Professor Lisa Cork teaches Food Marketing, Produce Marketing and Agribusiness Marketing Planning. She is a Cal Poly AGB graduate (1988) and it has been a 30-year dream of hers to return to Cal Poly and teach in the AGB Department.

Professor Cork has enjoyed an amazing, 30-year career in food marketing – specifically fresh produce marketing - through her company Fresh Produce Marketing Ltd. She has traveled the world doing fresh produce marketing and brand strategy, working with growers and produce companies in Asia, Australia, Europe, South America and Africa.

Professor Cork is a native of San Luis Obispo and while a California girl by birth, she has spent the last 30 years living full-time in New Zealand. Professor Cork and her husband (AGB89) left the USA on a trip around the world in 1993 – and never came back. During their travels, they fell in love with New Zealand and immigrated there full-time in 1994. Back home in New Zealand, Professor Cork has a 20-year-old son studying at the University of Auckland.

When not consulting or teaching, Professor Cork loves hiking and summiting mountains in exotic locations. To date, she has done over 15 summits including Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mt Tajumulco in Guatemala and Mt Whitney in California. In 2021, she successfully hiked the 211-mile John Muir Trail.

Professor Cork’s research interests include Controlled Environment Agriculture and Retail vs Grower Branding. She is a magazine columnist and a former director of the International Fresh Produce Association.