Starla Shather

Starla Shather serves as a digital agriculture specialist at Syngenta in Paducah, Kentucky. With a decade of experience in the industry, she assists growers nationwide by providing access to satellite imagery and farm records bookkeeping software that enhances operational efficiency. Having grown up in a rural farming community, Starla transitioned directly from college into this field, where she has witnessed and contributed to the shift from traditional pen-and-paper methods to digitized solutions. She participates in the Women in Agribusiness conference and benefits from mentorship programs that support career development. In her community, Starla volunteers with organizations such as FFA and the American Heart Association, as well as church initiatives including Project Soul, which supplies shoes to elementary school students, and I Love My City, which organizes local projects like painting classrooms and repairing fences. Starla advises staying flexible to adapt to change and encourages young women entering the industry to clearly communicate their skills, advocate for themselves, and build supportive networks of peers and mentors.