Jorge Delgado
Minnesota

Originally from Ecuador, Jorge Delgado was born to a South American dairy family. He received his bachelor’s degree in agriculture and dairy science. Jorge worked on multiple dairy farms as a herd manager for 10 years after graduation.

He’s worked as a dairy training specialist for Alltech and Elanco. In 2018, he rejoined Alltech and created the Alltech T2R program (Training, Talent development and Retention program). He helps dairy producers with their people management practices, herd health, milk quality, calf management, protocol customization and animal welfare. He lives with his family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Rosario Ibarra
Wisconsin

Rosario Ibarra, born and raised in Mexico, is the general manager at Grotegut Dairy Farm Inc. in Newton, Wisconsin. She supervises and coordinates herd activities of the 2,500-plus dairy cows and manages the day-to-day operation of the dairy and facilities.

She supervises employees in all phases of the dairy, identifying problems with cows and employees and solving these problems promptly. Her previous industry experience includes feed company representative in Mexico and the U.S., and calf manager. Rosario has a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and an MBA degree. She is a graduate of Cornerstone Dairy Academy, a three-year dynamic educational track focused on a unique suite of communication and leadership skills.

Dr. Maristela Rovai
South Dakota

Originally from Brazil, Maristela Rovai is a veterinarian and assistant professor and extension dairy specialist at South Dakota State University. Rovai’s research has focused on lactation physiology and milk quality.

She currently develops extension programs to improve milk quality and assist dairy producers in workforce development. She also coordinates a program called “Semillas” – the Spanish word for seeds – designed to help Latino youth of dairy workers embrace their heritage and gain a sense of community while understanding the dairy industry. She speaks fluent Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Dr. Paula Ospina
New York

Originally from Colombia, veterinarian Paula Ospina graduated from Cornell University with a veterinary degree and finished Ph.D. work there as well in 2012. In 2014, she began working with Cornell’s Quality Milk Production Services.

Her extension work is focused on bilingual milker training and milk quality improvement. She continues to do research on bedding, bulk tanks and mastitis.

Dr. Mireille Chahine
Idaho

Originally from Lebanon, Mireille Chahine is a professor and extension dairy specialist for the University of Idaho. Her extension trainings address the entirety of the dairy enterprise from calf management to milk quality and business management.

She held a national leadership role as an executive committee member of DAIReXNET and was the subject leader in charge of its Spanish materials. In addition to extension, Chahine conducts on-farm/applied research addressing milk quality, nutrition and environmental issues. She is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Luis Briones
California

Originally from Mexico, Luis Briones has been working in the U.S. dairy industry for more than 20 years. He’s worked as a vet tech assistant, specializing in milk quality, parlor evaluations and employee protocol training.

He is certified in cattle-handling training and has coordinated more than 280 animal-handling events in the U.S. He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. He is currently employed by Elanco and lives in southern California.

Dave Jauquet
Wisconsin

Dave Jauquet is the owner of Jauquet’s Hillview Dairy in Luxemburg, Wisconsin. The dairy milks 650 registered Holsteins and farms 500 acres. Jauquet and his wife, Stacy, started the dairy in 2007. They have two children, Blake and Stella.

Jauquet realizes the importance of employee training to overall dairy efficiency. He and his team of employees have an impressive 38 percent pregnancy rate alongside a 33,000-pound herd average.