2025 Educational Advisory Board (EAB)

Al Baroudi, Ph.D.
VP, Quality Assurance & Food Safety
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

Dr. Ata (Al) Baroudi joined The Cheesecake Factory in 2008 with broad experience in the food industry as a quality assurance executive. He is an agricultural engineer with a MS degree in Food Science and Technology / Microbiology from the University of California at Davis, CA. He received his Ph.D. in Food Processing and Technology / Regulatory Affairs from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. He served as the head of QA and Food Safety (Snacks and Dairy) for Borden Foods Company in Columbus, OH, before moving to the west coast as Vice President, Corporate QA/Food Safety and Regulatory/Environmental Affairs for the Vons/Safeway Supermarkets, Arcadia, CA. Dr. Baroudi then served as Vice President of QA and Technical Services, Harry & David Corporation, Medford, OR., before becoming the Chief Scientific, Health and Regulatory Affairs Officer at Yum! Brands in Louisville, KY.

Kerry Bridges
Vice President of Food Safety
Chipotle Mexican Grill

Kerry Bridges is Vice President of Food Safety at Chipotle Mexican Grill. In this role, Kerry oversees food safety standards, quality assurance, and procedures. Kerry joined Chipotle in January of 2019 and oversees a team of individuals who are committed to enforcing Chipotle’s zero-tolerance policy and industry-leading processes, focusing on supply chain, in-restaurant practices, food prep, and employee training. Prior to joining Chipotle, Kerry oversaw supplier food safety for the world’s largest food retailer, Walmart, serving over 200 million customers around the world on a weekly basis. During her time at Walmart, Kerry’s food safety oversight included tens of thousands of Walmarts, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Clubs food suppliers, in addition to researching and assessing new and emerging food safety issues and handling regulatory compliance. Prior to Walmart, Kerry’s food safety career included roles with TESCO and Jack in the Box Inc. Kerry is the past President of the International Association for the Southern California Affiliate of Food Protection (IAFP) and a former Board Member of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI). Kerry attended California Polytechnic State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Food Science.

Jorge Hernandez
Vice President of Quality Assurance
The Wendy’s Company

Jorge is responsible for food safety and quality in all Wendy’s restaurants and its suppliers in 31 countries. His responsibilities include ensuring brand compliance with nutritional and allergen information, menu labeling and any other state and federal regulations. Previously, Jorge was Chief Food Safety Officer at Wholesome International; Senior VP for Food Safety and Quality Assurance at US FOODS; VP of Food Safety at the National Restaurant Association; Food Program Manager at Illinois Department of Public Health and Sanitarian at Winnebago County Health Department in Illinois.

Jorge has Degrees in Biology from Rockford University, USA; Microbiology from El Centro de Estudios Medico-Biologicos in Mexico City, Mexico; and Languages and Literature from la Universite de la Sorbonne, Paris, France. Jorge belongs to several national and international organizations and boards including STOP Foodborne Illness, IFPTI, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and other.

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Steven Lyon, PhD
Director, Food Safety – Field Operations
Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Dr. Steven A. Lyon has been with Chick-fil-A, Inc. since 2009 leading various food safety and animal welfare initiatives. His primary role today is centered around control of foodborne diseases and respiratory diseases within the enterprise. He has held several roles ranging from leading Supply Chain food safety, product safety, restaurant procedure/kitchen design reviews, solutions/innovations, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance. Prior to Chick-fil-A, Inc., he was with the USDA for 7 years. His work has been published in peer reviewed scientific journals and also in magazines associated with poultry production. At the USDA, he worked on several projects involving antibiotic resistance and surveillance programs aimed at protecting public health from emerging foodborne pathogens. Steven holds 3 degrees from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science, Masters of Science degree in microbiology, and doctorate (Ph.D.) in food microbiology.

Robin Forgey
AGMM, Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Costco Wholesale

In her role as AGMM of Global Food Safety and Quality for Costco Wholesale Robin establishes product quality and safety policies and practices and assures Vendor compliance to these policies and practices. Robin develops regulatory compliance programs for company facilities and the tracking of Vendor programs to assure compliance. Robin also oversees routine product quality and safety testing and Vendor and Facility Auditing. Prior to joining Costco, Robin worked as a research scientist for BioControl Systems developing assays to detect foodborne pathogens and as the Director of Microbiology for an independent testing lab.

