Meet Deadra: Our July Brocc Star!
At DNO Produce, we know that our greatest asset isn’t our equipment or our facilities. It’s our people. This month, we’re celebrating Deadra Holloway, our Director of Food Safety.
As the food safety leader of our fresh-cut produce and wholesale company, Deadra understands that food safety doesn’t begin with policies or paperwork but starts on the floor with the individuals who wash, cut, pack, and ship our produce every single day.
“She leads with clarity and collaboration, making complex regulations approachable for both internal teams and external partners. She is inclusive and has built a trilingual team that takes time to teach and develop our staff, not just correct or mitigate.”
-DNO Associate
“Her leadership in the food safety space through her trade association involvement with IFPA, industry advocacy, and conference speaking engagements strengthens trust in the quality and safety of our products.”
Deadra’s leadership is a masterclass in what it means to be customer obsessed. She actively seeks out the kinds of growth opportunities that others might avoid, like those with steep learning curves, changing regulations, or cross-departmental complexity because she knows they directly benefit our customers and elevate our company’s reputation. She sees every new challenge as a chance to raise the bar, and she meets each one with a thoughtful balance of precision, innovation, and purpose.
As a respected voice in the food safety space, Deadra represents DNO on a national level through her active involvement with trade associations like IFPA and her regular participation in industry panels and conferences. Her work helps strengthen trust in the safety and quality of our products, not just with customers, but with regulators, partners, and industry peers. Her presence in these conversations is not performative; it's impactful. She brings a grounded, transparent perspective that elevates the discussion and reminds us all why food safety matters so deeply.
But Deadra’s strengths extend far beyond her public leadership. Internally, she is equally focused on accountability, and not just in the regulatory sense. She takes personal ownership over keeping our company not only compliant but ahead of the curve. She’s a steward of integrity and best practices, constantly scanning the horizon for emerging risks and opportunities to improve our systems. Her ability to make complex policies understandable and actionable is part of what makes her such a trusted leader.
At DNO, we believe education is the cornerstone of safety and success, and Deadra has helped shape our training program from the ground up. Whether someone is on their first day or their tenth year, every team member receives the same foundational support: a trilingual orientation, in-house training videos, a food safety-led walk-through of our facility, and the guidance of an experienced company ambassador. These touchpoints ensure that our values are understood and practiced from day one.
But as Deadra often reminds us, training without engagement doesn’t stick. That’s why she’s worked hard to build a people-centered culture where every individual feels their role is not just necessary but meaningful. She empowers teams across departments to stay informed, aligned, and motivated. Under her leadership, our staff doesn’t just learn food safety—they believe in it. Many of our team members are parents themselves, and when they see DNO produce being served to their children at school, the concept of food safety takes on a whole new level of significance. For them, and for Deadra, it’s personal.
She’s also built a trilingual food safety team that exemplifies her inclusive approach. Her leadership prioritizes mentorship, compassion, and development. Mistakes are treated as learning moments, not liabilities. That kind of culture builds trust, and with trust comes consistency, care, and pride.
Deadra has helped shape our customer relationships into true partnerships rooted in transparency, education, and proactive communication. Whether it’s hosting school visits, attending nutrition shows, or working with community organizations, she is always looking for ways to lift the veil on produce safety. Her goal is simple but powerful: to help people understand where their food comes from, how it’s prepared, and why it matters.
She also believes that the produce industry has a shared responsibility to change the narrative around food safety. For every headline about an outbreak, there are millions of safe, nourishing servings of fruits and vegetables that never get acknowledged. Deadra is passionate about flipping that script and about building public confidence through fact-based storytelling, education, and industry collaboration. She believes we cannot allow fear to shape the perception of fresh produce. Instead, we must lead with integrity, accountability, and openness.
We are incredibly proud to honor Deadra as our Brocc Star of the Month. Her expertise, her leadership, and her heart for people have created ripples of impact throughout our organization and beyond. She reminds us that excellence is not about perfection but passion, responsibility, and the courage to lead with purpose.
Thank you, Deadra, for all that you do for our team, for our customers, and for the greater good of a safer food system. To learn more about her approach to food safety within DNO Produce and FRESHEALTH, read this article here.