Mara Sanders

Mara Sanders joined the University of Minnesota's Technology Commercialization office in 2024. As the Plant Material and IP Logistics Manager, she collaborates with UMN Breeders and the Agriculture/Horticulture Technology Portfolio Manager and Technology Licensing Officer to execute various intellectual property and plant testing-related activities.

Prior to joining the office, Mara worked for 5 years as a Plant Variety Examiner with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Plant Variety Protection Office in Washington, D.C., where she served as an examiner for crops such as pepper, lettuce, and potato applying for protection under the Plant Variety Protection Act. She also worked with stakeholders from international organizations, the seed industry, and trade associations to educate, collaborate, and communicate issues surrounding plant intellectual property rights.

Mara earned her Master of Science in Plant Biology, and Master of Business and Science in Global Agriculture from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Her research focused on food security, African indigenous vegetables, and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) leaf yield and nutrition. During graduate school, she participated in the Borlaug Summer Institute on Global Food Security (2017) at Purdue University.

Originally from the Twin Cities, Mara is excited to be back in the land of 10,000 lakes and enjoys hiking, gardening, and camping with her husband and ever-growing pack of animals.