Robin holds a BS in Biology and a Masters Degree in Food Science.

Kathleen O'Donnell
Chief Scientist
Wegmans

Kathleen O'Donnell started her career at Wegmans as a part-time employee in the bakery. Following her graduation from Cornell University (B.S., M.S.), she became a member of the quality assurance team at Wegmans Meat Center, focusing on product quality assurance, environmental monitoring programs and product development. She developed the first HACCP program for the Wegmans Meat Center. Kathleen is now Chief Food Scientist and addresses issues of a regulatory, technical or scientific nature for food and non-food products.

Glenn Stolowski
Director Retail Food Safety
H-E-B

Glenn Stolowski has been with H-E-B since 2000 leading several QA teams. For 16 years he worked in Own Brand QA managing the safety and quality of private label food and non-food products. In his current role the focus is on ensuring the safety and quality of products at Retail stores. Prior to H-E-B he was with Sealed Air-Cryovac for 4 years focusing on meat packaging R&D. Glenn received a B.S and M.S. in Food Science from Texas A&M University.

Michael Wood, Ph.D.
Manager, Food Safety & Quality
Kroger

Dr. Wood is a Food Safety Leader with the Kroger Company, joining in 2021. In this role, he supports the Fresh Kitchen Program, produce safety and In-Store Fresh-Cut Produce Program.

Dr. Wood has held positions as the Market Microbiologist with Nestle USA, New Product Development Manager with Del Monte Fresh Produce and Research Manager with Analytical Food Laboratories.

Dr. Wood received his B.S. in Microbiology, his M.S., and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, all from the University of Florida.

Jeremy Zenlea
Director, Head of Health and Safety
EG America

Jeremy Zenlea is the Director, Head of Health and Safety at EG America. In this role, Jeremy oversees all aspects of Food and occupational Safety, including regulatory (OSHA, USDA, FDA, State, Local) compliance, retail and commissary food safety operations, and supply chain integrity. Jeremy has worked with a variety of different product categories, including Refrigerated, High Risk RTE Foods (meat, poultry, pork, fresh cut fruit and produce), chocolate and confectionary. Due to his diverse background, Jeremy has gained a wide range of knowledge of different food products and has become an expert in setting-up, executing and managing complex food safety and food defense systems for large domestic and international food manufacturers. He is an active member of the International Association for Food Protection and enjoys lecturing on food safety at Northeastern University and mentoring other food safety professionals in his spare time. Jeremy received a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and an M.B.A from Northeastern University.

Ola Afolayan
Director of Global Food Safety and Regulatory
Kellanova

Olamide (Ola) Afolayan is a dynamic professional dedicated to ensuring food safety. She holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Food Science from the University of Georgia, and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Botswana.

She is currently the Director of Global Food Safety and Regulatory at Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Company), where she has spent the last decade. In this role, she oversees food safety assurance, policy development and regulatory compliance. Her career has been marked by roles of increasing responsibility, demonstrating her commitment to excellence and problem-solving. Prior to Kellogg, Dr. Afolayan honed her expertise as a food safety research assistant at the Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia and as a Microbiologist at a MillerCoors brewing facility. Ola is driven by small victories that cumulatively impact food safety, and she finds joy in sharing her knowledge and experience. Outside of work, she enjoys being a food critic and traveling with her family.

Sharon Birkett
Vice President, Global Food Safety and Quality Assurance
OSI Group, LLC

Sharon Birkett is Vice President of Quality and Food Safety for OSI Group, LLC., a global leader in supplying value-added protein items and other food products to leading foodservice and retail brands. Sharon is a leader in the food industry demonstrated by more than 25 years’ experience and expertise in the areas of food safety, quality assurance and operations management. She leads the team in raising the awareness and expectations of food safety through participating on the Food Safety Culture committee with Global Food Safety Initiative, the OSI facilities certified to GFSI recognized schemes, and best practices in listeria control. Sharon is a member of professional organizations including the International Association of Food Protection, American Society for Quality, and North American Meat Institute.

