Women in Ag: Leading the Way at Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ Tyler, Texas Complex

At Wayne-Sanderson Farms, dedicated women are making their mark, leading with integrity, determination, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. During Women’s History Month, we are proud to spotlight some of the amazing Women in Ag who help make Wayne-Sanderson Farms a success.

A great example of this is at the company’s Tyler, Texas Complex, where Ashley Van Natta recently made company history as Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ first female Complex Manager, stepping into a role that oversees every aspect of live production, processing, and facility operations. Click here to read more about Ashley: https://wayne-sanderson.com/3DDqyny.

As Ashley has embraced this new challenge, she’s done so with the support of a dynamic leadership team, where half of the members are other accomplished female leaders, each bringing their unique strengths and expertise to the table. These leaders prove that women not only belong in agriculture, but they thrive in it.

Continuing our series on the Tyler Complex, we are proud to introduce Kimberly Maddox, Complex Health and Safety Manager.

Kimberly Maddox, Complex Health and Safety Manager

Prior to joining the poultry industry, Kimberly Maddox gained experience in various fields, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to her role at Wayne-Sanderson Farms. Starting her career at the company’s Palestine, Texas complex, Kimberly realized her passion was safety. As soon as she saw a safety role become available at the Tyler complex, she jumped at the opportunity, and held her previous role for six years before rising into her current role as Complex Health and Safety Manager.

As Complex Health and Safety Manager, Kimberly’s role is crucial: ensuring that the Tyler complex is compliant with outside regulatory agencies and that the team is meeting corporate expectations and following implemented policies. Kimberly’s priority is making sure the team receives the best training to do their jobs safely and return home to their families.

For Kimberly, this role is more than just a job enforcing compliance. She’s passionate about fostering a workplace culture where safety is a shared responsibility amongst the team. As the team has built and embraced this culture of safety, they proudly encourage one another to follow protocols. “People grow in a safe environment,” Kimberly notes. “If people feel safe, they’re going to do a good job because they know you care about them. Then, you’re going to get good, quality products out to the consumer.”

She credits the leadership at Wayne-Sanderson Farms for fostering an environment where ability takes precedence over gender. She’s especially proud of the team dynamic at the Tyler complex, where women in leadership positions support and uplift one another rather than compete. Each leader is respected, and their perspectives are valued and heard. “When Ms. Ashley speaks on the production side, we are silent. When Shae speaks about running chicken, she’s the only one speaking. When I speak on safety, they’re all looking at me. When Tierney talks about quality, we’re focused on her.”

Kimberly also acknowledges Brent Glasgow’s encouragement and training for her foundational knowledge and growth within the company. However, she credits Ashley with refining her leadership style. “Ms. Ashley’s mentorship has been incredible. She has helped me put my shoulders back, walk into a room, and sit up straight knowing that I deserve to be there because what I bring to the table is important.”