Kellye Eversole

Kellye Eversole is a pioneer in agricultural genomics, biotechnology, and the development of pre-competitive, public-private agricultural research. Since 1994, she has led international consortia and projects to obtain reference genome sequences for agriculturally important crop, livestock, and poultry species. She leads the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, the international, public-private consortium that obtained the reference sequence of the bread wheat genome, and, since 2016, the International Alliance for Phytobiomes Research which is pioneering a holistic, systems approach to understanding the complex interactions between the biological and geophysical components of agricultural production systems and support the development of novel, site specific products for enhanced sustainability. In addition to her work in genomics and convergent systems, Kellye advises public and private entities on regulations related to agricultural biotechnology/genetic engineering, microbial products, and plant protection products. She is a faculty affiliate in the Ag Biology Department at Colorado State University and is on the scientific advisory board for Trace Genomics. She was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for her work in plant and microbial genomics and has published widely in top tier journals including multiple articles in Science and Nature. Kellye mentors entrepreneurs from emerging economies who are launching science and technology based businesses, is on the advisory board for Zaidi-STEM, a nonprofit organization supporting STEM innovation and mentoring for girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, is on the board for Women in the Enterprise of Science and Technology (WEST), and founded in 1998 the Women in Genomics networking group. She is also a member of the Arlington Diversity Task Group and an active participant in anti-racist activities in Massachusetts.
Kellye founded Eversole Associates in 1991 following years of professional training in political science and philosophy (Oklahoma State University, George Washington University, and Georgetown University), working as a professional staff member in the US Senate, and leading a Federal study commission. She co-owns a farm in southwestern Oklahoma.