FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Kappler brings expertise in sustainable agricultural supply chains to support the organization’s growing membership.
RICHMOND, VA, April 28, 2026 – Leading Harvest is pleased to announce the hiring of April Kappler as Membership Programs Manager. In this role, Kappler will deliver an exceptional, organized, and value-driven member experience while supporting and coordinating key projects that drive impact in agricultural sustainability.
Kappler joins Leading Harvest with nearly two decades of service within cotton, agricultural, and apparel supply chains by growing sustainability and regenerative initiatives, creating transparent and traceable supply chains, building bridges from farms to brands, and ensuring safe and compliant work environments – from dirt to finished product. Formerly leading the U.S. operations of the Better Cotton Initiative, she and her team guided hundreds of U.S. growers through annual certification and built an engagement and capacity building strategy that connected farmers with the brands and retailers who depend on them. She brings a deep understanding of sustainable supply chains and a proven ability to foster relationships across the full value chain, from farm to consumer.
“April’s deep experience in certification, coupled with her passion for building bridges from farmers to brands to consumers, is an incredible asset for Leading Harvest and our membership,” said Kenny Fahey, President and CEO of Leading Harvest. “Her background of strategic development focused on continuous improvement will help support our vision of a more sustainable and resilient agricultural system.
In her new role, Kappler will oversee member engagement and serve as a central point of coordination for member activities. Leveraging her experience in guiding growers through certification, she will act as a listening ear to the membership community, leading opportunities around new projects, partnerships, and collaborations to enhance the member experience.
“Leading Harvest’s mission to create and grow an overarching standard with a common language that can be applied across multiple systems, with stakeholder support from the entire supply chain – dirt to shirt and farm to table – is imperative and important,” said Kappler. “I’m thrilled to be joining Leading Harvest’s incredible team and to work alongside farmers, farm managers, and companies across the value chain.”
Kappler graduated from Appalachian State University and holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from North Carolina State University.
A photo of April Kappler can be found here. More information on Leading Harvest can be found at www.LeadingHarvest.org.
About Leading Harvest
Leading Harvest is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes the entire value chain through market-driven and third-party audited standards, outcome-driven collaborations, and a learning network to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and resilient global agricultural system. It created and maintains an innovative, third-party audited Farmland Management Standard, which is a universal, outcome-based sustainability standard focusing on farm management and continual improvement.
