Spirit of Ruth

2026 Spirit of Ruth Recipients

The Spirit of Ruth Award recognizes Sigma Alpha Alumnae who embody the spirit of Ruth through active involvement, leadership, and commitment to the field of agriculture. Recipients of this award demonstrate the ideals of Sigma Alpha by living the four pillars: Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship, and Service in their personal and/or professional lives.

Join us in congratulating the 2026 recipients!

 

Laurie Hueneke Martens

Laurie Hueneke Martens, a sixth-generation Iowa farmer and Associate Vice President of Global Public Policy & Government Affairs for Merck Animal Health, has built an influential career advancing science-based policy that supports animal health, global food security and farmers’ livelihoods. She established Merck Animal Health’s global public policy function and has helped shape international trade agreements and global standards affecting the availability of vaccines, medicines and technology solutions essential to agriculture and veterinary care. In 2025, she was appointed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products.
Committed to lifting others as she leads, Hueneke Martens mentors students and early-career professionals through Sigma Alpha, Merck’s Women’s Network and Iowa State University programs. She also remains closely connected to production agriculture through Martens Angus, the cow-calf operation she runs with her husband, Jody, near Bellevue, Iowa. Reflecting on the honor, she shared, “I’m incredibly honored by this recognition from Sigma Alpha. This award is a reminder of the importance of investing in others and creating opportunities for the next generation to step forward.”

 

Gena Perry

Gena Perry currently serves as Executive Director of the American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), where she leads international efforts to strengthen agricultural value chains, expand market access and improve global food security. Since joining WISHH in 2019, she has provided strategic leadership to programs that create economic opportunity for soybean producers while advancing nutrition outcomes worldwide. Her work reflects a deep commitment to building sustainable agricultural systems through trade capacity development and global collaboration.
Perry’s passion for agricultural development was shaped through her experience as an AgriCorps Fellow in Ghana, where she trained educators in experiential learning and later led programs across Ghana and Liberia. A graduate of the University of Georgia with degrees in Agribusiness, she remains dedicated to mentorship and investing in the next generation of leaders. Reflecting on the honor, she shared, “It’s truly an honor to receive the Sigma Alpha Spirit of Ruth Award. Sigma Alpha played a pivotal role in my professional development and I look forward to continuing to support the next generation of agriculture leaders.”

The Spirit of Ruth Award recognizes Sigma Alpha alumnae who exemplify the sorority’s four pillars—Scholarship, Leadership, Fellowship, and Service. Laurie and Gena’s continued commitment to these values make them deserving recipients.

From left to right: Piper Soma, Secretary of the Delta Chapter of Sigma Alpha at Iowa State University; Laurie Hueneke Martens, Spirit of Ruth Award recipient and Delta Chapter alumna; Teresa Brandenburg, Delta Chapter alumna and Director of Chapter Operations for Sigma Alpha; and Olivia Hanson, Membership Director of the Delta Chapter, present and celebrate this prestigious honor.
Gena Perry, Spirit of Ruth Award recipient and alumna of the Alpha Omicron Chapter of Sigma Alpha (left), is presented the award by Heather Amundson, Vice President of the Alpha Omicron Chapter (right).

  • I love Sigma Alpha because of all the professional growth I have personally experienced within my membership both collegiate and alumna!

    Megan Lutrick

  • I love Sigma Alpha because it’s given me opportunities I didn’t know existed and has been a key player in shaping me into the professional I am today!

    Jordan Bonham

  • I LOVE Sigma Alpha because it has provided me with opportunities, experiences, and sisters that I will cherish my entire life!

    Jessica Graham
katapultSpirit of Ruth Recipients