Recognizing members who go beyond ordinary service — securing funding, building membership, and championing CAST’s mission in extraordinary ways.
The success of CAST depends on the dedication of volunteers across many roles — board members, publication authors, task force chairs, and reviewers. All of these contributions are invaluable, and all are recognized and appreciated.
But some individuals go further. The CAST Champion Award was created to recognize those “active” members who take personal responsibility for the growth and sustainability of CAST — volunteering their time, talent, and personal networks to secure funding, attract new members, and advance special projects that would not happen without them.
These are the people who don’t just serve CAST — they build it. The Champion Award is CAST’s way of saying that this kind of extraordinary effort does not go unnoticed.
The Champion Award honors individuals who have made an exceptional difference to CAST’s sustainability and growth. Past recipients have distinguished themselves by:
The award is not a competitive annual cycle. It is given at CAST leadership’s discretion to individuals whose champion-level contributions have made a measurable difference to the organization.
Supporting the next generation of agricultural science communicators at the student level.
CAST’s premier annual honor — recognizing mid-career professionals bridging science and society.
CAST’s honor — for sustained, career-long impact at the national or international level.
The Champion Award has recognized individuals who made an extraordinary difference to CAST through fundraising, membership growth, and organizational leadership.
President, World Food Prize Foundation
Vice Chairman, CropLife Foundation Board
Executive Director, National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research
CAST Board Member and Meeting Organizer
CAST Board of Trustees Chair and Task Force Chair
CAST Executive Committee Member and Treasurer
National Program Leader, USDA
Fundraiser
