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MPK Biography
 Michele Payn-Knoper personifies passion. As a professional speaker, consultant, agriculture expert and author, Michele encourages all of her clients and audiences to connect with people's hot buttons and speak their language - whether it's building a connection between farm gate and consumer plate, selling, fundraising or marketing. Widely known as a "change agent," MPK delivers advocacy training programs, workshops and motivational keynotes to empower organizations to reach higher levels of performance.Utilizing her diverse professional experience in the agricultural, sales and not-for-profit sectors, Michele founded Cause Matters Corp., a company designed to help people understand how to champion their cause, in 2001. Cause Matters Corp. focuses on agricultural advocacy, grassroots marketing, fundraising and sales training. In each of these four core areas, MPK helps organizations clearly identify issues, understand their audience and connect solutions. Michele's goal is to help you communicate "why your cause matters." Michele holds degrees in Agricultural Communications and Animal Science from Michigan State University, where she is past president of College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association. Career highlights include a Regional Directorship for the National FFA Foundation, where she sold over $5 million in corporate sponsorships and led campaigns to develop community support for various Foundation expansions. She has also marketed and sold dairy genetics to more than 25 countries, managed e-business accounts and presented training programs in developing countries. MPK's strong belief in community-building volunteerism stems from experience on four continents, including work in the Ukraine and Egypt, through United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects. Payn-Knoper continues to hone her skills after helping thousands of people around the world. As a member of the National Speakers Association, Michele founded a professional networking group for generation X and Y speakers. She has also developed on online community "Gate to Plate" and is active in a variety of social networks, focused on building stronger connections between the farm gate and consumer plate. Michele walks her talk in her own central Indiana community, volunteering extensively with Boone County 4-H , FFA and First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon in a variety of leadership roles. Michele's lifelong passion for agriculture stems from childhood; she has been breeding and judging dairy cattle as a registered Holstein breeder since the age of nine and now resides on a central Indiana farm with her husband and young daughter. They enjoy building their new farm, making memories with friends, coaching dairy judging teams and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans. Contact MPK to learn more about her keynotes, seminars, workshops, sales training, and customized consulting. |
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