Resource Innovation Institute Announces Addition Of Six New Members to its Board of Directors

• Keith Coursin, Board Chair, recently retired from his role as President of Desert Aire Corp., a manufacturer of commercial and industrial dehumidification systems used in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and other applications. He has held various leadership roles within the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), a Washington, D.C.-based trade association for the HVACR industry, and is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Prior to Desert Aire, Coursin worked in sales and marketing at Great Lakes Instruments, a manufacturer of water and wastewater instrumentation products. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Carroll University.
• Vonnie Estes serves as Vice President of Innovation at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), where she helps companies navigate, develop, and commercialize innovation in agriculture. With a passion for technology and sustainability, she has held leadership roles at DuPont, Monsanto, Syngenta, and various startups and venture funds. She previously served as Vice President of Business Development for Caribou Biosciences, a biotechnology company specializing in CRISPR Cas9 genome engineering. A recognized industry leader and frequent speaker, Estes holds a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science degree in plant pathology from the University of California, Davis.
• Patrick Hidder is a partner and shareholder of ARCO/Murray, a premier design-build general contractor with over 40 offices and 5,500 projects across North America. Since joining ARCO/Murray in 2010, he has provided operational leadership and played a key role in expanding the company’s footprint, including co-founding its Dallas office in 2015. Hidder has successfully led teams across multiple industries, managing more than 200 projects in heavy processing, entertainment, industrial, controlled environments, and waste-to-value sectors.
• Andrew Horowitz was formerly KUBO Greenhouse Projects North American Director of Strategic Development, where he connected commercial and operational teams to help North American growers maximize efficiency. Prior to KUBO, he worked as a project manager and engineer at Little Leaf Farms and as a process engineering consultant at Barry-Wehmiller Design Group. With experience in both the U.S. and Dutch CEA markets—as both an operator and a supplier—Horowitz brings valuable insight into the strategic relationships and innovations shaping the future of controlled environment agriculture.
• Julia Kurnik is the Senior Director, Innovation Start-Ups at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) where she researches emerging trends and tools with the potential to drive environmental sustainability and financial growth in food and agriculture systems. She has extensive experience launching multi-stakeholder initiatives, designing and piloting new business strategies, and developing policies that support sustainable CEA practices. Prior to WWF, she led research and policy initiatives at Hart Research Associates and the National Women’s Business Council. Kurnik is also an adjunct professor at Rutgers Business School, where she designed and teaches courses in social entrepreneurship. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Business Administration in entrepreneurial management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Public Administration in sustainability from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
• Michael Yates leads Innovation Agricultural Strategy at Walmart, focusing on transformative solutions for fresh food divisions. With two decades of experience in sustainable energy and controlled environment agriculture, he specializes in aligning consumer preferences, scientific advancements, and sustainability goals. His work optimizes food supply chains for quality, affordability, and environmental impact, leveraging technology to drive large-scale progress.

These board members join Jonathan Eisenberg (Independent Investor), Brian Herrington (The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company/Hawthorne Gardening Company), Dr. Chieri Kubota (The Ohio CEA Center at The Ohio State University), Shanita Penny (Forbes-Tate Partners), Kim Player (Player Research & Consulting), Michael Roth (Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture), Jan Westra (Priva), and Elizabeth Whalen (Former Board Member, US Green Building Council).