Introducing a dynamic assembly of experts committed to innovation, growth, and strategic excellence. Each Board Member brings a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives.

Dr. Matt Ackerman, DVM attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and graduated with a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences in 1992 and a D.V.M. in 1995.
He has worked in private swine consulting practice, and in July 2016, he opened his own practice named Pork Veterinary Solutions, which currently oversees the annual production of approximately 1.5 million pigs (about 1% of US production). The emphasis of the practice is establishing preventative herd health programs and interpreting production and economic records for commercial swine farms.

Leandro Hackenhaar is the Global Technical Lead with the Cargill Department of Animal Nutrition. He earned his master’s degree in animal nutrition from USP – Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil and has served on a variety of panels and advisory boards supporting swine nutrition and pork production industries.

Dallas Hockman has a wealth of experience in consulting and the agricultural industry. He currently operates Hockman Consulting, established in 2023. Previously, Dallas held leadership positions at the National Pork Producers Council, including the role of Vice President since 1998. Additionally, from 1998 to 2006, Hockman served as the Vice President of Demand Enhancement at the National Pork Board. He earned a master’s degree in agricultural business from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Dr. Daniel Linhares, DVM, MBA, PhD holds the position of associate professor and director of graduate education at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Specializing in field epidemiology, swine health, production management, and diverse swine health research, he actively contributes to advisory boards and committees. Additionally, Dr. Linhares serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Swine Health and Production.

Dr. Paul Sundberg, Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center in Ames, Iowa, previously served as Vice President at the National Pork Board, overseeing the Science and Technology Department. He holds a veterinary medicine degree and a master’s in clinical science/preventive medicine from Iowa State University, along with a doctorate in veterinary microbiology. Board certified in Veterinary Preventive Medicine, he is a former president of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Dr. Sundberg is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, and the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Paul Yeske, DVM, MS is part of the leadership team at the Swine Vet Center in St. Peter, Minnesota. He has over 30 years of swine veterinary experience and has gained recognition for his work with disease management and elimination. He also earned two veterinary awards — the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture and Swine Practitioner of the Year. Paul is a senior member of the veterinary team at the Swine Vet Center (SVC), which includes 15 veterinarians.