Joyce Cacho

October 2010 Speaker

Joyce Cacho, Ph.d., joined Novus International, Inc. in January 2009 as the Chief Sustainability Officer. In this multifaceted role, Dr. Cacho is responsible for managing the planning and implementation of Novus’ global Corporate Social Responsibility Program and initiatives. She works closely with the firm's business managers to align corporate strategies and business unit actions with Novus sustainability programs.

Prior to joining Novus International, Dr. Cacho directed the agribusiness initiatives program of the Corporate Council on Africa. In this role, Dr. Cacho led a new strategic area promoting U.S. private agribusiness investment in Africa, expanding CCA’s membership and diversifying CCA’s revenue sources. Dr. Cacho provided technical assistance to rural infrastructure and market access strategic framework of the AU-NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Program (CAADP). In June 2008, she successfully led the high-profile, profitable, U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum event that reflected her deep expertise in finance and value-chains in emerging industries in the U.S. and internationally.

From 2004-2007, Dr. Cacho consulted for Land O’Lakes, Rabobank International, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Her strategic market analysis contributed to attracting a $7M investment to transform a microfinance institution in Mozambique into a regulated financial institution. In 2003, Dr. Cacho was appointed the global policy specialist for Rabobank International, managing a global team of market analysts assessing macro value-chain risks and opportunities.

Dr. Cacho holds a doctorate in agribusiness finance policy and investment decisions from the University of Missouri–Columbia, for which she conducted field research in Brazil; a master’s in agricultural marketing policy and international trade from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), and a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada.

She serves on the board of directors of Winrock International, the executive committee of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, the corporate council of the Missouri Botanical Garden; the leadership council of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; and the board of trustees of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.