The November 2025 edition of IALR at a Glance is packed with exciting news and updates! Learn more about…
- Raising Funds for a Great Cause – Wreaths of Joy
- Researchers Study Bok Choy
- Watch updates from IALR
- Much more!
IALR October 2025 Newsletter
The October 2025 edition of IALR at a Glance is packed with exciting news and updates! Learn more about…
- Fourth Annual CEA Summit East Brings Together 260 Attendees
- IALR Conference Center Offering Holiday Menu
- Watch updates from IALR
- Much more!
IALR Conference Center Welcomes New Chef
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center has welcomed Elena Wasnak, an experienced restaurant and hotel chef, as its new head chef. In this role, Wasnak will oversee all food production for the Conference Center and Megabytes Café.
“Chef Wasnak brings an impressive background that aligns perfectly with our commitment to high-quality, memorable service. Her creativity, passion and depth of experience will elevate the dining experience for our guests and help us continue building the Conference Center’s reputation as a premier destination for meetings and events.” – Tracy Fink, Vice President, IALR Conference Center
Wasnak brings more than a decade of culinary experience to IALR. Most recently, she served as executive chef with Antonia’s in Hillsborough, N.C., and as sous chef with Il Palio in Chapel Hill, N.C., two well-known fine dining Italian restaurants. Her expertise spans Southern Italian, Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine, as well as baking and pastry arts. Known for her from-scratch pastas, she has a reputation for creating memorable dishes that highlight fresh, high-quality ingredients.
“My approach to cooking is food first,” said Wasnak. “I’m excited to help take the food and beverage service for the IALR Conference Center, as well as Megabytes Café, to the next level.”
The IALR Conference Center offers professional, on-site catering services ranging from buffet luncheons and boxed lunches to formal sit-down dinners. Megabytes Café provides a variety of sandwiches, daily breakfast and lunch selections, and a hot buffet.
Wasnak is employed through Up to Par Management, a Virginia-based hospitality management company that partners with IALR to provide food and beverage services.
Inside IALR Podcast: Restoring Hope, the Mission of God’s Pit Crew
Let’s hear from Randy Johnson, founder of God’s Pit Crew, a faith-based disaster relief organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and Tracy Fink, Vice President of the IALR Conference Center. God’s Pit Crew has transformed from a simple altar prayer 26 years ago into an extensive operation that has responded to over 200 disasters across more than 30 states and 15 countries.
Randy shares the remarkable growth of God’s Pit Crew and explains their strategic four-pronged disaster response: delivering essential supplies, providing immediate cleanup and tree removal, rebuilding homes—including an unprecedented commitment to constructing 25 new homes this year for Hurricane Helene victims—and redistributing over $5 million annually in donated goods to local nonprofits within 200 miles of Danville. Tracy highlights the longstanding partnership with IALR and details the annual benefit banquet hosted every year at the IALR Conference Center, which gathers nearly 1,000 supporters and showcases the organization’s profound impact.
Highlights include:
- Origins and Growth of God’s Pit Crew (00:45)
- Comprehensive Disaster Response Approach (02:15)
- Building Homes and Restoring Lives (07:30)
- Local Community Impact (12:20)
- Annual Benefit Banquet at IALR Conference Center (16:50)
- Volunteer Stories and Community Spirit (20:05)
IALR December 2024 Newsletter
The December 2024 edition of IALR at a Glance is jam-packed with exciting news and updates! Learn more about…
- $1.35 Billion Project Announced
- Supporting the U.S. Navy
- ATDM Students Contribute to the Community
- Much more!
IALR November 2024 Newsletter
The November 2024 edition of IALR at a Glance is jam-packed with exciting news and updates! Learn more about…
- 2024 Annual Report Shows Impact of Partnerships
- Third Annual Southern Virginia Housing Summit
- IALR Named Apprenticeship Ambassador by U.S. Department of Labor
- Much more!
Special Holiday Menus Available at IALR Conference Center
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center is offering special holiday menu options perfect for business and social gatherings. Our elegant and customizable meeting spaces, combined with top-tier catering services, provide an ideal setting for your events.
A minimum lead time of one week is required to book space and catering services at the IALR Conference Center.
Guests can also continue to order from our full catering menu.
Holiday Breakfasts and Lunches: Dec. 1 – 19
Between Dec. 1 and 19, IALR is accepting bookings for holiday breakfasts and lunches, available Monday through Friday (no weekends or evenings). Prices are as listed with no substitutions. Events are subject to space availability and require a minimum of 15 guests.
