Lina Quesada-Ocampo, a vegetable pathologist and Extension specialist at North Carolina State University, has been named the next Executive Director of the IR-4 Project, effective March 9.

IR-4, a federally funded program headquartered at NC State, supports specialty crop growers nationwide by facilitating the registration of safe and effective pest management tools for fruits, vegetables, nuts, flowers and nursery crops.

“Stepping into this role allows me to scale the work I have been doing alongside growers in North Carolina to a national level, and I am honored and excited to help lead that effort,” Quesada-Ocampo said.

She succeeds Jerry Baron, who retired in January 2026 after a distinguished 40-year career. 

According to the IR-4 press release, Quesada-Ocampo brings over 15 years of experience in applied pest management research and Extension work to her new role. Most recently, she served as a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Extension specialist for vegetable pathology at NC State, where she led the Quesada Lab and secured over $55 million in career funding — including a $700,000 endowment set up by growers to support her work.

As executive director, Quesada-Ocampo is committed to advancing IR-4’s mission while safeguarding its focus and staying responsive to the needs of growers. Her vision includes strengthening collaborations, accelerating regulatory timelines and ensuring that specialty crop growers have timely access to innovative and safe pest management tools.

Read the full release here.