ATLANTA – The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs (U.S.-RSPE) and the International Poultry Welfare Alliance (IPWA) have announced the keynote speakers and student award winner who will be featured at the 2026 Poultry Sustainability & Welfare Summit, Sept. 21-23 at the Loews Atlanta Hotel.

The biennial summit brings together leaders from across the poultry and egg value chain, academia, government, civil society and allied industries to examine emerging challenges and identify practical, science-based opportunities to advance poultry sustainability and welfare.

Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young will deliver the summit’s Sustainability Keynote. Jacobs-Young previously served as the USDA’s undersecretary for research, education and economics and as USDA’s chief scientist. Confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she led a research enterprise spanning five national science agencies and helped shape strategies addressing agricultural innovation, food and nutrition security, climate resilience and global scientific collaboration.

The Welfare Keynote Session will feature a recorded conversation sponsored by American Humane with Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University and one of the world’s most influential authorities on animal behavior, handling and welfare. Grandin’s pioneering research, facility designs, and practical approaches to welfare assessment have contributed to significant improvements in the care and handling of farm animals around the world.

“Bringing together Dr. Jacobs-Young, Dr. Grandin and the next generation of poultry researchers reflect exactly what this summit is designed to accomplish,” said Andy Vance, executive director of U.S.-RSPE and IPWA. “Meaningful progress requires visionary leadership, credible science and practical collaboration across the full poultry value chain. These speakers will challenge attendees to consider both the progress already achieved and the opportunities still ahead of us.”

IPWA also announced that Domenica Medina, a researcher in the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources, has been selected as the winner of the 2026 IPWA Student Award of Excellence.

The IPWA Student Award of Excellence recognizes outstanding student research that advances poultry welfare knowledge, practices or outcomes. Submissions were evaluated for their relevance to poultry welfare, scientific merit, clarity, organization, and presentation quality. 

Medina will be recognized during the summit and will present her research as part of the student award program.

“Supporting emerging researchers is essential to the future of poultry welfare,” Vance said. “Domenica’s work demonstrates the value of examining management decisions through measurable bird health, welfare and production outcomes. We are pleased to recognize her achievement and provide a platform for her research at the summit.”