U.S. Wheat Associates Announces Staff Promotions

ARLINGTON, Virginia — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) promotes three employees in its Arlington, Va., Headquarters. Erica Oakley is promoted to Director of Programs, Amanda Spoo is promoted to Assistant Director of Communications and Elizabeth Westendorf is promoted to Assistant Director of Policy. USW is the industry’s export market development organization representing the interest of U.S. wheat farmers in more than 100 countries.

Oakley joined USW in July 2015 as Program Manager after serving as an Associate at Humanitas Global, Washington, D.C. She also worked as a Program Associate at the Academy for Educational Development, now FHI 360, supporting a USAID Title II-funded Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance project working to strengthen food security and nutrition policies, programs and systems. Before that Oakley was a Project Associate at Washington-based Futures Group. At USW, Oakley directs and implements export market development activities, including consulting assignments, board team trips and customer conferences.

Spoo joined USW in March 2015 as a Communications Specialist after two years as Director of Communications at Kansas Pork Association, Manhattan, Kan. As an undergraduate at Kansas State University, Spoo worked three years as a Student Communications Specialist at the IGP Institute in Manhattan. At USW, Spoo manages social media outreach and assists in communications to stakeholders and overseas customers.

Westendorf joined USW in October 2014 as a Policy Specialist after working at Winrock International on a sustainable agriculture project, focusing on developing project evaluations and communications. She also served an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and was a World Food Prize Wallace Carver Fellow with USDA’s Economic Research Service, where she helped analyze the economic impacts of sub-therapeutic antibiotics in livestock. At USW, Westendorf helps implement USW’s plant breeding innovation, sustainability and food aid policy and provides support on a wide range of trade policy issues impacting wheat exports.

USW’s mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” Its activities are made possible by producer checkoff dollars managed by 18 state wheat commissions and through USDA Foreign Agricultural Service cost-share funding. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org or contact your state wheat commission.

Header Photo Caption: U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) promotes three employees in its Arlington, Va., Headquarters. Amanda Spoo (left) is promoted to Assistant Director of Communications, Elizabeth Westendorf (center) is promoted to Assistant Director of Policy and Erica Oakley (right) is promoted to Director of Programs.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.