The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) kicked off 2024 by adding staff members to its offices in Washington, D.C., and Beijing, China, and welcoming a consultant specializing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Evelyn Li joined the Council’s Beijing office on Jan. 8 as its administration and compliance coordinator, where she will oversee day-to-day operations and support Council missions and programs there.
Before joining the Council, Li worked as an administrative assistant for Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, a leading global law firm based in China; as a senior program manager for Country Holidays International Travel Service; and as an operations manager at UMICE International Conference Services.
Li earned a master’s degree in international marketing from Hult International Business School.
“Evelyn has a wealth of experience in a variety of international workplaces, and she will be a valuable asset not only to our team here in Beijing, but also to all Council members and staff during their work and travels in China,” said Manuel Sanchez, USGC director in China.
Mark Ingebretson became the Council’s SAF global policy consultant on Jan. 8 and will play a key role in developing strategic plans and programming focused on SAF policies for the Council’s international offices regarding alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) technology that uses U.S. corn-based ethanol or U.S.-produced SAF amid growing demand for low-carbon aviation fuel.
Ingebretson previously worked at Phillips 66, where he gained extensive experience in the refined fuels sector, international business development initiatives and stakeholder engagement. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Rice University in Houston.
“As we continue to advocate for corn ethanol based SAF as a vital decarbonization tool within the aviation sector, the Council felt it was vital to gain Mark’s expertise and leverage it into promoting environmentally friendly policy changes that implement and take advantage of U.S.-sourced SAF product across the globe,” said Mackenzie Boubin, USGC director of global ethanol export development.
Rebecca Williams joined the Council on Jan. 9 as its new manager of industry relations. In this role, she will handle coordination and communication between the Council, its members and state checkoff partners.
Williams previously managed operations at Pop Fizz and also has experience in international trade, customer service and public speaking. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and psychology from Portland State University.
“I’m so excited to bring Rebecca to the industry relations team and I know she will be a great asset to our members and make a positive impact during our annual meetings and on our programs,” said Ellen Zimmerman, USGC director of industry relations.
Please join the Council in welcoming Evelyn, Mark and Rebecca!
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.