With decades of experience at the intersection of science, agriculture, and sustainability, Rebecca R. Quesnell, PhD, has emerged as a respected leader in promoting healthier food systems and more resilient farming practices. As chief operations officer of TransAgra International Inc. since 2016, she has played a pivotal role in overseeing on-site operations, research and discovery, and production. She also serves as director of new product development, where she has led efforts to promote healthy, sustainable food solutions on a global scale, including improving agricultural practices and restoring soil and animal health through innovation and collaboration.
Prior to joining TransAgra, Dr. Quesnell was a senior scientist at Zoetis Services LLC from 2009 to 2016. There, and during her earlier years at Pfizer Inc. until 2013, she earned multiple accolades, including the Animal Health Individual Performance Award, Team Leadership Award, and the Animal Care and Welfare Board 3Rs Award.
Dr. Quesnell began her research career as a postdoctoral associate at Cornell University from 2007 to 2009, following seven years as a graduate research assistant at Kansas State University. Her academic excellence was reflected in awards such as the Jane A. Westfall Graduate Fellowship, the Phi Zeta Basic Science Research First Place Award, and the Caroline tum Suden/Francis A. Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award from the American Physiological Society.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Quesnell served in a variety of roles that contributed to her broad perspective, including veterinary technician for the American Horse Show Association, executive assistant at the Concordia University Foundation, small animal surgical consultant, and senior research associate at Oregon Health & Science University.
Laying a solid educational foundation, Dr. Quesnell holds a bachelor’s degree in life science and physical science from Concordia University, completed in 1989, and a PhD in mammary gland physiology and reproductive physiology from Kansas State University, earned in 2006. Her professional certifications include preventive controls qualified individual and hazard analysis and critical control points, among others.
Dr. Quesnell’s various professional affiliations include membership in the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance. In parallel with her scientific work, she has been a tireless advocate for community outreach and education. She founded the St. Luke’s Katrina Relief Effort Blue House Project in 2005 and has volunteered with organizations such as the American Red Cross, Trinity Lutheran Church, and the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center. Moreover, throughout the past two decades, she has organized and led dozens of educational, church-based, and community service initiatives focused on relief, science education, and youth engagement.
Dr. Quesnell’s professional journey is also marked by personal strength. She credits her success to the remarkable individuals she has worked alongside, as well as the enduring support of her husband. Together, they have faced and overcome significant challenges as cancer survivors, and this experience has further shaped her resilience and commitment to improving lives through sustainable agriculture.
Outside of her professional life, Dr. Quesnell is the proud mother of two daughters—one a doctor of physical therapy and the other working in biomedical research, and deeply values time with her family. Looking to the future, she remains passionate about growing TransAgra International Inc. and sharing its mission with a broader audience. Her overarching goal is to help communities worldwide restore soil vitality, improve animal care, and embrace agricultural sustainability.