Speakers

As of 08/19/2010

Thomas Aarts

Thomas Aarts is founder and principal of Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) and managing director of Nutrition Business Advisors, a strategic advisory firm focused on the nutrition industry. NCN is focused on connecting nutrition/LOHAS companies with sources of growth capital. Prior to this, Aarts was a founding partner of Health Business Partners, an investment banking and consulting firm serving the natural products industry. He has more than 23 years of experience in management consulting, M&A transactions, capital raising and strategic market research.

Jana Cary Adams

Jana Cary Adams is executive vice president of marketing and member services with the Personal Care Products Council, the nation’s leading association for the cosmetic, personal care and fragrance industries. In this role, Adams oversees the marketing of all Council programs and services, develops strategies to engage industry executives and creates new services to enhance the membership experience to meet the needs of this dynamic and evolving industry. Prior to joining the Council, Adams led marketing communications efforts for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, developing and executing successful campaigns on issues as diverse as energy, immigration reform and small business/entrepreneurship.

Leylha Ahuile

Leylha Ahuile is senior analyst of multicultural reports for Mintel International Group. Prior to joining Mintel, Ahuile was president and owner of PromoLatino, an agency dedicated to national and international Spanish-language book publishers, where she developed and designed business strategies, market studies, marketing efforts and publishing plans, frequently shaping and leading new business units or restructuring and re-launching existing businesses. A native of Chile, Ahuile has vast experience focusing on U.S. Hispanic consumers on various consumer goods, telecommunication and entertainment accounts.

Richard A. Anderson, Ph.D.

Richard A. Anderson, Ph.D., is a lead scientist at the Human Nutrition Research Center, Beltsville, Md., working on the role of cinnamon and other natural products to improve the function of insulin. He received his doctorate in biochemistry from Iowa State University and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Anderson’s work has been the subject of numerous articles in the press including a front page article in USA Today, and he has appeared on the ABC Evening News. He has published more than 210 scientific manuscripts and has presented more than 185 presentations at national and international meetings throughout the world.

Georges P. Bergen, M.S., MPH

Georges P. Bergen, M.S., MPH, scientific and regulatory consultant, CANTOX U.S. Inc., received his bachelor’s in biology from Rutgers University and completed his master’s in environmental sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Graduate work involved the biological fate of lead in and around a major metropolitan area transportation hub. More recently, Bergen obtained a master’s of public health from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in the molecular toxicology degree track. Bergen is a member of the Society of Toxicology and the American College of Toxicology.

Evelyne Bismuth, PharmD

Evelyne Bismuth, PharmD, has more than 10 years of experience in the cosmetics industry, combining cosmetic science, innovation and product development, as well as sales/marketing and communications skills. Dr. Bismuth recently joined Alban Muller International as business development manager for the United States and Latin America. She holds a doctorate of pharmacy and a master’s degree in cosmetics and marketing from the University of Pharmacy in Paris. She earned her doctorate in skin biology and sun care while interning at L’Oreal laboratories in France. Dr. Bismuth previously worked for Boots Healthcare in Europe, Cosmo International in the U.S. and Latin American markets, and EMD Chemicals/Merck in New York. She also holds a U.S. license of pharmacist.

Mark Blumenthal

Mark Blumenthal is the founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council (ABC), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating accurate, reliable and responsible information on medicinal plants. Blumenthal is the editor of HerbalGram, an international, peer-reviewed quarterly journal, and HerbClip, ABC’s reviews of recent scientific literature on herbs. He is the senior editor of three reference books: The Complete German Commission E Monographs – Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines, Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs and The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs, and co-author of Rational Phytotherapy, 5th ed.

Mike Bradley

Mike Bradley, director of scientific affairs – nutrition with Perrigo Co. of South Carolina, has 25 years of experience in the FDA-regulated industries for pharmaceuticals, foods (including dietary supplements) and cosmetics. His regulatory expertise includes GMP regulations for foods, dietary supplements and drugs; labeling regulations for food, drugs and cosmetics; as well as a working knowledge of FDA administrative and regulatory practices. Bradley is certified by the American Society for Quality in quality management, quality auditing and HACCP auditing principles. He is also certified by the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society in regulatory affairs principles. Bradley received his bachelor’s and master’s of science in food science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is a corporate representative on several industry committees and has been appointed to a five-year term on the USP Monographs – Dietary Supplement Expert Committee.

