Perdue Farms Appoints Dr. Kay Russo as Senior Vice President, Science & Innovation
Perdue Farms Appoints Dr. Kay Russo as Senior Vice President, Science & Innovation
Salisbury, Md. (March 2, 2026) – Perdue Farms, a fourth‑generation, family‑owned U.S. food and agricultural products company, today announced the appointment of Dr. Kay Russo, DVM, MAHM, DACPV, as Senior Vice President, Science & Innovation, reinforcing the company’s long‑standing commitment to responsible food and agriculture, animal welfare, and science‑led decision‑making.
In this role, Dr. Russo will lead the scientific strategy that underpins Perdue’s portfolio of high‑quality, great‑tasting protein products, working across the company and its family of brands to advance product superiority, innovation, and stewardship. She will help ensure that science continues to guide how Perdue delivers trusted choices to customers and consumers, including the company’s leadership in raising animals with no antibiotics ever and its broader animal welfare commitments.
Dr. Russo will play a vital role in advancing Perdue’s innovation pipeline by collaborating with consumer insights, genetics, nutrition, and processing teams to deliver meaningful, fact -based value across Perdue’s branded portfolio. Her efforts will support the company’s ongoing focus on transparency, quality, and continuous improvement.
“Science is foundational to who we are as a company and how we produce high‑quality, great‑tasting proteins responsibly,” said Todd Tillemans, Chief Commercial Officer at Perdue Farms. “Dr. Russo brings the expertise and leadership needed to help us continue raising the bar on animal welfare, product quality, and innovation across our brands, while translating rigorous science into real‑world outcomes for our customers, consumers, and partners.”
Dr. Russo brings more than 15 years of experience advancing science‑driven innovation across animal agriculture, with leadership roles spanning poultry, dairy, and livestock. Her work has focused on improving animal health, nutrition, and welfare through research‑based solutions that stand up to scrutiny and deliver measurable value, an approach that closely aligns with Perdue’s values and long‑term vision.
Most recently, Dr. Russo served as a Partner and Owner at RSM Consulting, advising poultry and livestock companies on research design and science‑based commercialization. She previously held senior veterinary and innovation leadership roles at Novonesis, Land O’Lakes, and Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. A recognized industry voice, Dr. Russo is known for making complex science accessible and actionable and was recently featured on 60 Minutes discussing H5N1 (HPAI) prevention.
Dr. Russo holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University, a Master of Avian Health and Medicine from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College.
About Perdue Farms
We’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services. Perdue Foods consists of a premium protein portfolio, including our flagship PERDUE® brand, Niman Ranch®, Coleman Natural®, Pasturebird®, and Yummy®, as well as our pet brands, Full Moon® and Spot Farms®, and is available through various channels including retail, foodservice, club stores and our direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com. Perdue AgriBusiness is a leading merchandiser, processor, and exporter of agricultural products and the largest U.S. manufacturer of specialty, organic, and non-GMO oils. It also ranks as one of the largest suppliers of organic feed ingredients in the world. Now in our company’s second century, we never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever and in USDA-certified organic proteins. Learn more at Corporate.PerdueFarms.com.