For International Women’s Day— March 8 this year — the Cotton Board highlighted associate professor and board chair Sonja Chapman as a notable female leader in the industry.
“In the typically male-dominated world of farming, the cotton farming industry today is made better by the women working hard, leading the industry, and making significant advancements in agriculture, business and sustainability initiatives,” the Cotton Board wrote on its site.
Chapman, who was elected the board’s chair last year, is also a cotton importer, a licensed customhouse broker, and a global supply chain management consultant. She spoke with the Cotton Board about starting her career as an administrative assistant at a blouse manufacturer, how being an educator affects her other roles, and the aspect of her job she likes the best.