Rexanna deGruy grew up raising chickens and Brahman cattle commercially, with a farming father and an agricultural-science teaching mother. Fascinated by the chance to communicate with people from all walks of life, she pursued a Bachelor and Master of Science in agricultural communications from Texas A&M and Texas Tech University, respectively, then earned her Doctor of Philosophy in AEEE (agricultural and extension education and evaluation) from Louisiana State University.

Tamina Chenier is passionate about placing the right people in the right positions and has over 16 years of experience in human resources and change management. Tamina holds a bachelor’s degree in health from Sam Houston State University and a master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in human resources from Ashford University in San Diego, California. She joined the Dairy MAX team in 2022 to continue collaborative cultures in empowering colleagues and influencing strategic business decisions.

Sarah Bauman is thrilled to help connect Americans with dairy farmers just as she connects her passions for agriculture and communications at Dairy MAX, joining the team in 2022. After growing up a fifth-generation cattle rancher, she earned a Bachelor of Science in human development from Texas Tech University and became a certified community and economic developer and, more recently, 2021 Leadership Women graduate. She previously served as a communications manager for Johnson County Special Utility District and an executive director for Hamilton Economic Development Corporation.

Michelle Van Pelt is determined to prevent diet-related diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthy foods. Coming from a family of farmers and working for nonprofits, Michelle joined Dairy MAX in 2022 to make an impact on hunger initiatives.

Naman Khanna has a mind for systems and a heart for the Dairy MAX mission. An IT professional for nearly 10 years, he holds certifications in Salesforce; financial management; and Scrum, a framework used to develop agile systems in software and the workplace in general. Originally from New Delhi, India, Naman earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Delhi before moving to Irving to work as a Salesforce consultant for the Hertz Corporation.

Blake Romney was looking for the opportunity to promote a message he was passionate about, so he joined Dairy MAX in 2020 – finding the proud, Americana story of dairy farmers and sustainability to be well worth telling. He brings more than 10 years of experience in digital strategy and production, including five years in the food and beverage industry, with companies such as Whataburger and American Airlines. Blake holds a double major in broadcast journalism and Spanish from Brigham Young University.

Sara Rose Foreman joins Dairy MAX bringing extensive experience working with school districts, food service and more during a career in the Colorado Departments of Education and of Public Health and Environment. She oversaw the development administration of USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs, administered the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program across 145 schools, and even taught nutrition in a small rural village in Ghana, Africa.

Will has always admired the hard work and dedication dairy farmers devote to feeding families. As vice president of impact and innovation, Will helps lead strategic initiatives that move our mission forward. He ensures we measure what matters — tracking progress, evaluating results and using data to guide smart decisions. He also manages our organizational scorecard, fosters collaboration across teams and leads innovation efforts that help us grow and evolve. 

Gina Hernandez has a heart for service and a newfound passion for working with dairy farmers. For 20 years, she worked as an executive assistant, serving Academic Partnerships, Baylor Scott & White Health and The Dallas Morning News. She came to Dairy MAX in June 2016 inspired by the leadership she saw, as well as the hard work shown by dairy farmers. Gina currently lives in Grand Prairie, Texas, and has two children, Jennifer and Austin, and grandchildren, Tyler, Peyton and Michael. 

John Cass grew up in Friona, TX on a stocker steer and dryland farming operation. He earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in animal science from Texas Tech before spending 18 years working in sales and finance at companies including Hoffmann-La Roche, Cargill and Toyota. He came to Dairy MAX in 2014 because he missed the agricultural industry. John currently lives in College Station, TX.  John has two children, one in Jr. High and one in college.

Favorite physical activity:
Camp Gladiator Workouts