ken Breen
Plant and Food Research Tree Architecture - Harvest Light , Tuesday , Experts ’ Forum , 4.15pm Dr . Ken Breen is based in Hawke ’ s Bay , New Zealand and leads the Temperate Tree Physiology Science Team at the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research . Over the past 18 years , he has worked on the physiology of fruit development and production in intensive orchard systems , focussing on orchard light relations , flowering , and productivity . He travels widely to support significant international collaboration with industry and scientists . He has a Ph . D . from the University of Tasmania , an M . Sc . and B . Sc . from the University of Natal , and directed a number of agribusinesses in Southern Africa for ten years .
22 2022 AUSTRALIAN ALMOND CONFERENCE