Chevy Chase, MD (January 13, 2022) - National 4-H Council has announced the election of U.S. Dairy Export Council's president and CEO Krysta Harden as board chair. Two new trustees will join the board under her leadership: Rajan Gajaria, Executive Vice President, Corteva Agriscience and Louisiana 4-H Alumnus Tay Moore, Young Alumni Advisory Committee (YAAC) Representative.
Harden, Gajaria, and Moore will focus on extending opportunity to all American youth by supporting National 4-H Council's ambitious three-year strategic plan, advancing 4-H's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and deepening the board's collaborative work with Cooperative Extension and USDA to grow 4-H programs.
Harden is a 4-H alumna and has served on the National 4-H Council's Board of Trustees for four years. A trailblazer in agriculture and government, her leadership will be invaluable to the board. Gajaria will bring a background in business strategy and modern agriculture. Moore, a student at Louisiana State University, will offer a fresh perspective as a YAAC representative with a passion for civic engagement.
"We are honored to welcome our new board chair and trustees," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. "They will play a key role as we further our goals to reach more young people through increased investment and participation in 4-H programs."
Harden became president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council in 2020, leveraging her experience with agriculture, sustainability, food policy, and the federal government to help fulfill USDEC's mission to promote U.S. dairy exports while enriching the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.
Before that, Harden served dual roles as USDEC's chief operating officer and executive vice-president of global environmental strategy for Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program.
Prior to joining DMI, Harden served as chief sustainability officer with Corteva and DuPont. Harden also spent seven years working at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She served as assistant secretary for congressional relations, chief of staff for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and deputy secretary.
Harden spent 12 years on Capitol Hill as staff director for the House subcommittee on peanuts and tobacco and as chief of staff and press secretary for former Congressman Charles Hatcher.
Throughout her career in agriculture, Harden has focused on expanding opportunities for women, young people, immigrants, socially disadvantaged producers, returning veterans and retirees, among others.
Rajan Gajaria is Executive Vice President, Business Platforms of Corteva Agriscience™.
Gajaria is responsible for shaping the global business strategy, defining capital and R&D investment priorities, as well as overseeing the supply chain for Corteva Agriscience Crop Protection products and Seed business around the world. Most recently, he served as Vice President, Crop Protection Business Platform. His career spans several decades, continents and functions as he helps build the business and advocate for modern agriculture.
Gajaria originally joined Dow AgroSciences' Indian joint venture partner in Mumbai. He served in sales and marketing roles as well as in human resources before moving to the company's global headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. He advanced through leadership roles in corporate strategy, marketing, and e-business before serving as Global Supply Chain Director. He was named Marketing Director for the company's U.S. business before being tapped to lead Latin America and Asia Pacific. Before the DowDuPont merger, he served as Vice President, Latin America and North America, for Dow AgroSciences.
Gajaria earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Bombay in Mumbai, India, and a master's degree from the Indian Institute of Management in Lucknow, India. He is certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt and is a graduate of the Executive Development Program at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Tay Moore has been involved in Louisiana 4-H for ten years. He is a sophomore at Louisiana State University, studying political science and music.
As a 4-H'er, Moore has been heavily involved in leadership development and civic engagement, having served on the Louisiana 4-H Executive Board for four years and as a member of the 2019 National 4-H Congress Design Team. He served as the 2019-2020 Louisiana 4-H State President and co-anchored the Opportunity4All Forum, produced by National 4-H Council, in 2020. Currently, he serves as Vice President of LSU Collegiate 4-H.
Moore is passionate about encouraging young people to become leaders in their communities through service.
4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.
Learn more about 4-H at 4-H.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/4‑H and follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/4H.
