What are your goals in your role at your company?
This year we are thrilled to be expanding our Youth Institutes to almost half the country as well as outside the U.S. with new programs in Europe, Africa and Central America.

What are your goals for community involvement?
To never stop creating. Pursuing new artistic challenges and sharing my love of art with the community through volunteer projects. 

What’s your biggest passion, and why? 
Service. There is nothing greater than helping others. 

What is it that drives you?
In middle school, my choir sang on stage with John Denver during the 10-year celebration ceremony of the World Food Prize. I remember standing there thinking “Why is this incredible, worldly event happening here?” It was the first time I realized there must be something truly unique about Iowa. 

What are your future aspirations?
Reach 10-plus million high school students with transformative experiences. Through a dynamic national network of education, industry and public sector partnerships, scale up programs to all 50 U.S. states and around the world to identify, educate and inspire the next generation of young leaders in critical agriculture and STEM fields.

Reasons she’s a Forty:

1.) Libby works to improve the quality and reach of the World Food Prize Youth programs across the country, impacting over 10,000 students annually.
2.) She established the World Food Prize Board of Reviewers to provide high school students encouragement and critical feedback on their research and recommendations to solve real-world challenges.
3.) She is a community leader and activist for the arts, civic engagement and social justice.
4.) She has artwork featured locally, such as the Des Moines Social Club and Principal Financial Group, and nationally, such as 2017 Honorable Mention, 35th Annual Juried Photography Exhibition, Mills Pond Gallery, N.Y.

See all 2018 honorees