B.S. in chemical engineering, 1981
Mary Shelman is a globally recognized thought leader, author and speaker in agribusiness, AgTech and food system trends.
A first-generation college student, Shelman earned her Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1981, after completing her first two years of college at Elizabethtown Community College. In 1987, she went on to graduate from Harvard Business School with an MBA.
From 1992 to 2003, Shelman chaired the board and headed strategy and business development at RiceTec, a genetics/agribusiness venture that is now the largest U.S. rice seed company, and also served on the board of its parent company, Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation. During her tenure, RiceTec licensed technology from China at a time when few Western companies operated there.
From 2005 to 2016, Shelman served as director of Harvard Business School’s Agribusiness program. In leading the program, which includes the renowned Harvard Agribusiness Seminar for senior executives, she developed 60+ case studies highlighting situations of strategic change and transformational leadership by working with CEOs of industry-leading firms including Nestlé, Monsanto, Olam, Alltech, Barilla, Domino's and Yum China. Shelman authored articles in Harvard Business Review and other leading industry publications, presented in graduate and executive programs and was featured at conferences in 20 countries.
In 2015, she founded Shelman Group, a Boston-based boutique strategy consulting firm that helps organizations navigate the evolving food and agriculture landscape.
Shelman has lent her expertise to the advancement of AgTech through mentoring startups, leadership of Village Capital's food and agriculture accelerator and judging AgTech competitions, including Grow-NY. Her membership on countless national boards has influenced industry leaders and policymakers, helping shape strategies for food security, sustainability and market growth.
Internationally, Shelman has served as the president of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association. She also served as a strategic advisor for The Irish Food Board, where she developed the vision and strategy that lead to the 2012 launch of Origin Green, the world’s first and only national-level sustainability program. In 2025, Origin Green includes 300 companies, 55,000 farmers and accounts for 90% of Irish food and drink exports.
Never forgetting her roots, Shelman has remained deeply committed to her state and alma mater. She is a member of the Wildcat Society, the UK Alumni Association where she served on the board of directors including terms as treasurer and president, and the executive committee of the Kentucky Council on Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching. Shelman has also received the honor of being the commencement speaker at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, just a few miles away from her Hardin County farm.
