Insight: Heather Dann, Ph.D.

Hometown: Penn Yan, NY

Family: Husband, Aaron Perkins and two sons, Jacob and Lincoln

Education: Animal Science degrees: B.S., Cornell University; M.S., Pennsylvania State University; Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Occupation: President, Miner Institute

Community Involvement: Active in Plattsburgh Noon Rotary and Clinton County Farm Bureau. Supports youth sports

Heather Dann has dedicated nearly all her professional career to serving the Miner Institute in Chazy, NY. What began as a temporary postdoctoral position in 2004 has grown into a career spanning more than two decades, culminating in her appointment as president in January 2024. Her story is one of hard work and a steady commitment to the Institute’s mission. Her inherent curiosity and service-first mindset fueled her willingness to grow, learn and lead at every stage along the way.

Dann grew up on her family’s farm in Penn Yan, New York, where her father was a strong influence and an early role model. Her upbringing instilled in her a curiosity and love for farming, a strong work ethic and an appreciation for the resilience required to succeed in agriculture.

Dann’s solid academic path took her to universities across the Northeast and the Midwest, where she studied animal science and developed a broader understanding of the different challenges farmers face in each region. Those experiences shaped her perspective and continue to inform her leadership today.

At Miner, Dann is known for her collaborative leadership style grounded in action. “Behaviors make a bigger impact than promises,” she explained. True to that belief, she is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and do whatever needs to be done, whether that is in the office, lab or farm. Her approach is guided by the principles of William Miner’s “Spirit of Hearts Delight Farm,” which emphasizes integrity, kindness, caring, and self-improvement.

Dann finds inspiration in the more than 60 staff members who make up the Institute’s team, all working together toward the shared goal of leading change in agriculture. “I value a strong work ethic and a positive attitude,” she said, “but more than anything, I value the people I work with.”

Dann recently shared her lessons learned with Strictly Business at the end of a beautiful summer afternoon at the farm.

SB: What important lessons did you learn early in your career?

HD: I learned that networking and building relationships are essential to everything we do. They open doors to new opportunities, create a strong support system and foster a symbiotic relationship between people to help achieve positive outcomes.

SB: Who was your most influential mentor?

HD: Two come to mind. First, my dad who was a dairy farmer. He encouraged me to work hard and be a lifelong learner. He often said, “Give it your all no matter what you are doing,” reminding me to put my full effort, energy and attention into whatever task or activity I was engaged in –- big or small, important or routine. It was about showing commitment, dedication and pride in my work and actions regardless of the circumstances. Farm life instilled my core values and nurtured my passion for agriculture and science.

Second — my high school basketball and track coach. One day at practice, he gave me a sheet of paper with large print that read, “Results, Not Excuses” to hang in my locker. He was always finding ways to motivate my teammates and me and teach us life lessons while having fun playing sports. Over the season, seeing and living those three simple words cultivated a mindset of goal setting, accountability, and problem solving for me, along with realizing that mistakes and failures are learning opportunities. When things get hard, I still find myself saying “Results, Not Excuses”.

SB: How have you inspired or mentored others?

HD: Mentoring the next generation of farmers, scientists and agriculture professionals is not only one of the most rewarding aspects of my work, it’s also one of the most important. Whether I’m helping students and interns learn technical skills, develop soft skills or just be more confident in their abilities every day, I see this as essential to the continued success of Miner Institute. The most important “product” we have at Miner is our students who will go on to do important work and impact their industries for years to come.

SB: What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

HD: You can only control two things -- your effort and your attitude. Everything else is beyond your control, so there is no point in stressing about the other things. Our energy is finite, so I make sure I spend my energy on things I can impact. For me, that means being intentional about how I show up each day and maintaining a mindset that allows me to engage with others in a way that leads to the best possible outcomes.

SB: Tell me about a missed opportunity in your career?

HD: Early in my career, I often held back because I wanted my ideas or plans to be perfect before acting. Over time, I’ve learned that it’s usually better to act, even if mistakes happen, because taking steps forward allows you to make real progress toward your goals. Waiting for the perfect plan can mean missing opportunities that are right in front of you.”

SB: If you could talk to your younger self, what advice would you offer her?

HD: When I was in college, I decided I never wanted to work in sales. It took me years to finally realize that sales are woven into everything I do. Whether I am sharing knowledge, trying to convince someone to implement a management practice or pitching a research proposal, I’m essentially selling ideas. It’s not about transactions, it’s about influence, communication and connection. Understanding this has helped me become more intentional and effective in how I present our work and engage with others.

SB: What does success look like to you?

HD: Success to me is making sure that I can look in the mirror at the end of the day and feel good about the decisions I’ve made. If I’m able to have a positive impact on someone or something that day, that’s what keeps me happy.

SB: What habits do you have that contribute to your success?

HD: I am not the smartest person in the room, but I am willing to work harder than most, and that makes a difference. I stay open to opposing viewpoints and am always willing to learn.

SB: Name one local personality or businessperson whom you admire and share why?

HD: Rod Giltz from Northern Insuring has served as Chairman of the Miner Institute Board for several years and in that role, he’s been an invaluable mentor to me since I became president. Coming from a background as a research scientist, my professional network had always been national in scope. Rod helped me recognize the vital importance of our local business community — especially the power of networking and being actively involved at the local level. Rod’s deep connections and genuine commitment to the North Country have helped me expand my local network in meaningful ways.

The other thing I admire about Rod and Northern Insuring is their consistent support of community organizations. It’s remarkable how often I attend events or programs and see Northern Insuring listed as a sponsor. Their generosity impacts the North Country.

SB: If you could have dinner and spend an evening with any well-known person, living or dead, who would you choose and why?

HD: I would choose Mike Rowe, the host of Dirty Jobs and The Way I Heard It. He’s a fantastic storyteller, and I’ve always loved listening to great stories. But the bigger reason I’d like to spend time with him is to learn more about the work he has done through his mikeroweWORKS Foundation, which shines a spotlight on blue-collar jobs and the trades. Our industry, along with so many others, is facing a real need for skilled workers, and he’s brought positive attention to careers that haven’t always been valued the way they should. I’d love to thank him for that. Not every student should or even needs to go to college. For many, the trades can offer job security as they are always in demand, good pay, career growth, and independence. I admire how Mike is helping people see the dignity and opportunity in those career paths.

SB: What is something no one would guess about you?

HD: I really enjoy riding motorcycles. I got my first moped at 16 years old. It would only go 30 miles per hour, and it didn’t take me long to realize that wasn’t quite enough speed for me. Over the years I have upgraded and I currently ride a sport bike. My husband and oldest son also ride, so it has been fun to take cruises together.

SB: What inspires you?

HD: “What really inspires me is the people I work with. We have a team of over 60 from all sorts of educational, social and cultural backgrounds, all working toward the same goal. We want to be change leaders, improving agricultural practices in ways that support food security, care for our natural resources and remain socially responsible.

It’s incredible to see the dedication of this team — working holidays, weekends and all hours of the day to care for animals, grow and harvest crops and carry out research and educational programs. Knowing that we’re all committed to the same purpose motivates me to come to work, even on an early Monday morning. There’s nothing better than being part of a team that’s truly working toward something meaningful.”

SB: What do you believe the North Country community should do today to ensure a prosperous future?

HD: We need to invest in our people through education and workforce development. It’s important that people see the value of living and working here and recognize that there are real opportunities in the North Country. Equally important is taking care of each other when challenges come up. Organizations like the United Way do amazing work, and I also see so many individuals and groups stepping up to help neighbors in need. That kind of support is what keeps a community strong and moving forward.