WAOB Staff

Leadership

Mark Jekanowski, WAOB Chairperson

Dr. Mark Jekanowski is Chairman of USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB), where he is responsible for the monthly forecasts of the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report and the work of the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility. Dr. Jekanowski also serves as Program Chairman for USDA’s largest annual meeting, the Agricultural Outlook Forum.

Dr. Jekanowski joined the WAOB in August 2018 as Deputy Chairman. Previous positions with USDA include Deputy Director for Outlook at the Economic Research Service, and Chief of the Crops Branch, also at the Economic Research Service. 

Brad Rippey, Chief Meteorologist

 is the managing editor of the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin and an original member of the authorship team for the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor and the monthly North American Drought Monitor.  Mr. Rippey provides operational agrometeorological intelligence for North America in support of USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. He also facilitates long-standing partnerships between USDA and other federal and academic groups, including the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological Services (ICAMS), and the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC).  Prior to joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1998, Mr. Rippey worked for 10 years at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

William Chambers, WAOB Deputy Chairperson

Bill Chambers was appointed Deputy Chairperson for USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board (WOAB) in 2021. He formerly served as the WAOB Chair for food grains. He oversaw the preparation and release of USDA’s official supply and demand estimates pertaining to wheat and rice, which were released in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand (WASDE) report and other USDA publications. Dr. Chambers also served ten years as a commodity and policy analyst with USDA's Farm Service Agency where he analyzed commodity markets, farm policies, new program proposals, and budget outlays.