Senior Manager Joins OTA Team

Monique Marez is joining the staff of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) as senior manager for international trade. In her new role, Marez will implement OTA's international trade strategy through collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, external contractors and industry representatives, and manage the association's international trade grant funding development.

She will also play a major role in helping OTA achieve its commitment to growing global markets and creating new opportunities for America's organic growers.

Marez was most recently strategic projects manager for New York-based Great Performances, which specializes in using and promoting organic food in the hospitality industry. Before that, she worked with the James Beard Foundation, also based in New York, a nonprofit group that educates people about America's culinary culture through educational initiatives, conferences and awards.

"The organic world is an international world, and Monique's training in international trade, coupled with her specialty in food and agriculture, will serve us well," said Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of Brattleboro, Vt.-based OTA. "Monique's informed outlook on the current state of the food supply in the United States, including organic, along with her knowledge of the global market make her an exciting addition to OTA."

"I believe mothers and fathers should be able to nourish their families with the safest, most wholesome food possible, and making organic products more readily available from Harlem to Helsinki will make that vision a reality," noted Marez.

OTA's members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants and retailers.