December Breakfast Buffet — $18.95 per person
- Egg Casserole with red and green bell peppers and cheddar
- Holiday Yogurt Parfait
- Bacon or Sausage
- Holiday Fruit Tray
- Roasted Potatoes
- French Toast with powdered sugar and syrup
December Lunch Buffet — $23.50 per person (Add $5 per person for a second entrée)
Entrées (Choose One):
- Chicken Napoli: Pan-seared Statler chicken breast in a white wine sauce with pancetta, feta cheese crumble, and button mushrooms
- Holiday Chicken: Festive spinach Florentine sauce with roasted red peppers ladled over a 6 oz. airline chicken breast
- Beef Medallions: Tender sliced filet of beef, roasted to perfection and served with red wine and caramelized onion demi-glace
- Prime Rib (Add $5 per person): Slow-roasted prime rib of beef served with au jus and horseradish sauce
 Beef medallions with parmesan mashed potatoes and vegetables. |
 Chicken Napoli with garlic green beans. |
Sides (Choose Two):
- Parmesan Mashed Potatoes: Made with Yukon Gold potatoes, sweet cream, and shredded Parmesan
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes: Roasted and glazed with honey and bourbon
- Roasted Broccoli and Peppers: Fresh florets and bell peppers roasted with butter and garlic
- Winter Squash: Cinnamon-baked butternut squash medallions
- Garlic Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes: Fresh green beans and tomatoes sautéed with garlic and white wine
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Jam: Roasted Brussels sprouts sautéed in bacon jam
Desserts (Choose One):
- Chocolate Mousse Cake with Crushed Peppermint: Triple chocolate and white chocolate mousse on chocolate cake, topped with crushed peppermint
- Holiday Cheesecake: Individual vanilla cheesecake with fresh strawberries, garnished with mint
- Italian Crème Cake: Layers of yellow cake filled with Italian lemon cream, finished with vanilla cake crumbs on the sides
Seasonal Fall Menu Available Through December
Our Seasonal Fall Menu, featuring dishes that highlight the flavors of autumn, is also available through the end of December. It is available for guests who reserve a space in our conference center. Minimum of 25 guests and maximum of 50 guests
Soup and Salad Bar — $23.50 per person
- Salad Bar with mixed greens, spinach and a variety of toppings
- Two Soups of your choice
- Served with warm baguette slices
- Add grilled chicken, steak or shrimp for an additional $3 per person
Asiago Roast Chicken — $25.50 per person
- Asiago Crusted Chicken with truffle mushrooms and Marsala sauce
- Served with:
- Garden Salad
- Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans Almondine
- Rolls with Butter
Pistachio Glazed Salmon — $28.50 per person
- Grilled Salmon with pistachio glaze
- Served with:
- Harvest Salad
- Red Roasted Potatoes
- Honey-glazed Carrots
- Rolls with Butter
- Desserts (Choose One):
- New York Style Cheesecake
- Pecan Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie or Pumpkin Pie
- Assorted Mini Desserts
Book Your Event Today
To reserve your event or to get more information, please contact Ellen Bass, Sales and Marketing Manager, at ellen.bass@ialr.org or 434.766.6743.
CEA Industry Leaders to Outline Future Trends at CEA Summit East Keynote
Virginia October 1-2, 2024 Edition Brings Academia and Industry Together For Collaboration, Innovation
The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East is excited to announce that the keynote address, “Leadership Insights: Charting the Future Landscape of Controlled Environment Agriculture,” will take place on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 9 AM at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia.
This session is one of two featured keynote addresses joining the full conference line-up for the October 1-2, 2024 edition, providing attendees with a double dose of expert insights and forward-thinking discussions. This keynote will bring together leading executives in the CEA industry to explore predictions, strategies, and perspectives on the emerging trends that will shape the future of controlled environment agriculture.
The panel will feature Carl Gupton, CEO, Greenswell Growers; John McMahon, Co-Founder & COO, Better Future Farms; and Molly Montgomery, Acting CEO & Executive Chair, AeroFarms. The keynote will be moderated by Emily Gee, a member of the Board of Directors for the CEA Alliance and Director of Marketing, AeroFarms.
This engaging session will give attendees the chance to participate in the ongoing conversation shaping the course of sustainable and innovative food production. Whether you are a greenhouse grower, urban agriculture operator, vertical farmer, supplier in the CEA sector, this keynote promises critical takeaways that can help you navigate the evolving landscape of controlled environment agriculture. Look for more information coming soon on another keynote session.
About CEA Summit East
Returning for its third year, the CEA Summit East will be held from October 1-2, 2024, at the IALR Conference Center in Danville, Virginia. Co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con, the premier trade show and conference for the vertical farming, greenhouse, and CEA sector, and the Virginia Tech (VT)- IALR CEA Innovation Center, this summit continues to be a key event for industry collaboration and innovation, featuring two days of tabletop exhibits, networking and conference programming.
Building on the success of its 2023 edition, which drew participants from 33 U.S. states, Canada, the Netherlands, and Sweden, the CEA Summit East 2024 is expected to once again unite professionals from academia, business, and technology within the CEA industry. Attendees will include greenhouse growers, urban agriculture operations, vertical farms, outdoor growers exploring hybrid opportunities, educators, scientists, extension personnel and agents, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architects/developers, government officials, and other industry members.
About Indoor Ag-Con
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the largest trade show and conference for vertical farming | greenhouse | controlled environment agriculture. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis | hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops.
About the CEA Innovation Center
The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center is a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center. By developing strategic partnerships with both industry and academia, the goal of the CEA Innovation Center is to conduct research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the CEA sector in the U.S. and internationally.