Chitsanzo Chiko Kachaje
Director of Quality Assurance and Food Safety
Home Market Foods

Chitsanzo Chiko Kachaje joined Home Market Foods in 2003 where she is responsible for all food safety and product quality programs including interactions with regulatory agencies, auditors, and customers. Prior to joining Home Market Foods, she was a QC Supervisor at Hans Kissle. She currently serves on the Food Science Industrial Advisory Board for Chemistry and Food Science Department at Framingham State University since 2015.

Chitsanzo Chiko originally from Malawi (Southern African country). She holds a BSc in Biology and Chemistry from University of Malawi, Chancellor College, and an MSc in Food Science and Nutrition from Framingham State University.

Rebecca Guzy
Director of Research
Frick's Quality Meats

Rebecca has 25+ years’ experience as a Food Safety professional working both for large CPGs as well as smaller family owned businesses. Her knowledge of HACCP, sanitation, food safety, crisis management, regulatory compliance and audit readiness along with expertise in Product Development gives her a broad perspective on the challenges of today’s Food Safety Professionals. She has held positions at SealedAir Corporation, Oscar Mayer Foods, Kraft Foods and Frick’s Quality Meats. Currently Rebecca is responsible for all food safety and quality assurance programs, regulatory compliance, nutritional labeling, and specification management as well as all R&D functions at Frick’s Quality Meats.

Deb Kane, MS
Vice President, Food Safety, Quality, EHSS & Regulatory
J&J Snack Foods Corp.

Deb Kane joined J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF) in 2017 and is currently Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, EHSS and Regulatory with over 30 years’ experience as a FSQA professional. Prior to joining JJSF, she held positions with Campbell Soup Company, Kraft General Foods, and AeroFarms Indoor Vertical Farm. Deb has worked as a food safety Microbiologist with experience in pathogen control, risk assessments, spoilage investigations, root cause analysis and inoculation challenge studies. Deb has extensive experience developing food safety and quality management systems to meet Regulatory and GFSI standards. She has also developed and implemented Food Safety and HACCP plans to meet FDA FSMA and/or USDA requirements. Deb is a HACCP lead instructor recognized by the International HACCP Alliance and trains facility teams annually in HACCP/food safety principles. Deb sits on the Executive Leadership Team at JJSF and is a member of the Educational Advisory Board for The Food Safety Summit. She earned a Master’s in Food Science and a graduate certificate in Food Safety & Defense from Kansas State University and a BS Degree in Biology from The College of NJ.

Monica Khoury
Senior Quality Expert
Nestle

Monica is a dedicated professional with a strong background in quality and regulatory affairs. As a Senior Quality Expert at Nestle USA, Monica spearheads the food safety culture workstream and supports the Nestle Professional business and factories. She also provides coaching and expertise on allergen management to various departments including product development, regulatory affairs, and marketing. From ingredient selection to commercialization, Monica ensures that allergen management is prioritized throughout the entire process. Her multifaceted role showcases her expertise in ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality throughout the organization.

Monica's experience in quality and regulatory affairs has given her exposure to many product categories, having worked at meat, ready to eat desserts, and sugar confections manufacturing facilities. Through her corporate quality and regulatory roles, she has supported a wide range of businesses, gaining valuable experience and knowledge along the way. Monica holds a Master of Science degree in Food Safety and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science, both from Michigan State University.

Spir Marinakis
VP Food Safety, Quality and Technical Services
Maple Leaf Foods

Spir is currently serving as Vice President, Food Safety, Quality and Technical Services for processed meats, further processed poultry, fresh poultry, fresh pork at Maple Leaf Foods (MLF). As overall leader of this function Spir is accountable for the strategic direction to deliver on MLF’s Food Safety & Quality (FS&Q) strategy, Food Safety Promise, Quality Vision, day-to-day operations of the FS&Q Management Systems and Microbiology and Chemistry labs that service all MLF’s plants.

Spir began her professional career at Unilever Canada, one of the world’s largest CPG company. She progressed through various roles that included food scientist, sales representative, brand manager, innovation manager, R&D/QA manager, Canada and customer activation manager, North America. During this time, Spir achieved two prestigious Global Innovation Awards for innovative concepts and successful execution. Throughout this time her efforts on the commercial side of the business enhanced her appreciation of the importance of innovation, and customer-centric focus.

