Sam Bouabane has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and joined Breeding Insight in May 2024. He comes from a financial and banking software background where he led multiple teams in the delivery and maintenance of large scale, mission critical applications. Sam is interested in the understanding and utilization of technology to create solutions and lower barriers for non-technical audiences.

Kirsten Richardson joined Breeding Insight in early 2019 as the program’s Administrative Assistant. As BI’s support and staff size grew, so did Kirsten’s dedication to the specialty crop clients that Breeding Insight serves. As the heart of BI’s Program Coordination team, Kirsten has covered everything from obtaining office space, scheduling meetings, coordinating travel, and assisting with crafting policy for the team. Now, in her role as Program Manager, Kirsten has also taken on responsibility for managing project scope, budgeting, and financial reporting. She loves that her work helps support the continued success and overall satisfaction of the entire BI team and their USDA-ARS collaborators.

Arlyn (AJ) Ackerman has worked with a number of different specialty and commodity crops across a range of breeding programs. AJ has utilized his multi-crop experience to cross-cut concepts across various crops and breeding schemes dating back to his Ph.D. research at Clemson University. Growing up on a farm in the Midwest, AJ has worked in both start-up breeding companies and across various branches of Monsanto (now Bayer). Additionally, AJ has trained under breeders facing the unique challenges involved in building a breeding program from the ground up, as well as breeders implementing innovative changes in recently inherited programs. AJ’s research and interests have revolved around implementing cutting-edge technologies into modern breeding programs. These focuses include the integration of phenotyping and AI-driven tools into breeding programs and measuring the benefits or consequences these changes have on genomic-assisted breeding pipelines, building disruptive approaches to designing breeding trials and speed breeding, and effectively integrating genomic-driven strategies into breeding schemes.

Bhoja joined Breeding Insight in June 2024 as the Breeding Data Coordinator. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding from Texas A&M University and an M.S. in Plant Sciences from South Dakota State University. Bhoja brings over a decade of experience in applied crop breeding and variety development. His career includes significant roles such as Breeder for Bread Wheat Improvement and Lead Breeder for the Hybrid Wheat Program at CIMMYT, Mexico. Bhoja has made significant contributions to understanding the genetic basis, discovery, and deployment of disease resistance in wheat, particularly durable rust resistance. Known for his expertise in breeding process improvement, data management, genomic prediction, and product development, Bhoja has played a key role in developing advanced wheat germplasm and hybrid wheat production systems. Additionally, as a Breeding Optimization Specialist for the Accelerated Breeding Initiative / Excellence in
Breeding (EiB) platform at CGIAR, he coordinated efforts in aligning breeding targets, optimizing breeding schemes, and using advanced tools to enhance genetic gains across various crop breeding programs.

Edwin Reidel was inspired to study plants after landing a undergraduate Work-Study job in the UC Davis Horticulture Department. He eventually earned a MS in Horticulture & Agronomy -- also at UC Davis, followed by a PhD emphasizing plant physiology and molecular biology at Cornell University. After a stint in seed production research, Edwin migrated to business development roles for over a decade, gaining further expertise in technologies for measuring plants. Some career highlights include performing breeding crosses resulting in the release of new walnut varieties, solving a problem in onion seed processing that was costing millions annually in losses, winning a contract for the world's largest outdoor plant phenotyping system, and helping to launch a software startup focused on drone image analysis in breeding. He enjoys Nordic skiing and running ultramarathons for fun in the Pacific Northwest.

Alex joined Breeding Insight in June 2023. He holds a PhD in Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Millersville University. In his graduate work, he evaluated the landscape genomics of natural and breeding populations of American chestnut trees in North America to develop germplasm conservation and breeding plans for the species to mitigate the impacts of climate change. In his role with Breeding Insight, he collaborates with USDA-ARS breeders and team members to apply genomics and bioinformatics methods to existing plant and animal breeding programs. His skills include developing custom bioinformatic pipelines, evaluating the genomic basis of local adaptation in populations, and analyzing population genomics in both diploid and polyploid species. Driven by a passion for using genomics to mitigate the impacts of climate change on susceptible species, he brings valuable expertise to the Breeding Insight team, ensuring the efficient and beneficial realization of USDA-ARS breeding program goals.

Manoj is a dedicated researcher currently serving as a Genomics Postdoctoral Associate at Breeding Insight, Cornell University. He earned his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics from the University of Georgia (UGA), where his research focused on unraveling the genetic basis of fruit flavor volatiles in tomatoes. Manoj also holds a B.S. in Agriculture from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, with a major in Plant Breeding. At Breeding Insight, Manoj actively collaborates with USDA breeders on diverse projects, delving into genetic diversity exploration, QTL mapping, GWAS, and genomic selections for specialty crops like alfalfa, lettuce, blueberry, and cucumber. Proficient in genomic and bioinformatics analysis, he excels in developing efficient breeding strategies. His skill set encompasses marker-assisted selection, gene editing, cloning, and other cutting-edge techniques, significantly contributing to the progress of plant breeding technologies.
Beyond his research endeavors, Manoj engages actively in campus and community activities. His leadership experience includes serving as the President of the Nepalese Students Association at UGA and participating as a member of the Postdoctoral Association at Cornell University. This involvement underscores his commitment to fostering a collaborative and vibrant academic community.
Manoj's dedication to advancing plant breeding agricultural science makes him a valuable asset to Breeding Insight and the broader research community. In his free time, Manoj enjoys traveling, adding a dynamic dimension to his life. For more information, you can explore his professional journey on his personal website (https://manoj34sapkota.github.io/).