Becky Dowil (’04) Research Scientist, Corteva Agriscience
Becky graduated with honors from Truman State University in 2004, earning a BS in Biology. At Truman, she was active in Tau Lambda Sigma, worked scholarship hours in biology research, and volunteered at the Humane Society. She interned and worked for Monsanto (now Bayer AG) before earning her PhD in Plant Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Saint Louis University.
Her career at Pioneer Hi-Bred (Corteva Agriscience) since 2011 has been marked by significant leadership roles. She has led projects in research IT, managed teams, and led a project portfolio with 130 people focused on Breeding Operations Solutions. As a Global Operations Lead, she has expanded the seed product pipeline through capital investment and resource planning. Becky has also recruited and mentored new talent through college career fairs, STEM events, and intern and graduate engagement programs. She continues to coach and connect people across the organization.
The impact of her work was recently recognized with her induction into the Corteva R&D Laureate community.
Becky lives with her husband, Steve Dowil (Truman ’02), and their three children in Urbandale, Iowa. She serves on the Board of Directors for Montessori Children’s House in West Des Moines and volunteers as a youth teacher and pianist with her church.
Talley Sue Hohlfeld (’82) Copy Director, copy editor, Condé Nast
Talley Sue Hohlfeld (B.A., mass communication, 1982) has spent more than 40 years as the top copy editor or managing editor on major consumer magazines, a career that got its start in her college days. During her sophomore through senior years at Truman State University (then Northeast Missouri State University), she worked on the award-winning Echo yearbook, serving as editor-in-chief her junior year. This led to a prestigious summer internship through the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME).
That experience became the springboard for her move to New York City and professional publishing. Three times in her career, Hohlfeld has been an integral member of an editorial team that won an ASME National Magazine Award: in 2005 at Martha Stewart Weddings, for general excellence (the industry’s highest honor); in 2005 at Martha Stewart Kids, for best design; and in 2015 at Glamour, for general excellence in service and lifestyle.
Through the ASME internship program, Hohlfeld worked at the now defunct Mechanix Illustrated and was asked to return after graduation as the interim copy editor. When that role ended, she began her career with a series of jobs with ever-increasing responsibilities: administrative staff in the public relations and publications department of CBS Magazines; assistant editor at startup Microkids and in the regional department of Good Housekeeping; copy and production editor of Weight Watchers Magazine; copy chief at Good Food Magazine and then at Psychology Today, where she began her expertise in using computer systems for publishing and was promoted to managing editor.
During a four-year stint at McCall’s as the chief copy editor, she was profiled in “Copy Editor” newsletter, and her departure during a notable upheaval in editorship was mentioned in a New York Magazine story.
Hohlfeld left McCall’s to become the managing editor of Baby Talk. When that magazine moved to the West Coast, she became copy chief at the IT-industry publication Information Week, supervising a five-person copy desk for five years.
In 1999, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia recruited Hohlfeld to be associate managing editor of Martha Stewart Weddings. She spent 12 years there, eventually rising to managing editor. As the magazine’s etiquette expert, Hohlfeld wrote and edited columns and blog posts, and she appeared on MSLO’s Sirius Radio channel. In addition, she served as associate managing editor for all 21 issues of Martha Stewart Kids and the seven issues of Martha Stewart Baby.
She moved to Glamour in 2011, where her successes as copy chief included major cost reductions, efficiency improvements, and recruiting of talent. She oversaw the merger of the copy departments of Glamour and SELF.
Hohlfeld is now a copy director in the consolidated Copy Integrity Group of Condé Nast (Glamour’s parent company), where she is assigned to Glamour. She is the manager of the company-wide style guide, spearheading its update process; shepherding its diversity, equity, and inclusion guidance; and driving its move to a web format.
She also serves as a steward and organizer in the brand-new Condé Nast Union, part of the NewsGuild of New York.
Having grown up in Mount Ayr, Iowa, Hohlfeld now lives in the borough of Queens with her husband, who is a writer and journalist, and her two grown children.
Robert Kelchen (’07) Professor and Department Head, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Robert Kelchen (’07) is a professor of higher education and head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a leading scholar in the areas of higher education, finance and policy and has been recognized as one of the 25 most influential faculty members in the field of education by Education Week. He regularly advises federal and state agencies and colleges on how to proceed in a rapidly changing landscape. He lives in the Knoxville area with his wife Emily (Kiddoo) Kelchen (’08) and their two young children.
Chuck Woods (’86) Vice President – Program Management, The Boeing Company
Chuck Woods is Vice President of Proprietary Readiness for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS), implementing strategic planning and project execution managing capacity & capability development, manufacturing excellence and integrating key supplier acquisitions.
Woods is responsible for proactively defining requirements and managing multi-billion-dollar enterprise investments to develop key areas of operational capacity, digital infrastructure, technology maturity, supply chain resilience and workforce capability and executing plans to support future franchise programs. In addition, Woods leads the 1M square foot Aerospace Composite Center (ACC) that delivers critical composite & metals components to multiple defense platforms.
Most recently, Woods served as interim vice president of Supply Chain for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS). He was responsible for managing all aspects of the annual $10B supply chain.
Previously, Woods served as vice president of Supplier Quality for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS). He was responsible for ensuring supplier adherence to delivering the highest quality products and services to BDS customers in compliance with customer requirements and Boeing’s rigorous Quality Management System. He launched a comprehensive
plan to transform the supply chain to focus on prevention of defects which saw a 50% improvement in first pass yield and a one sigma improvement in overall quality within 18 months.
Woods has over three decades of multi-disciplined experience and has served in senior leadership roles in Boeing’s corporate operations and three business units, including Chief Financial Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes 787 Program and was instrumental in establishing the Boeing Global Services business unit, where he was Chief Financial Officer of the Commercial Services and Government Services divisions. In addition, Woods brings valuable functional experience to the role after serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Engineering, Operations & Technology and Vice President of Supply Chain for Boeing Military Aircraft. Before joining Boeing, Woods held various management positions for the Jacobs Group, a nation-wide shopping center developer.
Woods holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Truman State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Illinois University.
Woods is a member of the American Society of Quality as well as the Institute of Supply Management. He has served on the board of directors of United Launch Alliance and the Truman State University Foundation where he served as president. He currently serves on the governance board for Family Forward in St. Louis, Missouri as president.
About Alumni Fellows Program