Advisors
Advisors include sustainability and cotton-growing experts.
Michael is the vice president of Cotton Operations for Gildan Activewear, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturers of apparel, socks and hosiery. Prior to this role, he was the vice president of Cotton Operations for Frontier Yarns, which was acquired by Gildan in 2021. He also previously served as Frontier’s President/CEO after working for 21 years with Carolinas Cotton Cooperative. He currently serves as a member of ICE Futures US’ Trading Member and Cotton Committee. A former participant in the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) Cotton Leadership Program, he is a former NCC vice president and serves on multiple NCC committees among them the Cotton Quality Task Force. Michael holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing from East Carolina University.
Since 2016, Marc has served as president and chief executive officer of the Tempe, Ariz.-based promotional and marketing organization for the American Pima cotton growers. He began his career at a family-owned gin in Paraguay and has worked as a trader and manager for firms including ContiCotton, Merrill Lynch, Itochu Cotton and Anderson Clayton/Queensland Cotton. The business has taken him from posts in Paraguay to Australia, Mexico and the United States. Marc has served as an advisor to the National Cotton Council’s export promotions arm, Cotton Council International. A Toronto, Canada native, he is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and the Memphis Cotton Exchange International Cotton School.
Mark leads the company’s strategic initiatives including blockchain, commodities trading, track-ing, clearing and software development solutions for the agriculture industry. The Seam’s cloud-based platforms have facilitated the trading and management of tens of millions of cotton bales, millions of tons of peanuts and billions of dollars in trade management and settlements. Mark has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and other global news outlets for spearheading such initiatives as agriculture sustainability, traceability and transparency. He is a Forbes Technology Council member, an Agricenter International director, and an advisor to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He also serves as a technology advisor for the American Cotton Shippers Association and the National Cotton Council.
Jesse is Cotton Incorporated’s vice president and chief sustainability officer. Previously, he was the assistant director at the Center for Sustain-ability at Duke University, where he collaborated on research projects spanning many of the university’s divisions. Jesse holds a Ph.D. in Forest Biomaterials from North Carolina State University and has established himself as a leader in cellulosic fiber sustainability. He has led research and consulting in aspects of product sustainability, biomaterials, biochemicals, and bioenergy. His research has produced numerous publications, sustainability and chemical and engineering tools; and certifications for clients including the USDA and the Department of Energy.
Deepika Mishra is the Standards and Data Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. As an accomplished scientist and data analytics specialist, Deepika leads on analysis of the Trust Protocol’s environmental metrics. She collaborates extensively with agricultural research institutions, conservation groups, and food and trade organizations, playing a vital role in the establishment of sustainability and social standards within the industry.
Deepika earned her Ph.D. in plant and soil science from Texas Tech University, specializing in cotton breeding and genetics. With over a decade of experience, she has spearheaded diverse agricultural projects in both India and the United States, covering crops like cotton, cowpeas, castor, sesame, guar, guayule, tomato, and field pennycress (cover crop). Her contributions also include the development and release of multiple cowpea varieties in India during her M.S. studies in vegetable breeding and genetics.