In 2004, Spir joined Maple Leaf Foods as Director FS&Q for the poultry division. During this time, Spir was awarded the President’s Award. In 2007, she moved into Six Sigma. During her tenure in Six Sigma, she was responsible for critical projects within marketing and food safety. In 2013, Spir moved into the Director, FS&Q systems role where she took over leadership and execution of the company’s quality strategy, performance metrics, FS&Q Pillar of the Operational Excellence, complaint management, and control of the FS&Q Management System.

Drew McDonald
Senior Vice President Quality & Food Safety
Taylor Fresh Foods

Drew is the Senior Vice President Quality & Food Safety at Taylor Fresh Foods, Salinas CA. He has over 30 years experience in Fresh Produce and Fresh Foods. He oversees the quality and food safety programs across the food service, retail, and deli operations under both FDA and USDA jurisdictions. Drew works with an impressive team developing and managing appropriate and practical quality and food safety programs for fresh food and produce products. Over the course of his career he has worked with growers and processors of fresh food and produce items all over the world. He currently serves on numerous food safety-related technical committees and has participated in the authorship of many produce food safety articles and guidelines. He is the out-going chairman of the Center for Produce Food Safety’s Technical Committee and on the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board and former Chairman of United Fresh’s Technical Council. Drew received his education from Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

Joan Menke-Schaenzer
Chief Quality Officer
Van Drunen Farms/ FutureCeuticals

In this role, she is responsible for quality and food safety of Van Drunen Farms vegetable and herb (organic and conventional) growing and processing businesses. As well as, the nutraceutical business which supplies ingredients to the functional food, cosmetics and dietary supplements industries. Joan is a passionate champion of safety and compliance across the entire food system. She has led quality and food safety organizations across manufacturing, food service and retail. Previously, Joan led McDonald’s global supply chain, safety and compliance organization; ConAgra Foods, food safety and quality organization; Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. global food safety and security organization, and Kraft Foods quality organization. Joan served on the FDA Food Advisory Committee. As well as, the CDC Board of Scientific Counselors FSMA Implementation working group. Joan earned her Bachelor of Science in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

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Nickolas Waters
Senior Director, Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Sysco

Nick Waters is a Senior Director, Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Sysco that is responsible for the design, development, training, implementation and execution of risk-based food safety programs for the distribution segment of Sysco’s business. He works closely with internal and external stakeholders on new initiatives that differentiate Sysco. Prior to this, Nick held various food safety and quality assurance positions and served honorably in the United States Army. He received his undergraduate degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Adrienne Blume, M.A
Editorial Director
Food Safety Magazine

Adrienne Blume is Editorial Director of Food Safety Magazine, a BNP Media brand. She has 18 years of experience in B2B technical media, including the food safety and quality (FSQ) and energy technology sectors. She manages the editorial content for Food Safety Magazine and its podcast, Food Safety Matters, and also serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the annual Food Safety Summit. She keeps a pulse on trends, issues, and regulatory developments in FSQA by attending and moderating sessions at food industry and food safety conferences worldwide.
Ms. Blume holds an M.A. degree in English and Publishing from Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, as well as B.A. degrees (hons) in English and Anthropology from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Natalie Dyenson
Chief Regulatory & Food Safety Officer
International Fresh Produce Association

Dyenson previously served as Vice President of Food Safety and Quality for Dole Food Company, brings almost 3 decades of experience in food safety that encompasses the grower, retailer, and foodservice sectors to the association. Prior to joining Dole, Dyenson was senior director for both supplier and international food safety for Walmart; food safety and health manager for Walt Disney World; and served in a variety of food safety roles between Silliker, Kash n’ Karry Supermarkets, and Harris Teeter.

