Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP

Current

Principal, Professional Speaker, Author at Cause Matters Corp.

Past

Business Development Director at Farms.com
Regional Director at National FFA Foundation
Marketing Specialist at World Wide Sires

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Education

Michigan State University
Michigan State University

Recommended

3 people have recommended Michele

Connections

417 connections

Industry

Farming

Websites

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Summary

Michele Payn-Knoper personifies passion. As a professional speaker, consultant and author, she encourages all of her clients to connect with people's hot buttons and speak their language. MPK offers expertise in:

- Agricultural advocacy: connecing farm gate to consumer plate
- Non-profit sponsorship development
- Social media campaigns for agriculture.

Widely known as a "change agent," MPK delivers highly interactive training workshops, motivational keynotes and webinars to empower organizations to reach higher levels of performance.

Michele founded Cause Matters Corp. in 2001 to help give a voice to the people who feed the world. She recently received the "Certified Speaking Professional" designation, earned by less than 10% of all professional speakers. Clients include:

American Agri-Women
American Farm Bureau Federation + over 20 state FBs
American Soybean Association
CNFA/USAID Ukraine
Egypt MUCIA AERI
Elanco Animal Health
Florida Farm Bureau
Holstein Foundation
Indiana Society of Association Executives
Indiana State Department of Agriculture
Iowa Association of Agriculture Educators
J.R. Simplot
Kansas Farm Bureau
Kentucky Tourism Council
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions
Michigan FFA Foundation
Minnesota Grain and Feed Association
Monsanto Company
MUCIA USAID Egypt
National Corn Growers Association
National Milk Producers Association
National Pork Board
Nationwide Insurance
NM Women in Agriculture
North American Farm Show Council
Ontario Agri-Food Education
Pfizer Animal Health
Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin
Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association
Tourism Indiana
U.S. Grains Council
Vita Plus Corp.
Western Fairs Association
Wisconsin Association of Fairs
Wyoming Farm Bureau
Young Dairy Leaders Institute

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Specialties:

Social Media for Agriculture
Twitter Training for Ag Tweeps & Tweets
Celebrating Agriculture
Championing Agriculture
Agricultural Advocacy
Connecting Farm Gate to Consumer Plate
Knowing Your Food Source: Farm Gate to Consumer Plate
Phenomenal Fundraising: Corporate Sponsorship Development
Grassroots Marketing
Community Relations
Executive Speech Coaching
Professional Speaker
Webinar training
Facilitation

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Experience

Principal, Professional Speaker, Author

Cause Matters Corp.

(Professional Training & Coaching industry)

May 2001 — Present (8 years 7 months)

Michele Payn-Knoper founded Cause Matters Corp. to help people champion their cause. Utilizing her diverse professional experience in the agricultural, marketing, sales and nonprofit sectors, Michele provides speaking, training and writing.on agriculture advocacy, grassroots marketing, fundraising and sales training. Widely known as a "change agent," MPK delivers advocacy training programs and motivational keynotes that empower organizations to reach higher levels of performance through employing hot buttons.

Cause Matters focuses on agriculture advocacy, grassroots marketing, fundraising and sales training. In each of these four core areas, MPK helps organizations clearly identify issues, define goals and develop solutions.
Business Development Director

Farms.com

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Farming industry)

November 2000 — June 2001 (8 months)
Regional Director

National FFA Foundation

(Non-Profit; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)

1997 — 2001 (4 years )

Managed 15 states, 250 corporate relationships, sold $5M + in sponsorships for FFA
Marketing Specialist

World Wide Sires

(Farming industry)

1993 — 1997 (4 years )

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Education

Michigan State University

B.S. , Agriculture & Natural Resources Communications , 1988 — 1993

Activities and Societies:

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Ambassador, Sigma Alpha Gamma Chapter Charter Member, NAMA National Team, Collegiate FFA
Michigan State University

B.S. , Animal Science , 1988 — 1993

Activities and Societies:

Dairy Judging, Dairy Club, Small Animals Day, Alpha Zeta Honorary Fraternity, student worker in Animal Reproductive Physiology Laboratory

Additional Information

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Websites:

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Interests:

Agriculture, Agricultural Advocacy, Farm, Agrifood business, Speaking, Training, Coaching, Consulting, Writing, Grassroots Marketing, Sales Training, Sponsorship Development, New Technology, E-mail Management, Pilates Photography Dairy Cattle Registered Holsteins Gardening

Michele Payn-Knoper, CSP’s Groups:

National Speakers Association, AMA, MSU College of Agriculture Alumni Association, National FFA Alumni Lifetime Member, Boone County 4-H, First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon, NSA Indiana, Sigma Alpha Sorority Alumni Lifetime Member, Young Dairy Leaders Institute, Indiana Farm Bureau member, Boone County 4-H Council, Indiana AgriInstitute Graduate, #Agchat

MSU Alumni Association
National Speakers Association (NSA)
Professional Speakers and Seminar Leaders
MSU College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Alumni Association
Cigar PEG: Making a Difference One Party at a Time
Digital Marketing
Agriculture
NSA Next!
Monsanto Company
Sigma Alpha Sorority
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation
Idaho Farm Bureau
Alpha Zeta
Save Our Food
Facilitators PEG (Professional Emphasis Group) of the National Speakers Association (NSA)
Motivational Keynote PEG (Professional Emphasis Group) of the National Speakers Association (NSA)
Sales Experts PEG (Professional Experts Group) of the National Speakers Association
Ag Relations Council
AgrIInstitute/Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program
U.S. Grains Council
Ag Career Women (Women in Agriculture)
#agchat
Social Media Success Summit
Past State FFA Officers