YAKIMA, WA - Intensive. Abundant. Meaningful. Mining toward the center of who we are is not for the faint of heart. It is a task that affects not only who we are as people, but impacts those individuals, groups, and companies that surround us.

The event outdid its own expectations by selling out days before its debut, filling 228 seats. Yet, stepping into the hustle and bustle of the first of what I hope are many regional events from the International Fresh Produce Association’s Women’s Fresh Perspectives portfolio, I couldn't help but ask myself the question: How are they going to execute meaningful work in the expanse of five and a half hours?

The answer: Through the execution made possible by three amazing women: Catherine Gipe-Stewart, Carrie Mack, and Veronica Rodarte. The event kicked off at 1:00 p.m. on May 6 in Yakima, Washington, and by 6:30 pm, my cup runneth over.

“I am so impressed by the women who attended this inaugural event. We created this event for women in all facets of the industry and all others who are having to push through barriers. When planning this event, I found myself emailing and calling a majority of men and advocating they send their female employees,” Cat reflected as we discussed this industry need. “While the industry is full of women, very few are the final decision makers for who from the company should be attending the event. When asked why they should send their female employees, I shared the Hewlett-Packard study that found men will apply for a job or promotion when they are 60 percent confident they have the skills. Then I shared that women will wait till they are 100 percent confident to apply. Jaws dropped. I shared that there is a gender confidence gap that is already working against women advancing in their careers. These men listened and advocated for their colleagues. So, thank you to you all as well, for your allyship and advocating for education and leadership for your female teammates.”

Covering topics and conversations from confidence, vulnerability, and finding your voice to mentorship, connection, and balancing grit, goals, and self-care, this regional event delivered on an amazing promise: You belong here.

While I wish to expand on my experience of the event, these words from our friends really captured its essence.

Carrie Mack, Senior Sourcing Manager, Walmart

“The first IFPA WFPC regional event completely blew me away—it exceeded every expectation. I knew we were committed to reaching women across the industry, but I didn’t expect how deeply moving it would be to witness the impact firsthand. Hearing things from attendees like, ‘Thank you for putting this together,’ ‘I can’t believe I was invited,’ and ‘Accounting never gets to do anything!’ hit me hard. This is what belonging looks like. I’m so excited to see what’s next.”

Rochelle Bohm, Vice President of Marketing, CMI Orchards

“The Regional IFPA Women’s Conference was an energizing and meaningful experience for our team. We brought about 25 women from CMI and our warehouse partners, many of whom work together daily but had never met in person. Watching them connect, share stories, and lift each other up was powerful. One standout moment was seeing our CMI Sales Manager, Sarah, take the stage and speak so vulnerably about fear and self-talk—it was raw, honest, and incredibly inspiring. I’m so proud of her for all she has achieved and can’t wait to see her take on the world at the CrossFit Championship in August. The panels and moderators brought great energy, sharing stories that were both motivating and relatable. Events like this remind us how important it is to step out of our day-to-day roles and connect as people. Carrie continues to be a driving force in creating these moments—she’s the biggest cheerleader in the apple industry, and her passion is contagious. I have no doubt everyone walked away feeling more empowered and ready to step into their best selves.”

Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt

“What an honor it was to be among a very full room of produce industry women during the first regional event for IFPA’s Women’s Fresh Perspectives. This event gave us space to reflect on how we want to show up at work and in life, while offering practical tips for taking control of our finances, becoming self-aware, owning our unique voice, and building connections and advocates to help us on our journey.”

Veronica Rodarte, Commodity Manager, Progressive Produce

“This was an amazing first-time event! We had incredible speakers and content that resonated with women across the fresh produce industry. Our goal was to engage women from a wide range of departments, and I believe we achieved that goal with flying colors.”

Lorinda Oscarson, Brand Content Manager, Chelan Fresh

 

“It was amazing to see over 200 women in the room who were ready to embrace a movement to make regional opportunities for women in fresh produce more accessible. This gathering was designed to uplift, inspire, and empower the incredible women in our industry. One of the most valuable things we can do is lift each other up. Success is not a solitary journey—it is built on collaboration, mentorship, and shared wisdom. Thank you to the organizers and sponsors of the first annual Regional Women's Fresh event.”

Emily Cox, Marketing Manager, FirstFruits Farms

"It's so important to make this type of event accessible. We're now able to attend in greater numbers than before, thanks to reduced time and travel barriers. The women at FirstFruits Farms bring so much talent to the table, and stepping away from the day-to-day to invest in our professional and personal development is essential. As someone who started in the industry just five years ago, events like this are a great way to connect with others at various stages of their careers."

Megan Nash, Director of Education and Talent, International Fresh Produce Association

“What an incredible milestone for our Women’s Fresh Perspectives portfolio! Our first regional event was sold out and full of the energy, industry representation, and wide range of roles we envisioned. We created a sense of belonging and opened doors for women who don’t often get opportunities like this. The speakers inspired, the conversations resonated, and our passionate volunteers made it all possible. This is just the beginning—I can’t wait to see what’s next!”

Just weeks apart from the annual and well-renowned Women’s Fresh Perspectives, I am returning home to Sacramento, California, brimming with a second wave of inspiration. As Megan and so many more women of our industry have made clear, this is only the beginning.