Oscar Garrison
Senior Vice President Food Safety Regulatory Affairs
United Egg Producers

Oscar Garrison is Senior VP of Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs for United Egg Producers (UEP) Prior to this, Oscar had a broad regulatory based career for over 19 years at the Georgia Department of Agriculture where he held the executive positions of Division Director Food Safety and Assistant Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Additionally, Oscar is the Past President of the Association of Food and Drug Officials where he led the national organizations efforts to promote an Integrated Food Safety System. Mr. Garrison was also the Past President of the Georgia Association of Food Protection, an Executive Committee member of the Partnership for Food Protection, Food Safety Liaison to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and a member of the National Integrated Food Safety System Task Force.

Laura Gieraltowski, Ph.D., MPH
Foodborne Outbreak Response Team Lead
Centers for Disease Control

Dr. Laura Gieraltowski is the Lead of the Foodborne Outbreak Response Team in the Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. She leads the team that helps coordinate the national network of epidemiologists and other public health officials who investigate outbreaks of foodborne and other enteric illnesses. Dr. Gieraltowski is a graduate of CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service Program. She received a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and has a Masters of Public Health degree in behavioral health sciences from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. She has worked at the CDC since 2009 and has been involved in numerous multistate outbreak investigations leading to the identification and recall of food products.

Tim Jackson
Regulatory, Sr. Science Advisor
FDA

Dr. Jackson is a Senior Science Advisor for Food Safety with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, joining in 2022. In this role, he supports programs in outbreak investigations, root cause analysis, and prevention strategies.

From 2017–2021, Dr. Jackson served as Vice President of Food Safety, Regulatory, and Social Compliance for Driscoll’s team in North America and South America. He previously served as the Director of Food Safety for Nestlé US and Nestlé Canada from 2009–2017. From 1998–2003, he headed the Microbiology Laboratories at the Nestlé Quality Assurance Laboratory for the U.S. and Canada. From 2004–2008, he was Chief Industrial Microbiologist for Nestlé’s global operations in Vevey, Switzerland.

Dr. Jackson received his B.S. in Biology from Abilene Christian University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from Texas A&M University.

Glenda Lewis, M.S.P.H.
Director, Retail Food Protection Staff
FDA

Glenda R. Lewis is currently the Director of the Retail Food Protection Staff in FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Food Safety, and has been at FDA since 1996. She served as a Team member and then, prior to her current role, served for 14 years as Team Leader of CFSAN’s Retail Food Policy Team with responsibility for leading the team in developing, revising, and interpreting regulations, model codes (such as the FDA Food Code) and Federal guidelines that pertain to retail-level food operations (e.g., restaurants, retail food stores, food vending, institutional food service (health care facilities, schools, child and adult day care; penal institutions, and contract feeding operations). Prior to FDA, Ms. Lewis served for 8 years with the Volusia County Health Department in Florida as an Environmental Health Specialist. Ms. Lewis has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Spelman College, Atlanta, GA and a Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Steven Mandernach, J.D.
Executive Director
Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)

Steven Mandernach (MAWN-dur-knock) is the executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). Prior to becoming executive director in 2018, he was the bureau chief for food and consumer safety at the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Mandernach is a past president of AFDO. He has also served as the chair and co-chair for the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Alliance. Mandernach has co-authored many articles related to retail food safety, foodborne illness detection, and the integrated food safety system, and he’s a frequent contributor to many food trade publications such as Food Safety Magazine, New Food Magazine, and Quality Assurance and Food Safety Magazine.

Mandernach has a J.D. from Drake University Law School. He has completed graduate work in Food Safety at Michigan State University.

Brendan Niemira, Ph.D.
Research Leader
USDA-ARS

Dr. Brendan A. Niemira is a research microbiologist and Lead Scientist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Wyndmoor, PA. His research develops and validates cold plasma, pulsed light, radiofrequency energy and other nonthermal food processing technologies. He has published more than 190 peer-reviewed research articles, book chapters, and critical reviews. Dr. Niemira is a Fellow of IFT and a past member of the IFT Board of Directors. He serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the Food Safety Summit. A member of IFT, IAFP and ASM for 20+ years, he is on the editorial boards for "Journal of Food Protection" and "Applied and Environmental Microbiology".