Paula N. Brown, M.Sc.

Paula N. Brown, M.Sc., has supported the natural health and food industry for over a decade by conducting applied research on product quality, safety and efficacy. She was appointed Fellow of the AOAC in 2009 after serving five years as general referee, six years on the Dietary Supplement Task Force, participating on seven expert review panels, and directing three collaborative studies. Brown sits on the American Botanical Council Advisory Committee, the Natural Health Products Program Advisory Committee for Health Canada, grant review committees for NCCAM, and chairs NSF’s Joint Committee for Dietary Supplements.

George A. Burdock, Ph.D.

George A. Burdock, Ph.D., president, Burdock Group, is an internationally recognized authority on the safety of food ingredients, personal care products and dietary supplements. Dr. Burdock has more than 25 years of experience dealing with regulatory issues related to product safety and risk assessment. He also has over 40 publications in scientific journals and has published three books, two editions of Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, and the Encyclopedia of Food and Color Additives. Dr. Burdock is co-author of the chapter "Food Toxicology" in the current and previous editions of Casarett and Doull's textbook Toxicology, the standard textbook and reference book in the field of toxicology. Dr. Burdock is a diplomat of the American Board of Toxicology, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition, and a member of the American Chemical Society, the Society for Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, the Society of Toxicology, the American College of Toxicology and the Institute of Food Technologists.

James R. Coughlin, Ph.D.

James R. Coughlin, Ph.D., received his master’s of science in food science and technology, his doctorate in agricultural and environmental chemistry and his postdoctoral training in environmental toxicology at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Coughlin worked at Armour Foods, General Foods and Kraft Foods managing external toxicology, safety and regulatory affairs. He served as president of the Association for Science and Information on Coffee and as vice president of the International Society for Trace Element Research in Humans. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and was elected three times as chair of IFT’s Toxicology and Safety Evaluation Division and has served six years on the IFT/FDA Expert Panel on Food Bioterrorism Defense and as IFT’s Codex Subject Expert on Food Contaminants. Dr. Coughlin is an internationally recognized expert in food, nutrition, and chemical safety and toxicology, with a focus on assessing and managing food, chemical, environmental and consumer product health, safety and regulatory issues at the federal, state and international levels. He has been involved in the assessment and management of California Proposition 65 requirements since the law’s passage in 1986, and currently serves on the Prop 65 Clearinghouse Advisory Board.

David Djerassi

David Djerassi is founder and president of New York City-based Intrachem Technologies, a marketing and scientific consulting firm for the global cosmetic, food and dietary supplement industries. His extensive business career includes many years of cosmetic experience with Roche Vitamins Inc., the Pantene Co., Revlon and American Home Products. Djerassi is active in the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association.

Devin Willis Domond

Devin Willis Domond has been an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission in the Bureau of Consumer Protection’s Division of Advertising Practices since 2007. Her work consists mainly of investigations and law enforcement actions involving the marketing of dietary supplements and other health-related products. Prior to joining FTC, Domond was an attorney with a non-profit organization that focused on civil rights and liberties, an associate in private practice, and served as a pro se judicial law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. She received her juris doctor from the University of Michigan and her bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.

Steven French

Steven French, managing partner at the Natural Marketing Institute, has more than 25 years of strategic marketing, business development and management experience. Complementing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in marketing, French has accumulated extensive insight and knowledge into health, wellness, environmentalism, sustainability and social responsibility across a multitude of products, services and industries. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences, a regular contributor to media sources, and the author of numerous published articles and research reports.

John F. Gay

John F. Gay is the executive director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA), which represents nearly 10,000 retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of natural products including foods, dietary supplements, and health and beauty aids. Gay was most recently senior vice president, government affairs and public policy, for the National Restaurant Association. While there, he was responsible for establishing and leading industry coalitions dealing with a range of issues, including the adoption of a national standard for nutrition information on restaurant menus. Gay has worked in Washington on policy issues for nearly 25 years.

Shyam Gupta, Ph.D.

Born in India, Dr. Shyam Gupta received his doctorate in organic medicinal chemistry. He continued his career in organic synthesis and pharmaceuticals fields, holding research positions at various universities (Indiana University, Purdue University, Arizona State University), and at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Gupta later moved to Arizona and developed a strong interest in cosmetics sciences while employed at The Dial Corp. His attention was soon drawn to innovations in skin care via the application of new topical delivery systems and patented, nature-based multi-function ingredients from Indian and Chinese botanicals. Dr. Gupta is currently president of his consulting company, Bioderm Research, which develops innovative nature-based ingredients and delivery systems for high performance cosmetic (skin care, hair care and body care) and OTC drug products for worldwide clients on a contract basis. In the last four years he has filed 50+ patent applications in this field.

