Charles, Meyers, Mohn, Mullen, and Painter Recently Filled Open Board Positions
The Center for Dairy Excellence and Dairy Excellence Foundation recently welcomed five dairy professionals to the organizations’ Board of Directors. The Center for Dairy Excellence Board of Directors guide the work of the non-profit 501c6 organization, which fosters collaboration across the industry and provides resources to strengthen Pennsylvania dairy farms. The Dairy Excellence Foundation Board of Directors guide the work of the 501c3 charitable organization focused on cultivating and empowering dairy’s next generation.
Rebecca Charles, a dairy producer from Lancaster County, Pa., was elected to the Center for Dairy Excellence Board during the December 2025 Board meeting. Charles filled an open position, which was vacated by Tony Brubaker who reached the two-consecutive term maximum set by the organization’s bylaws.
Charles and her husband, Darren, are part of Charles Farms, Inc. near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Charles family farms 1,500 acres, milks 400 cows, and raises pullets. They have a small farm store, Pine View Dairy, where they process their own milk and make ice cream. Charles also serves as a large animal veterinarian and is active in her church.
“I am honored to be on the Center for Dairy Excellence board as we continue to seek ways to keep dairy farming sustainable in Pennsylvania for future generations,” Charles shared.
Cory Meyers, DVM, a veterinarian from Mid-Maryland Dairy Veterinarians, also joined the Center for Dairy Excellence Board during the December 2025 Board meeting. Meyers filled an open position for a veterinarian, which was vacated by Dr. Jody Kull.
Meyers is a partner at Mid-Maryland Dairy Veterinarians, a six-vet practice serving south-central Pennsylvania, middle Maryland, the West Virginia panhandle and northern Virginia. Meyers grew up on his family dairy farm, Meyers Brothers Dairy, located in St Thomas, Pennsylvania in Franklin County, which is still operational today and milks 180 Holsteins and Jerseys. Meyers resides in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania with his wife and children.
“Having grown up within the Pennsylvania dairy industry, my goal of attending veterinary school was to return to south-central Pennsylvania as a dairy veterinarian to actively help dairy farmers and to protect the dairy farming culture so vital to our local communities. The Center for Dairy Excellence reflects those same values with a broader reach extending throughout Pennsylvania,” Meyers said.
Ben Mullen, a dairy producer from Bradford County, Pa., also joined the Center for Dairy Excellence Board of Directors. Mullen filled an open position that was vacated by Scott Lackey.
Mullen grew up on a dairy farm in Canton, Pa. and now owns Good View Farm LLC, with his wife and children.
The farm consists of 730 cows, replacement heifers, and 1,400 acres of crop land. Mullen is active on his church elder and finance boards as well as serves as president on the board for New Beginnings, a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
“I decided to join the Board because I have experienced and seen the value of the Center for Dairy Excellence. The Center challenges dairy farmers to be elite, sustainable, innovative, and business savvy, while providing funding, awareness, and learning opportunities to pursue these goals,” Mullen shared.
Hayley Painter, Co-CEO of The Painterland Sisters – an organic skyr yogurt company – was the fourth individual to join the Center’s Board of Directors during the December 2025 meeting. She filled an open position for a retail representative that was vacated by Anthony Gigliotti.
Together with her sister Stephanie, Hayley Painter founded Painterland Sisters, where she serves as Co-CEO — an organic skyr yogurt company rooted in their family’s fourth-generation regenerative dairy farm in rural Pennsylvania. Painter is devoted to creating nutrient-rich food that connects consumers directly to the source of their food: the American farmer. She is a passionate advocate for fair wages, regenerative practices, and the preservation of family farming. Through her active involvement in state and national initiatives, Painter continues to influence the future of regenerative agriculture and the consumer goods industry.
“Joining the Center for Dairy Excellence Board is an exciting opportunity to contribute to an organization that truly makes a difference for dairy farmers, leaders, and the next generation. I believe strongly in the Center’s mission to empower and support Pennsylvania dairy families and businesses to thrive — it’s essential work that strengthens our communities, economy, and food system,” Painter said.
The Center’s Board of Directors must agree to serve a three-year term and may be re-elected for an additional term. The Board was developed to represent multiple aspects of the dairy industry, with seats for dairy farmers, allied industry professionals, marketing cooperative employees, veterinarians, retail representatives, processor representatives, and members from the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
One of the new members elected to the Dairy Excellence Foundation’s Board of Directors is Beckie Mohn. Mohn joined the Purina Animal Nutrition team in May of 2022 as a Dairy Nutrition Consultant, representing K&K Feeds in Richland, Pa.
Mohn is a Pennsylvania native from Berks County who found her passion for agriculture and the dairy industry while attending college at Iowa State University in 2018. During her time at Iowa State, she was actively involved in the Dairy Science Club, Dairy Challenge, and Undergraduate Research in Dairy Nutrition. She also completed an On-Farm Internship with the Dairy Excellence Foundation and a laboratory internship with PEAK Genetics. In her role as a Dairy Nutrition Consultant, she is passionate about helping dairy farmers be good stewards of their cows and calves while providing them with nutrition expertise.
“I deeply value the vision and mission of the Dairy Excellence Foundation. Through the Foundation’s on-farm internship, I gained hands-on experience that empowered me to pursue a career in the dairy industry without a family farm background,” Mohn shared. “I am passionate about supporting and inspiring the next generation through the same educational opportunities and advocating for a sustainable future for dairy.”
More information about both organizations’ Board of Directors can be found at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org.