Shawn Stevens
National Food Industry Lawyer
Food Industry Counsel LLC

Shawn Stevens is the founding member of Food Industry Counsel LLC, the only law firm in the United States that represents the food industry exclusively. As a food industry consultant and lawyer, Mr. Stevens works with food industry clients (including the world’s largest growers, processors, restaurant chains, distributors and grocers) helping them protect their brand by complying with FDA and USDA regulations, reducing risk, managing recalls, and defending high-profile foodborne illness claims. Mr. Stevens also speaks regularly to national and international audiences on a wide variety of emerging scientific, regulatory and food safety legal trends. Additional information about his practice can be found at www.foodindustrycounsel.com

Alvin Lee, PhD, MASM
Director of the Center for Processing Innovation, Institute for Food Safety and Health
Associate Professor of Food Science and Nutrition, Illinois Institute of Technology
Dr. Alvin Lee is a microbiologist and virologist with more than 15 years research experience. He currently leads IFSH Center for Processing Innovation and co-leads the joint IFSH/FDA Microbiology Research Platform on food safety and defense related projects. He is a member of the Executive Board of NoroCORE, a USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative based at North Carolina State University, and leads the Prevention and Control CORE. Current research support includes funding from USDA, US FDA and various industry contracts. Dr. Lee is currently a Section Editor on Elsevier’s Reference Module in Food Science and scientific reviewer on a number of scientific journals. He teaches food microbiology in the IIT’s Masters of Science program, has mentored more than 30 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows and a Lead Instructor for Food Safety Preventive Controls for Human Foods. He is a current active member of the International Association for Food Protection and a Professional Member of the Institute of Food Technologists.

John W Spink, Ph.D.
Director, Food Fraud Prevention Academy &
Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

Dr. John W Spink is the Director and Lead Instructor for the Food Fraud Prevention Academy. Also, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in College of Business at Michigan State University (MSU). His food fraud prevention research focus is on policy and strategy to understand and prevent these supply chain disruptions and to implement procurement best practices. He is widely published in leading academic journals and has helped lead national and global regulatory and standards activity. More recently his teaching and research has expanded to supply chain disruption management and procurement best practices. For more: www.FoodFraudMOOC.com

Matt Stasiewicz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Applied Food Safety
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Matthew Stasiewicz is an Associate Professor of Applied Food Safety in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His work uses risk assessment and improved data analytics to advance food safety microbiology.

At Michigan State University he earned both a B.S. in Biosystems Engineering, focusing on food process engineering, and a B.A. in Philosophy, focusing on ethics. At Cornell he earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in food microbiology, working on risk analysis. The lab has many projects using simulation and risk assessment to improve sampling and testing for, and management of, foodborne pathogens in large-scale food productions environments.

Sharon Beals
Founder
SKKB

Sharon brings 40+ years’ experience in food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance, most recently serving as the Chief Food Safety Officer at CTI Foods. Prior to joining CTI, Sharon held senior level Food Safety/Quality/Regulatory Compliance/Technical Services at US Foods. Maple Leaf Foods, Smithfield Packing, Tyson Foods/IBP, Orval Kent Food, Arby’s, and Land O’Frost.

Sharon is actively engaged in the industry and is past Chair for the Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo), has served on the American Meat Science Association Board of Directors (AMSA), was the 2017 Reciprocal Meat Conference chair, currently serves on the AMSA Development Council, the Board of Directors for Women in Agribusiness (WIA), and shows up every now and again as a speaker for WIA, the Food Safety Summit, and the Reciprocal Meat Conference. In addition to being named a Top Nominee for the Most Impactful Woman of the Year by the Women in Meat Industry Network for 2022 and 2023, she was named a Fellow of the AMSA in 2021 and awarded the Signal Service Award by that organization.

Sharon studied at Cornell University in New York where she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Foods. Free time is spent enjoying the empty nest with husband Don, hanging with the pups, Juno and Roxy, gardening and encouraging everyone to be civil in their discourse.