James M. Harnly, Ph.D.

James M. Harnly, Ph.D., is the research leader for the Food Composition and Methods Development Lab (FCMDL) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Beltsville, MD. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and his doctorate from the University of Maryland. Dr. Harnly has been with FCMDL for 30 years. FCMDL is tasked with the development of new analytical methods for nutrients and bioactive compounds in foods, dietary supplements and botanical materials to support nutrition research and the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Dr. Harnly’s research has focused on the use of spectral and chromatographic fingerprinting and chemometrics for identification, authentication and differentiation of botanical materials.

Jeff Hilton

Jeff Hilton is partner and co-founder of Integrated Marketing Group (IMG), a marketing and branding agency servicing a national and international clientele. Hilton has been recognized by Advertising Age as one of America’s Top 100 Marketers and has more than 28 years of broad-based business experience, including 18 years spent within the supplements and natural health products industries leading companies such as Nature’s Way and Nutraceutical Corp. Hilton has also guided the national brand-building efforts of numerous recognized consumer products including Continental Airlines, Mrs. Field’s Cookies and Major League Baseball. Through his leadership, IMG became the first agency in the United States to certify in the National Training Institute’s FTC Advertising Compliance Course. The course is designed to help professionals in the natural products industry achieve greater success in the dietary supplement category by understanding the laws and guideline that apply to advertising dietary supplements.

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D.

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist. Dr. Jacknin has distinguished herself as a well-respected physician, entrepreneur and author whose passion is nutricosmeceuticals and holistic dermatology. She holds a medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia, where she completed her dermatology residency and served as chief resident. Dr. Jacknin’s education and vast experience have led her to become a published author of the classic book, Smart Medicine for Your Skin, published by Penguin Putnam. In addition, Dr. Jacknin has contributed to articles published in numerous high-profile magazines, such as Alternative Medicine, Body and Soul, Better Homes and Gardens, Reader’s Digest, Men’s Health, Natural Health, Shape and Women’s World Magazine.

Rick Kingston, PharmD

Rick Kingston, PharmD, is president, regulatory and scientific affairs and senior clinical toxicologist for SafetyCall™ International PLLC. SafetyCall™ is a multidisciplinary healthcare firm of nationally recognized experts focused on providing manufacturers an outsourced option for post-market medical surveillance, customer service, product safety and regulatory reporting support for adverse events. Dr. Kingston’s academic career spans more than 30 years at the University of Minnesota where he attained the rank of full professor in the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, and currently serves as clinical professor in the College of Pharmacy. He was the co-founder and director of the Minnesota Poison Control System and its Regional Poison Control Center, where he served for 18 years. Dr. Kingston has authored more than 100 peer reviewed scientific abstracts, publications, confidential technical white papers and textbook chapters. He is co-editor of the recently published Herbal Products Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, 2nd ed.

Richard C. Kraska, Ph.D., DABT

Richard C. Kraska, Ph.D., DABT, began his regulatory career at FDA by addressing the safety of food additives and GRAS ingredients, dealing with sensitive topics including aspartame and salt. Prior to becoming a consulting toxicologist, Dr. Kraska served for 22 years with major chemical companies where he resolved numerous technical regulatory challenges with his toxicology expertise.

John Kronebusch

John Kronebusch is a program analyst in the office of diversion at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In 1980, Kronebusch assumed the duties of a technical information specialist at the Institute of Defense Analysis, a non-profit organization performing research for the Department of Defense Advanced Projects, where he developed an information retrieval system for classified documents. He became a records specialist at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1990, where he developed an information retrieval system for the Public Document Room and later one for the Office of the Secretary. Kronebusch joined DEA in 1990 and subsequently generated information that initiated an investigation into a manufacturer of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine tablets; this firm’s involvement in diversion resulted in the seizure of five trailer truckloads of chemical products. He is currently the manager of a database containing information on firms handling the regulated List I and II chemicals, capsule filling machines and tablet presses.

