IFAJ Presidium 2020-2022
PRESIDENT
Lena Johansson
Lena Johansson is the first woman to become IFAJ president. She was previously Vice-president from 2016-2020 and a former executive member for the Association for Forestry & Agricultural Journalists (FSLJ) in Sweden (Föreningen Skogs och Lantbruksjournalister).
Lena is political editor in chief for Land Lantbruk, LRF Media, and has been working as a journalist and communicator for 40 years, of which the last 30 as an agricultural journalist. Lena has a long and well-documented leadership experience throughout most of her professional life, both as an employee and with voluntary work.
Lena has been engaged in IFAJ activities since 1995. She has been responsible for the IFAJ 2012 congress, chairperson of the Outreach & Membership Committee and Congress Committee, and a member of Freedom of the Press Committee and Vision 2025 Committee. She has attended almost 20 IFAJ congresses.
VICE-PRESIDENT
Steve Werblow
Steve Werblow is a freelance agricultural writer and photographer and becomes IFAJ Vice-president after four years as Secretary General. During that time, he expanded the Star Prize Award program, worked with Congress host countries to create a more festive awards ceremony, and spearheaded the development of the IFAJ webinar program. He also serves as a member of the freedom of the press committee.
Deeply dedicated to professional development and sharing ideas, Steve helped organize and teach the Young Leaders/Master Class Boot Camp program and presented professional development workshops in-person or via Skype/Zoom to member organizations and emerging guilds in Switzerland, Georgia, Botswana, the Caribbean and Northern Ireland. He recently posted a webinar for IFAJ’s new, free online series.
Prior to volunteering as Secretary-General, Steve served for three years as AAEA’s representative to IFAJ’s Executive. During that time and in the years that followed, he solicited sponsorships from several key donors, led a member survey that continues to guide IFAJ’s professional development efforts, helped organize and secure sponsorship for several Exposure-4-Development tours, and assisted in developing the framework for the IFAJ Foundation and new Constitution.
SECRETARY GENERAL
Adalberto Rossi
Adalberto Rossi has been the Argentinian member of the IFAJ executive committee since 2013 and was in charge of the organization of the IFAJ Annual Congress in Argentina that same year. Currently, he is actively cooperating to promote the creation of guilds of agricultural journalists within Latin America and supporting their application as members to IFAJ.
He is an agricultural writer, radio host and digital editor. He is the director of “Cátedra Avícola & Agropecuaria” and host of a radio program founded by his father, keeping on with 64 years of uninterrupted diffusion. He is also producer of a premium magazine devoted to agribusiness, manager of an agricultural news portal and publisher of a digital daily newsletter providing up to date information on the Argentine poultry industry.
TREASURER
Adrian Bell
Adrian Bell is an agricultural writer, a marketing and communications consultant to agriculture and agtech, and founder and director of Agro Mavens & AgTech Compass.
He has been IFAJ Treasurer since 2015, and previously a member of the IFAJ Executive Committee from 2014-16, as well as a member of the Host Liaison and Hiring Committees. He was also involved in the creation of the new IFAJ website, lead the development of IFAJ Development Bursaries and AgTech Awards in partnership with Caterpillar. He also secured Syngenta as IFAJ’s Network Partner, in support of IFAJ Mobile and Outreach activities, and is the current lead on establishment of the IFAJ Foundation and necessary legal/financial transition for IFAJ.