Lee-Ann Jaykus, PhD
William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor & NoroCORE Scientific Director
North Carolina State University

Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her research has focused on food virology and development of quantitative risk assessment models in food safety. She has also taught food microbiology/safety on the undergraduate and graduate levels for many years. Dr. Jaykus is currently serving as the scientific director of the USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative (NoroCORE), a 5 year, $25 million project aimed at understanding and controlling foodborne viruses. Her professional activities have included membership on NACMCF, on several Institute of Medicine (IOM)-National Research Council (NRC) food safety committees, and as president of IAFP from 2010-2011. She has mentored over 20 graduate students and 10 post-doctoral research associates and/or visiting scientists, and authored or co-authored over 150 publications

Lone Jespersen, Ph.D
Principal and Founder
Cultivate

Lone Jespersen is published author, speaker, and the principal and founder of Cultivate SA, a Swiss-based organization dedicated to help organizations in the global supply chain make safe, great tasting food through cultural effectiveness.
Lone has worked with improving food safety through organizational culture improvements for 18 years since she started at Maple Leaf Foods in 2004. Lone chaired the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) technical working group “A Culture of Food Safety”, chaired, the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) professional development group “Food Safety Culture”, and currently the technical author on the BSI PAS320 “Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture.” Lone holds a Ph.D. in Culture Enabled Food Safety from the University of Guelph, Canada and a Master in Mechanical Engineering from Syd Dansk University, Denmark. Lone serves as vice-chair of the IFPTI board and as director on the STOP Foodborne Illness board.

Cindy Jiang
Senior Director, Global Food Safety Risk Management, Global Supply Chain
McDonald's (retired)

Gang (Cindy) Jiang is celebrated for her global leading role in advancing food safety practices, bridging the gap between standards and implementation. During her tenure at McDonald's Corporation (1990 to 2023), she championed the development and implementation of a comprehensive global food safety strategy. Her visionary leadership elevated food safety culture by creating initiatives like Annual Food Safety Week, using culture assessment data to inform strategy and make improvement.
Cindy's impact extended beyond McDonald's system, as she actively collaborated with industry, academia, and government bodies in the areas of food safety. Her involvement with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Board from 2008 to March 2021 demonstrates her commitment to driving change and setting high standards and share best practices across the industry globally.
After retiring from McDonald's in July 2023, Cindy Jiang has seamlessly transitioned into the role of a Global Food Safety Ambassador. In this capacity, she continues to be a guiding force in the field of food safety, making a lasting impact on both emerging professionals and the industry as a whole. Cindy's commitment to mentorship remains unwavering and shaping the next generation of leaders in food safety. As a Global Food Safety Ambassador, Cindy Jiang continues to be a beacon of expertise, influencing positive change, and fostering a culture of excellence in food safety practices worldwide. Her post-retirement endeavors exemplify a steadfast dedication to the betterment of the industry and the protection of global food supply chains.
Cindy holds a Master of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition and is a member of IFT (Institute of Food Technologist), IAFP (International Association of Food Protection), and a lifetime member of ASQ (American Society for Quality).

Larry Keener
President and CEO
International Product Safety Consultants

Larry Keener is president and chief executive officer of International Product Safety Consultants, Inc. (IPSC) based in Seattle, Washington. IPSC is a global leader in providing food safety and food technology solutions to the food processing industry for a broad client base of Fortune 500 food companies, academic research institutes and government agencies. IPSC is engaged in the conformity, risk assessment and food safety verification business.
Larry is an internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority in the food industry. As such, his areas of expertise range from applied food microbiology, and the development and application of novel preservation technologies including: high pressure processing (HPP), microwave, pulsed electric field (PEF), high powered ultrasound, atmospheric plasma and low energy electron beam technology.
Mr. Keener is a 2013 Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT); Board Certified Food Scientist (International Food Science Certification Commission); and a 2018 recipient of an International Union of Food Science and Technology’s (IUFoST) life time achievement award for his work in microbiology and food safety. He is a past president of IFT’s Nonthermal Processing Division and also a two term past president of Tuskegee University’s Food and Nutrition Sciences Advisory Board. He is the past co-chair and founding member of GHI. Larry is a 2022 inductee to the George Washington Carver Society. He has received numerous other awards and honors.

Gillian Kelleher
CEO
Kelleher Consultants LLC

Gillian Kelleher, President and CEO of Kelleher Consultants LLC, will serve as Chairperson for the Educational Advisory Board (EAB) for the 2025 Food Safety Summit.