Mark Brian Levine

Mark Brian Levine is a senior attorney at the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau (NAD). He previously worked as an attorney for NAD from 1992 through 1997, and helped NAD transform and grow into the well-respected organization that exists today. Levine rejoined NAD in April 2004, and his scientific background has provided an excellent basis for reviewing and understanding the complex technical issues integral to many NAD cases. Accordingly, Levine has handled many cases in the infant formula field and technology field. During his two tenures with NAD, he has handled nearly 100 cases, and represented NAD on nine appeals before the National Advertising Review Board. Immediately prior to rejoining NAD, he spent over four years as manager of business affairs with Sony Music International. While at Sony, Levine drafted and negotiated a wide range of agreements relating to domestic and international business, including recording contracts, music publishing agreements and licensing agreements, and also provided legal counseling on a wide variety of issues, including litigation management and settlement negotiations.

Judith R. Lindsey

Judith R. Lindsey is vice president and general manager, Product Dynamics, a Division of RQA Inc. It took 25 years of food industry experience to bring Lindsey to this point of her career. With an early foundation in product development and commercialization, she has honed her expertise in all aspects of new product development. Lindsey’s corporate experience has been gained working for The Kellogg Co. and at ConAgra Foods Inc., and consulting and guiding many other large and small companies.

Stephanie Lynch

Stephanie Lynch, director of business development, Virginia Dare Extract Co., is responsible for marketing and business development within its health and wellness business unit, which includes food, supplement and pharmaceutical industries. Prior to Virginia Dare, Lynch was the global market manager for Dow’s Food and Nutrition Business located in Zurich, Switzerland, where she led their business unit through a significant strategy shift to a new focus on the commercialization of scientifically validated dietary fibers for maintaining healthy glycemic and cholesterol levels, as well as fibers to reduce the absorption of dietary saturated fats.

Douglas MacKay, N.D.

Douglas MacKay, N.D., is vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Dr. MacKay is a licensed naturopathic doctor, and was a co-owner and practitioner in a family-owned New Hampshire complementary and alternative medicine private practice for seven years. In addition to his hands-on experience as a practitioner in the field of integrative medicine, Dr. MacKay spent eight years working as a medical consultant for two companies in the dietary supplement industry, including four years as an executive with Nordic Naturals, in charge of clinical research. He previously served as technical advisor for Thorne Research. Dr. MacKay has published articles in peer-reviewed journals, and serves on the editorial board of two peer-reviewed publications: the clinical journal Alternative Medicine Review and the official publication of the journal of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Natural Medicine Journal. Dr. Mackay serves as the CRN liaison to the NAD for the CRN/NAD advertising review program started in 2006.

Jeff Manning

Jeff Manning is a leading marketing strategist and innovator, specializing in reigniting mature brands and categories. He is best known for the GOT MILK? campaign, transforming the famous phrase from a local tagline into one of the best known, most influential campaigns in recent advertising history. By applying creativity and packaged goods disciplines, Manning launched GOT MILK? into the heart of popular culture and turned it into a “brand” that competed effectively with Coke, Pepsi, Gatorade and bottled waters. He is the author of GOT MILK? The Book, and numerous articles on branding and marketing. Prior to GOT MILK?, Manning had extensive ad agency experience with Grey, Ted Bates, JWT, McCann Erickson and Ketchum. His clients included P&G, Clorox, Safeway, Con Agra and a wide range of commodity boards including; beef, eggs, potatoes, strawberries, bananas and, of course, milk.

Michael McGuffin

Michael McGuffin is president of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). McGuffin has been active in the herbal industry since 1974, having owned both retail and manufacturing businesses in this field. McGuffin has represented the herbal industry at state and federal hearings on regulatory issues and has twice served on a working group and a subcommittee of FDA’s Food Advisory Committee. He also serves on the boards of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and United Plant Savers, and as an advisory for the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy’s Regulatory Sciences Program.

Robert S. McQuate, Ph.D.

Robert S. McQuate, Ph.D., is CEO and co-founder of Oregon-based GRAS Associates LLC, a consulting firm with a strong FDA heritage that focuses on food ingredient safety matters. GRAS Associates convenes independent expert panels that produce rigorous GRAS evaluations and also assists clients with new dietary ingredient and color additive submissions to FDA. Dr. McQuate began his regulatory career within FDA’s GRAS Review Branch, and previously worked for The Dial Co. and the National Soft Drink Association.

Paul Mittman, N.D., Ed.D.

