In a July 14th 2021 release The American Egg Board (AEB) named Hema Prado to the newly created role of Director of Sustainability. In her role Ms. Prado will report to Dr. Mickey Rubin, Executive Director of the AEB Egg Nutrition Center. Ms. Prado will oversee development and administration of a comprehensive new sustainability program encompassing critical industry-level research and education initiatives with potential value to U.S. egg producers and their food industry customers.
Ms. Prado earned an M.S. in Environmental Management from University of Maryland University College and a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Psychology from Pitzer College. Ms. Prado joins the AEB from the EPA, where she was most recently Senior Advisor for Agriculture in the Office of the Administrator. Previously she worked on regulatory and voluntary programs related to animal agriculture, pesticides, and water quality.
Prado brings twenty years of experience for environmental, agricultural and health issues spanning government, nonprofits and the private sector, notably including her most recent positions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She has built and led initiatives with broad and diverse stakeholders by focusing on strategic approaches, problem-solving and innovation.
In commenting on her appointment Ms. Prado stated “The issues we plan to address are complex. Sustainability entails everything from responsible environmental stewardship to animal welfare to food waste and much more. The solutions will require a big tent. I’m looking forward to engaging and partnering with our egg industry and agriculture stakeholders, our customers and parties outside of the industry — including environmental groups, technologists and thought leaders — to develop proactive, scientifically sound and rigorous solutions to the challenges we face”.
The AEB is partnering with United Egg Producers (UEP) on the comprehensive lifecycle assessment conducted by the Egg Industry Center located at Iowa State University. The AEB and UEP are also both members of the multi-stakeholder U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs and the International Poultry Welfare Alliance.