Kelleher brings to the 2025 Food Safety Summit her vast, global leadership experience in the food industry and in food safety and quality, having lived and worked in Ireland, the UK, France, and the U.S. She has worked in diverse sectors including manufacturing, foodservice, retail, and distribution.

Kelleher was formerly Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Wegmans Food Markets, a major U.S. regional supermarket chain and one of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For." Her scope of responsibility included all aspects of food safety and quality for stores, self-manufacturing, distribution, and Wegmans' private-label program. Prior to her tenure at Wegmans, Kelleher also worked at Häagen Dazs, Burger King, Express Foods, and Pillsbury. In addition, she has led the development of food safety and quality programs for many large and small private-label suppliers and distributors.

Kelleher earned her B.S. degree in Dairy and Food Science from University College Cork in Ireland. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), and the American Society for Quality (ASQ). She is a past co-Vice Chair of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Board of Directors, a member of the Board of Directors of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a member of the Board of Directors of Stop Foodborne Illness, a longstanding member of Harvard's Private and Public Scientific, Academic, and Consumer Food Policy Committee (PAPSAC), and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine. Kelleher is also actively involved in the Leafy Greens Safety Coalition (LGSC).

With her significant industry experience and dedication to food safety and quality, Kelleher will work with the esteemed Food Safety Summit EAB and the Summit planning team to shape the educational agenda for the 2023 Food Safety Summit, which will be held May 8–11 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

William Lachowsky
Food Safety & Education Consultant
WML Consultants

Delivering thirty-five years of food safety education and training for governments, universities, colleges, food processors and international organisations.

Collaborated on the development of the Intentional Adulteration Rule Food Defense Awareness and the Preventive Controls for Human Food courses.

Project Manager of the food safety eLearning courses and Lead Instructor for the Food Processing Skills Canada’s Succeeding at Work and Food & Beverage Accelerated Skills Training programs. Food Safety Education Coordinator for the global eLearning Loblaw Academy. Community Representative for the Sanofi-Pasteur Animal Care Committee.

Promoted food safety, traceability and quality standards to producers and processors for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Sara Mortimore, MSc, FRSPH, MIFST
Founder
Sara Mortimore LLC

A food scientist and passionate food safety advocate with over 40 years of experience.

From 2019 to 2024 Sara was the Global Vice President of Food Safety for Walmart Inc. This role had enterprise-wide responsibility for the company’s more than 10,500 brick and mortar stores, fast developing ecommerce business, supply chain and private brands supplier food safety program. During this period the company transformed its food safety management system and in doing so focused on leveraging the food safety knowledge and experience from team members around the globe. Under her leadership, the company was the recipient of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) Black Pearl award, in recognition of food safety excellence.

From 2008 to 2019 she was the Vice President of Product Safety, Quality and Regulatory Affairs at Land O’Lakes, Inc., the second largest agricultural cooperative in the USA, which operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food including dairy foods, animal nutrition (Purina Animal Nutrition), and in agricultural inputs.

Sara started her career with Glaxo SmithKline, working as a Research Technologist in R&D. In 1989 she joined Grand Metropolitan Foods which later became Pillsbury and subsequently was incorporated by General Mills Inc. She stayed there for close to 19 years moving through a series of global assignments all in Food Safety and Quality.

Sara is also the co-author of many successful books and chapters on HACCP and food safety management. She has served on the GFSI Steering Committee and as a trustee of the Royal Society for Public Health, as well as on several editorial boards and technical advisory committees.

Now working as an independent food safety adviser, Sara sits on the Musgrave Group Food Safety Advisory Board and the Campden BRI Advisory Council.

Donna F. Schaffner
(Retired from Rutgers University)
Food Safety & Training Consultant

With 30+ years as a Food Safety consultant for both USDA and FDA plants, Ms. Schaffner has taught in the US and abroad. She holds Lead instructor certificates for HACCP (USDA, FDA, Seafood & Juice), Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF), PC for Animal Food, FSVP, Food Defense and Food Microbiology and more. Donna develops customized training programs for processing facilities to implement regulatory requirements, improve audit scores or correct deficiencies in Food Safety or Quality programs. Having served on the FDA’s FSPCA, CASE curriculum committee for High Schools & numerous local, state and higher education Advisory Boards, she currently serves on the FSS EAB.