Paul Mittman, N.D., Ed.D., serves as president at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Ariz. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, his doctor of naturopathic medicine from National College of Naturopathic Medicine and a doctor of education from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his responsibilities at the College, Dr. Mittman sits on the boards of Tempe Community Action Agency, Gift of Life Arizona, the American Holistic Medical Association, the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges and the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

Michael T. Murray, N.D.

Michael T. Murray, N.D., is widely regarded as one of the world's leading authorities on natural medicine. Dr. Murray is a graduate, faculty member and serves on the Board of Regents of Bastyr University. He is co-author of A Textbook of Natural Medicine, the definitive textbook on naturopathic medicine for physicians, as well as the consumer version – the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. He has also written more than 20 other books, including his latest book, What the Drug Companies Won’t Tell You and Your Doctor Doesn’t Know. As a major leader in the natural health movement, Dr. Murray has been instrumental in bringing many effective natural products to America, including: Glucosamine sulfate, St. John’s wort extract, Ginkgo biloba extract, Silymarin, Enteric coated peppermint oil, Saw palmetto berry extract, Anti-ACE Peptides, PharmaGABA and PGX.

Rob Paul, Ph.D.

Rob Paul, Ph.D., is the founder and chief science officer of Nawgan Products. Dr. Paul is an academic researcher and board-certified clinical neuropsychologist with more than 150 scientific publications and seven million dollars in federal grant money awarded to his lab to study the brain. He founded Nawgan in 2007 to offer consumers scientifically credible supplements to support optimal brain fitness.

Garry Pay

Garry Pay is the vice president and assistant general counsel for Twinlab Corp., an Ideasphere Co. His responsibilities include advising the company regarding legal compliance with FDA and FTC regulations, management of legal and regulatory risk, support for international expansion and contract negotiation. Pay also provided legal advice to the company in helping develop and implement internal procedures for compliance with The Dietary Supplement and Non-Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act. He is currently vice chair to the Board of the American Herbal Products Association. Prior to joining Twinlab Corp., Pay was general counsel for Metabolife International Inc., and an associate at Patton Boggs in the FDA/FTC group. At Metabolife, Pay oversaw all legal affairs of the company. He also oversaw all litigation including class action lawsuits and mass tort litigation, managed regulatory compliance and provided legal advice regarding public relations. During his time with Metabolife, Pay was involved in the FASEB review of and recommendation for management of adverse event reporting by a company. He also played a key role in development of the AER legislation including providing recommendations regarding the reporting process and helping to draft elements of the legislation.

Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP

Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, is the Chief Medical Correspondent for Discovery Health TV and The New York Times bestselling author of Fight Fat after Forty, Body for Life for Women and Fit to Live. She is an internationally recognized expert, physician, scientist and author in the fields of nutrition, stress, fitness and public health. Dr. Peeke is a Pew Foundation Scholar in nutrition and metabolism, and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland. Dr. Peeke is the national spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine's Exercise IS Medicine campaign and is WebMD's lifestyle expert. Dr. Peeke has been recognized by the National Library of Medicine as one of America’s leading physicians. Dr. Peeke is known as the 'doc who walks the talk.

George Pontiakos

As president and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals, Pontiakos oversees all aspects of operations for BI Nutraceuticals’ and the Zuellig Group Nutrition and Ingredients division in China. Pontiakos has held senior leadership positions at several leading consulting, medical services and technology companies. He has wide-ranging experience in scaling geographically dispersed global companies to maximize their ability to successfully compete in the marketplace. Pontiakos holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Farleigh Dickinson University.

Yong-Li Qian

Yong-Li Qian is the personal well-being research analyst at Frost & Sullivan. Her responsibilities include providing trends, insights and market updates covering the personal care industry on a regional and global level. Qian’s professional career includes product development experience with major pharmaceutical, consumer product and cosmetic companies. She brings with her formulation and product development skills from successfully launching multi-million dollar beauty products in the United States, Asia and Europe, technical communication skills derived from interacting with brand marketing, production, and support groups, and complex problem solving techniques developed from handling multiple projects simultaneously.

Harry B. Rice, Ph.D.

