The Texas A&M graduate is taking over as National Association for Plant Breeding president as Bayer’s J.D. Rossouw passes the torch.
At first glance, Neha Kothari’s message to the National Association for Plant Breeding (NAPB) this week was classic and humble: don’t mess with a good thing. But dig a little deeper into her words—and her story—and you’ll find a roadmap for where the organization is headed: toward deeper relationships, a more empowered workforce, and a recognition that the seeds of innovation are sown in community.
Kothari, who took the reins as the new NAPB president (Bayer Crop Science’s Senior VP and Crop Science R&D Breeding Lead J.D. Roussow becomes past president), stepped up at this year’s meeting in Kona, Hawaiʻi with a speech that was part thank-you note, part rally cry, and part love letter to the community that helped shape her.
“Every year, I come to an NAPB meeting and I think, ‘How is the next host going to outdo this?’” she said. “And every year, they do.”
For Kothari, leadership doesn’t mean a hard pivot—it means honoring what came before. She spoke with admiration about past presidents, including the first, renowned quantitative geneticist Rita Mumm, who was in the room. Kothari’s philosophy? “Don’t fix what ain’t broken.”
That doesn’t mean stagnation. Kothari’s vision is all about continuity with evolution—growing stronger by investing in the workforce, broadening access, and encouraging more scientists to step forward and engage.
“The reason NAPB is as solid as it is? It’s because of all these people,” she said, gesturing to the list of past leaders. “If I can build on what they’ve done, that would be a solid win.”
The Workforce is the Mission
At the heart of Kothari’s NAPB presidency is a focus on people—especially the next generation of plant breeders. That means showing up for students, mentoring young scientists, and giving others the same kind of support she once received.
And it’s personal. Kothari’s own career is a testament to the power of professional community. Originally from India, she moved to the U.S. 21 years ago, earned a Ph.D in plant breeding from Texas A&M University, and eventually landed what she calls her “dream career”—thanks, in part, to a well-timed email from two NAPB presidents who saw her potential before she did.
“Somebody created a job for me because I showed up and talked about what I loved,” she said. “Years later, I blind-applied for a role I wasn’t even sure I’d get. And guess who was on the interview panel? NAPB members.”
That sense of community has shaped every step of her path. “Your future employer, your future student, your future business partner—they might be in this room,” she reminded the audience. “So talk to each other.”
College Station and Full Circle Moments
Next year’s NAPB meeting will take place at College Station, Texas—a location that carries deep meaning for Kothari. It’s where she attended her first NAPB meeting and earned her Aggie ring.
A theme of next year’s NAPB meeting? Change. Not just change in technology—though there’s plenty of that. Kohari emphasized that the tools available to today’s breeders weren’t even on the radar when she was a student. But what’s more important, she said, is the ability to learn from each other and adapt together.
“The NAPB helped me build relationships with the people who knew what I didn’t,” she said. “It’s a celebration of change—and of learning how to navigate that change together.”
Kothari is not coming in to revolutionize NAPB—because, in her words, the revolution is already happening. It’s in the students getting their first shot. It’s in the cross-generational mentorship that fills the room. And it’s in the quiet connections that shape careers.
Her goal? To make sure the organization keeps doing what it does best—only better.
“The strategic plan is clear. Past presidents gave us great numbers. Now it’s about staying deeply vested in our workforce,” she said. “And that includes me.”
