3 / Community
7 / New Year’s Resolutions
The Briar Wire Volume 11, Issue 4 | December 2025
Sweet Briar Forum Spotlights Women’s Leadership in Agriculture As a part of the College’s 125th Anniversary celebration, Sweet Briar brought industry experts to campus on Oct. 22 for its Women in Agriculture Forum, a celebration of the skill and innovation women bring to the field. In addition to a tour of Sweet Briar’s own agricultural enterprises, which include vineyards, a greenhouse, and an apiary, the event included a plenary by Heidi L. Hertz, principal at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, and panel discussion with Muriel Forrest, executive director and co-founder of Wheatland Farms; Dr. Jessica Walters, program manager for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; and Natalia Zappernick, director of horticulture at Babylon Micro-Farms. The panel was moderated by Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean of the College, and Chief Sustainability Officer Dr. Lisa Powell. Welcome remarks were offered by President Mary Pope M. Hutson ‘83 and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr, who has visited campus five times over the last four years of his
term in office. “Sweet Briar College Secretary Matt Lohr, Muriel Forrest, Dr. Jessica Walters, Heidi Hertz, Natalia Zappernick, & Dean Lisa Powell is doing an amazing job of providing hands-on learning in a variety of sustainable and as a female in many areas of the agriculture practices and careers. field, from horticulture to equestrian It has been a pleasure to partner training. with them and watch their success!” “Never in a million years would I Secretary Lohr said. “Every time I’ve think my path would end up where come to campus for an event or tour, it did, but the key that made a it’s amazing to see the integration of difference for me was during my sustainable agriculture and forestry education years in college. Like into the curriculum.” many of you, it was a liberal arts Secretary Lohr shared that Virginia school that encouraged us to look is the number one state in the U.S. beyond the boundaries of our for the highest number of controlled minds,” Forrest said of her position as environment agriculture operations, executive director and co-founder of making the College’s Center for Wheatland Farms. Human & Environmental Sustainability Other topics covered during the and its curricular focuses a perfect fit panel included female mentorship, for students interested in careers in equality in the equestrian arena, the sector. the role of entrepreneurship, During the plenary address, Hertz and breaking the ceiling in malespoke of her background growing dominated fields, including up in rural Virginia and its influence agriculture-related areas. on her career today, and also the The panel was followed by a women who inspired her along the reception, giving attendees, panelists, way. Following her address, Hertz and leadership an opportunity joined the other three panelists to to network and continue the share their experiences in agriculture conversation.