Jean Beagle Ristaino PhD, MS

Jean Beagle Ristaino had spent more than 30 years studying Phytophthora diseases of global importance. Ristaino is passionate about international agricultural research and is actively engaged on many fronts to alleviate crop losses due to plant diseases and improve global food security. She is also dedicated to helping mentor and increase the capacity for developing country scientists to pursue research in plant pathology. She has worked with students, scientists and policymakers to improve the capacity of science in the developing world and empower women in agriculture research.

Ristaino is the granddaughter of Italian American immigrants and was born in the nation’s Capital. Her grandfather, born in a farming community in Sicily, was the founder of the National Fruit Company in DC and immigrated as a child as part of the wave of late 19th century Italian immigrants that landed at Ellis Island NY. Her parents were native Washingtonians, earned college degrees in business, and worked for the IRS. Jean grew up in suburban Maryland surrounded by a loving extended family. She developed interests in the natural world as a child when traveling to visit national parks. Although at first she aspired to become a park ranger, an undergraduate research opportunity at the USDA in Beltsville sparked her interests in plant pathology.