Celebrating 10 Years of “Uncommon Connections” to Advance Innovations in Food and Health

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UC Davis is internationally known as the leader in food, health and nutrition innovations and cutting-edge applied research. It’s the global hub of trailblazing researchers, academic institutes, entrepreneurs, business experts and investors coming together to advance new discoveries and technologies in these interconnected fields.

I experience this first-hand everyday as a UC Davis MBA student and as the strategic marketing manager of the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health (IIFH).

We recently hosted more than 300 stakeholders at our 2024 IIFH Partner Summit. The week-long series of insightful discussions and networking attracted a dynamic mix of forward-thinking executives from large food corporations, startups, investors, academics and researchers—all united by a shared vision: to make the foods we love healthier for both people and the planet.

Behind the Scenes

In my role with the IIFH, I was actively involved in the planning and coordination of this summit. I worked alongside our talented team to ensure the topics and speakers fostered an environment that sparked meaningful conversations and collaborations to turn ideas into action.

As part of this effort, I had the unique opportunity to engage with founders and researchers at the cutting edge of food technology—many of whom have spun their innovations out of UC Davis.

This was a milestone celebration for the Institute as we celebrated 10 years advancing interdisciplinary research and focus on highly impactful innovations in food and health.

The theme of "uncommon connections" anchored the summit, reflecting our belief in the power of a collaborative community working together to drive meaningful change.

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The summit showcased advancements in protein bioavailability, addressed the unmet needs of women’s health, explored breakthrough technologies in sustainable food systems and much more.

Driving Food Innovation Through Collaboration

Experiencing the summit as a UC Davis Sacramento Part-Time MBA student was equally energizing. It allowed me to see how leaders in the food industry approach collaboration and drive innovation.

I gained valuable insights into how visionary leaders tackle complex challenges and integrate academic research into real-world applications, deepening my appreciation for the role of collaboration and innovation in transforming the food industry.

I had the opportunity to meet and network with executives, researchers and investors, making valuable connections and learning directly from leading drivers of change in the global, national and local food systems.

The 2024 IIFH Partner Summit illuminated the potential to make a meaningful impact in the food space, using both the skills from my MBA education and my role in strategic marketing.

I am grateful to be part of an institution that brings together such a diverse group of people to foster collaborations that address pressing challenges in food and health.

I’m equally thankful for the UC Davis Graduate School of Management’s commitment to providing students with experiences that bridge academia and real-world industry insights. The summit marked yet another example of the one-of-a-kind opportunities at UC Davis that dovetails with the GSM’s interdisciplinary Food & Ag Industry Immersion, which I have benefitted from.

I came away from the summit hungry to continue to drive positive change through food innovation and building disruptive brands.

I look forward to working alongside many more incredible leaders and innovators to create a future where people can continue enjoying the foods they love while living long, healthy, happy lives.

Read more about the IIFH Summit.

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Marissa Pickard (right) gathered with fellow UC Davis MBA students and faculty (from left to right) Danielle Kleiner-Kanter; Nicholas McKenna, Sushmitha Kala; Julie Morris, Director of the Food & Agriculture Industry Immersion; and Minh Nguyen.

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Kim Fisher, director of programs for IIFH moderated a panel with guests Professor Justin Segal, faculty director of the IIFH; UC Davis Senior Scholar Harold Schmitz, founder of the March Fund; and H. Rao Unnava, dean of the Graduate School of Management.

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Justin Siegel, faculty director of IIFH; U.S. Rep. Ami Bera; and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma were featured speakers opening the IIFH Partner Summit.

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Bethany Wolf, global external partnerships program manager; Jamie Shattuck, managing executive director of UC Davis development and alumni; and Julie Hirsch, chief operations officer of Digestiva, were among the 300+ attendees.