NCFC Announces Dr. Keri Jacobs to Lead New Cooperative Education Initiatives

Washington, D.C. (October 13, 2026)-The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) announced today that Dr. Keri Jacobs will join the organization effective January 1, 2027, as the vice president of education and the executive director of the NCFC Education Foundation.

Jacobs currently serves as the executive director of the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership (GICL) and as the Partridge Chair in Cooperative Leadership at the University of Missouri.

"Keri is the most respected authority on cooperative leadership development in the country today, and bringing her to NCFC will help us deliver on the mission our members laid out in our strategic plan," said Duane Simpson, president and CEO of NCFC. "Co-ops have told us that developing strong directors, executives, and the next generation of leaders is one of the most valuable things we can do for them. Keri has spent her career working alongside farmer co-op boards and management teams on those questions. Here she will build a national, year-round home for that work, so every NCFC member has access to the education and support that leadership excellence demands."

"As the daughter and granddaughter of farmers, I have seen firsthand the difference a strong cooperative can make for farm families and the rural communities they call home," Jacobs said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to join NCFC and honored to be entrusted with helping build the programs, partnerships, and leadership pathways that will strengthen the cooperative system that America's farmers and ranchers rely on today and for future generations."

In this new role at NCFC, Jacobs will be responsible for building and leading NCFC's national platform for cooperative board, executive, and emerging-leader development, and for serving as the Association's principal thought leader on cooperative governance, strategy, and leadership issues. The role also serves as Executive Director of the NCFC Education Foundation, providing strategic and fundraising leadership for the Foundation's education mission.

"A farmer co-op is only as strong as the people who lead it, from the boardroom and executive suite to the front-line managers and leaders," said Kevin Brinkley, chairman of NCFC and president & CEO of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association. "Keri's experience in cooperative governance and leadership is unparalleled and having her on the NCFC team gives our members a resource they won't find anywhere else. The programs she builds will help our members' directors and management sharpen their skills, think ahead, and keep their co-ops strong for the farmer-owners they serve."