Our multidisciplinary team of specialists is making high-tech breeding a reality for specialty crop and animal breeders.
About Us
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/BI_illo_carrot_01.png)
Meet our Team
USDA-ARS
![Ed Buckler](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Ed-Buckler-01.png)
Ed Buckler
Principal Investigator
![Jean-Luc Jannink](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/jean-luc_jannink-125x125-01.png)
Jean-Luc Jannink
Co-Principal Investigator
![Tim Rinehart](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Tim-Rinehart-125x125-01.png)
Tim Rinehart
Office of National Programs
![Amanda Hulse-Kemp](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Amanda-Hulse-Kemp-125x125-01.png)
Amanda Hulse-Kemp
BI OnRamp Director
Cornell University
![Moira Sheehan headshot](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BI_MSheehan_200x200-01-500x500.png)
Moira Sheehan
Director
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BI_CBeil_200x200-02-01-500x500.png)
Craig Beil
Breeding Team Lead
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-12-at-12.25.10-PM.png)
Sam Bouabane
Lead Developer
![Headshot, Kirsten Richardson](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Richardson_Kirsten_150_3-01.jpg)
Kirsten Richardson
Program Manager
![Shawn Yarnes headshot](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Provided_SYarnes_200x200-01-500x500.png)
Shawn Yarnes
Product Owner
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/KL-e1695409145286-500x500.jpg)
Kristen Lind
Training and Communication Lead
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-12-at-12.25.10-PM.png)
Kristina Petrillose
Program Support Specialist
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_9012-500x500.jpg)
Arlyn Ackerman
Plant Breeding Coordinator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bhoja1-500x500.jpg)
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.
Bhoja Basnet
Breeding Data Coordinator
![headshot of Alexandra M Casa](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Alex-150x150-01.png)
Alexandra M Casa
Breeding Data Curator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/chen-shufen-e1695409245417-500x500.jpeg)
Shufen Chen
Bioinformatics Postdoc
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AK2B2328-1-scaled-e1707842279676-500x500.jpg)
Josue Chinchilla-Vargas
Animal Breeding Coordinator
![Headshot, Rebecca Cubitt](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Cubitt_Rebecca_150_3-01.jpg)
Rebecca Cubitt
Breeding Support Specialist
![headshot of Meng Lin](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Provided_MLin_100x100-01.png)
Meng Lin
Bioinformatics Coordinator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/edwin_reidel_headshot-500x500.jpg)
Edwin Reidel
Phenomics Coordinator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Alex_2-1-scaled-e1694721126600-500x500.jpg)
Alex Sandercock
Genomics Postdoc
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_1867-1-scaled-e1707324354525-500x500.jpg)
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/).
Manoj Sapkota
Genomics Postdoc
![Tyler Slonecki headshot](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tyler-2-500x500.png)
Tyler Slonecki
Biosoftware Coordinator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1000027336-e1718890759654.jpg)
Cris Taniguti
Genomics Coordinator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/xuemei3-e1707321798195.png)
Xuemei Tang
Breeding Data Coordinator
![Headshot, Tyr Weisner Hanks](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WeisnerHanks_Tyr_150_3-01.jpg)
As BI’s Biometrics Coordinator, he works on a range of projects related to phenotype capture and analysis, helping breeders measure their key traits as quickly and correctly as possible.
Tyr Wiesner-Hanks
Biometrics Coordinator
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Breeding-Insight-0878-scaled-e1707404209136-500x500.jpg)
Dongyan Zhao
Genomics Lead
![headshot of Dave Meidlinger](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BI_DMeidlinger_200x200-03-01.png)
David Meidlinger
Software Developer
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_0085-500x500.jpg)
Shahana Mustafa
Quality Assurance Specialist
![Nick Palladino headshot](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BI_NPalladino_200x200-01.png)
Nick Palladino
Software Developer
![Headshot, Dave Phillips](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BI_DPhillips_200x200-01.png)
Dave Phillips
Software Developer
![Heather Sweeney headshot](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Provided_HSweeney_200x200-01-500x500.png)
Heather Sweeney
Software Developer
Technical Steering Board
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ed-b_01_web.jpg)
Ed Buckler
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/gina-b_01_web.jpg)
Gina Brown-Guedira
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pete-c_01_web.jpg)
Pete Cyr
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/scott-j_01_web.jpg)
Scott Jackson
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/jean-lj_01_web.jpg)
Jean-Luc Jannink
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/steve-l_01_web.jpg)
Steve Larson
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/tim-r_01_web.jpg)
Tim Rinehart
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/steve-r_01_web.jpg)
Steve Rounsley
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/moira_01_web.jpg)
Moira Sheehan
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/phil-s_01_web.jpg)
Phil Simon
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/allen-vd_01_web.jpg)
Allen Van Deynze
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/margaret-w_01_web.jpg)
Margaret Worthington
![Tim Parsons headshot](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BI_TParsons_200x200-01.png)
Tim Parsons
![](https://breedinginsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SteveKresovich2-e1710272955922.jpg)
Stephen Kresovich
Careers
Species aren’t the only thing we’re breeding at Breeding Insight. We are also expanding our dynamic, multidisciplinary team of specialists.