PILI Alumni Summit
June 18, 2022
Renaissance Nashville Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Reconnect at the Leadership Institute Alumni Summit
Join the Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (PLEAF) in Nashville for the first in-person Leadership Institute Alumni Summit!
The Alumni Summit will bring together Leadership Institute graduates of all years to network, refresh skills, and learn new techniques to better position themselves for success in the potato industry. All past graduates of the Leadership Institute are invited to participate in the one-day workshop that will be active, engaging, fast-paced, high energy and packed with tips that can be put to use immediately.
What can I expect from the Alumni Summit?
Participants will engage in intentional conversations that will inspire reflection into their personal and professional communication styles, as well as team dynamics. Throughout the program, participants will develop new strategies and skills that will then be implemented into a strategic plan that they can use to elevate their operations after completing the program.
Utilizing the Gallup Strengths lens of leadership, session topics include:
- Communicating Your Skills/Brand
- Cultivating and Maximizing Team Success
- Walking the Walk/Putting Your Learning to Work
Saturday, June 18, 9:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Potato LEAF Pedal Bar Party
Attending the 2022 Leadership Institute Alumni Summit and looking for a chance to explore downtown Nashville? Look no further!
Celebrate the conclusion of the first ever in-person Alumni Summit with fellow attendees for a Nashville pub-crawl like no other. Participants will board one of the famous Nashville Pedal Tavern bikes and ride along the historic Broadway strip before ending their ride in the heart of downtown Nashville.
Secure your ticket to connect in a way that will surely be memorable!
Saturday, June 18, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Introducing Ameerah Palacios!
As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Ameerah is skilled in helping you find the confidence to lead with your strengths and coaching you to your best!
Ameerah Palacios is an award-winning, strategic public relations practitioner and dynamic trainer helping organizations elevate their brand. With expertise in social media, marketing research and brand journalism, she is an enthusiastic strategist for digital communication and marketing campaigns.
She’s a sought-after expert in change management, executive leadership facilitation, communication equity frameworks, engagement and content strategy, and multicultural communication. Ameerah earned a Master of Business Administration degree from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication from the renowned School of Journalism and Broadcasting at Western Kentucky University as an Honors College alumnae.
Ameerah holds several awards for her work and was recognized by the National School Public Relations Association’s “35 under 35” in 2018 for her communications and marketing leadership within public schools and a 2019 National Chamber Innovation Award for her Year of Tech Marketing Campaign for the city of Louisville.
Ameerah has been a Gallup Coach since April 2017.
Social Media
Potatoes are highly sensitive to even moderate environmental changes. During Potato Expo 2026, we sat down with Andrew Pritchard, Senior Atmospheric Scientist at Nutrien, who identified the "best and worst" weather patterns for potato health. The conversation focuses on practical resilience strategies, including soil performance tracking and storage management, to help producers remain profitable despite erratic rainfall and shifting pest pressures.
🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-potatoes-a-podcast-on-all-things-potatoes/id1491815515
Mar 31
Potatoes are highly sensitive to even moderate environmental changes. During Potato Expo 2026, we sat down with Andrew Pritchard, Senior Atmospheric Scientist at Nutrien, who identified the "best and worst" weather patterns for potato health. The conversation focuses on practical resilience strategies, including soil performance tracking and storage management, to help producers remain profitable despite erratic rainfall and shifting pest pressures.
🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eye-on-potatoes-a-podcast-on-all-things-potatoes/id1491815515
Mark your calendars! 🥔 The 2026 NPC Summer Meeting is heading to Detroit, Michigan, from July 21-24.
This isn`t just another industry event—it’s where the future of the U.S. potato industry takes shape. Join key decision-makers from every major growing region to tackle our industry`s biggest challenges and influence national policy.
We’ve planned a legendary lineup of activities to showcase the best of the Motor City:
Kickoff at St. Andrew’s Hall: Network in an iconic music venue that has hosted everyone from Nirvana to Pearl Jam. 🎸
History at Ford Piquette Avenue Plant: Enjoy dinner and a tour at the birthplace of the Ford Model T. 🚗
A night at Comerica Park: Close out the meeting watching the Detroit Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals. ⚾️
Experience the perfect blend of business, innovation, and Detroit-style fun.
Save the date: July 21-24, 2026!
Mar 11
Mark your calendars! 🥔 The 2026 NPC Summer Meeting is heading to Detroit, Michigan, from July 21-24.
This isn`t just another industry event—it’s where the future of the U.S. potato industry takes shape. Join key decision-makers from every major growing region to tackle our industry`s biggest challenges and influence national policy.
We’ve planned a legendary lineup of activities to showcase the best of the Motor City:
Kickoff at St. Andrew’s Hall: Network in an iconic music venue that has hosted everyone from Nirvana to Pearl Jam. 🎸
History at Ford Piquette Avenue Plant: Enjoy dinner and a tour at the birthplace of the Ford Model T. 🚗
A night at Comerica Park: Close out the meeting watching the Detroit Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals. ⚾️
Experience the perfect blend of business, innovation, and Detroit-style fun.
Save the date: July 21-24, 2026!
🏆During last week`s NPC Washington Summit, long-time champion of the potato industry, Congressman Dan Newhouse @repnewhouse, was presented with NPC`s Golden Potato Award by Washington state grower Ted Tschirky in recognition of his decades of public service.
Mar 6
🏆During last week`s NPC Washington Summit, long-time champion of the potato industry, Congressman Dan Newhouse @repnewhouse, was presented with NPC`s Golden Potato Award by Washington state grower Ted Tschirky in recognition of his decades of public service.
National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles and @spudmanmag Managing Editor Melinda Waldrop join the Eye on Potatoes Podcast to break down the inaugural 2026 Spud Sector Survey. This first-of-its-kind report moves past headlines to reveal the economic heartbeat of America’s potato growers.
Discover how NPC uses this "hard data ammunition" to advocate for our family farms in Washington, D.C. The group discusses the striking "optimism gap," where growers feel confident in their own operations but fear for the broader industry’s future. From the 82.9% of growers facing inflationary disruptions to the "essential bridge" of federal emergency aid, this episode provides a strategic roadmap for the ongoing efforts to Stand Up for Potatoes on Capitol Hill.
🎧 LISTEN NOW at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bridging-the-optimism-gap-insights-from-the-spud/id1491815515?i=1000753425593.
Mar 6
National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles and @spudmanmag Managing Editor Melinda Waldrop join the Eye on Potatoes Podcast to break down the inaugural 2026 Spud Sector Survey. This first-of-its-kind report moves past headlines to reveal the economic heartbeat of America’s potato growers.
Discover how NPC uses this "hard data ammunition" to advocate for our family farms in Washington, D.C. The group discusses the striking "optimism gap," where growers feel confident in their own operations but fear for the broader industry’s future. From the 82.9% of growers facing inflationary disruptions to the "essential bridge" of federal emergency aid, this episode provides a strategic roadmap for the ongoing efforts to Stand Up for Potatoes on Capitol Hill.
🎧 LISTEN NOW at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bridging-the-optimism-gap-insights-from-the-spud/id1491815515?i=1000753425593.