Dr. Stella Brownlee is a soil scientist with over a decade of expertise in improving crop yield and quality under stress conditions through research in soil fertility, plant nutrition, physiology, microbiology, and water-plant management. Her work empowers farmers to adopt sustainable practices that boost both productivity and resilience.

Previously, as US Senior Manager at a leading berry company, Dr. Brownlee oversaw farm operations across the US and Mexico while collaborating with partners in Europe, Asia, and South America. She played a key role in advancing R&D for new berry varieties with stronger pest and disease resistance, superior quality, and greater market competitiveness.

She now serves as Southeast Sustainable Commodities Technical Manager at Trust in Food, Farm Journal, where she helps producers implement conservation practices that strengthen environmental stewardship and profitability. She also collaborates with US and international universities to develop and introduce new crops into US agriculture, reflecting her passion for conservation agriculture.

Dr. Brownlee holds a BSc in Agronomy from the University of Paraíba, Brazil, an MSc in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition from the Federal University of Ceará, and a PhD in Soil Science from the Federal University of Paraíba. During her doctoral research, she worked for over a year with the USDA Salinity Laboratory, evaluating fruit production under stressful environments with a focus on water management and crop resilience.

Her research has advanced sustainable water and soil management within regenerative systems, exploring biostimulants, organic amendments, and balanced nutrient strategies to improve plant defenses, soil health, and fertilizer efficiency. With over 40 scientific publications, her work continues to drive innovation in crop resilience and environmental sustainability, particularly in stress-prone regions.