Harry B. Rice, Ph.D., director of regulatory and scientific affairs, United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), has worked in the dietary supplement, functional food and consumer packaged goods industries since completing his doctorate in nutrition from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Rice’s most recent responsibilities included the development and execution of regulatory strategies for the approval of dietary supplement and food ingredients in various geographies throughout the world; the assessment and interpretation of scientific literature and regulations as it applies to lawful marketing of ingredients and finished food products; and the design and execution of both pre-clinical and clinical studies for both developmental and commercial ingredients. He spends 50 percent of his time supporting UNPA’s efforts, while the other 50 percent is dedicated to the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) in the same role.

Stuart P. Richer, OD, Ph.D., FAAO

Stuart P. Richer, OD, Ph.D., FAAO, has been chief of optometry at DVA Medical Center, North Chicago since 1983, and is also associate professor, family and preventative medicine – Chicago Medical School. Actively involved in primary care optometry and clinical antioxidant research, Dr. Richer has a special interest in aging, prescribing nutrients in the intervention of age related macular degeneration (AMD), low-tension glaucoma, diabetic macular edema, prevention of cataracts and dry eye. He is the principal investigator of the Veterans Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial (LAST), the first U.S. randomized double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial of lutein and visual function published in the Journal Optometry in April 2004, and the FDA/DVA approved Zeaxanthin and Visual Function Study (ZVF). He is a Fellow in the National Academy of Practices in Medicine. Dr. Richer earned his undergraduate degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology, after which he completed a dual doctor of optometry and master’s of science in physiological optics from the University of California at Berkeley. He later earned his doctorate in human physiology and biophysics from Chicago Medical School following 15 years of practice.

Scott Riefler

Scott Riefler is regional vice president of technical sales for TIC Gums Inc. During his tenure at TIC, Riefler’s roles have included vice president of sales, vice president of science and technology, and president. Riefler joined TIC after spending 20 years developing products and application technology serving the aerospace industry with structural adhesives and advanced composite systems for Cytec Industries, where his last post was global technical director. He has spent the past 10 years translating his experience and applying it to food systems innovation, literally bringing rocket science into the kitchen.

Mark C. Roman, Ph.D.

Mark C. Roman, Ph.D., is currently president and technical director of Tampa Bay Analytical Research Inc., where he has worked extensively with industry, government and academia in the areas of analytical method development and method validation. He is a contractor for AOAC International as a dietary supplement subject matter expert, and the AOAC Research Institute, where he has served as study director for numerous AOAC collaborative studies.

Leila Saldanha, Ph.D.

Leila Saldanha, Ph.D., is a scientific consultant to the Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH, where she facilitates the implementation of Analytical Methods and Reference Materials program initiatives, and the development of dietary supplements databases. Dr. Saldanha is founder of NutrIQ® LLC, a nutrition-oriented consulting firm that offers nutrition-marketing, communications, scientific, technical and regulatory consulting services related to foods and dietary supplements. Previously, she was vice president, nutritional sciences for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and prior to that held several management positions during 10 years at The Kellogg Co.

Kantha Shelke, Ph.D.

Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., is a principal at Corvus Blue LLC, a Chicago-based food science and research firm specializing in the competitive intelligence, expert witness services and new product/technology commercialization of ingredients for foods, beverages, dietary supplements and cosmetics. The firm is retained by Fortune 100 food companies, investors, professional and trade organizations for its expertise in the development, regulatory clearance, commercialization and market realization of ingredients, nutraceuticals, functional foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics largely in the health and wellness arena. Dr. Shelke works and teaches at the intersection of food science and application for health and wellness, focusing on the science of ingredient processing, physiology, regulatory clearance, processing trends, commercialization and dynamics shaping acceptance and adherence by consumers and markets. She has a doctorate in cereal chemistry and technology and master’s of science degrees in food science and clinical nutrition, and organic chemistry of natural products. She is a member/spokesperson/editor for several professional organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists, American Chemical Society and Society of Cosmetic Chemists.

A. Elizabeth Sloan, Ph.D.

A. Elizabeth Sloan, Ph.D., is the president of Sloan Trends & Solutions Inc. Dr. Sloan was formerly editor-in-chief of McCall’s magazine; director of the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she managed the review of consumer products for the Good Housekeeping Seal and served as assistant editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping magazine; senior vice president and international director of food and nutrition for Hill and Knowlton Public Relations; the first scientific director of the American Association of Cereal Chemists; and director of nutrition communications and technical services for General Mills. Dr. Sloan’s editorial positions include editor-in-chief of Cereal Foods World and Cereal Chemistry, and marketing columnist for Food Business, Food Engineering, Prepared Foods, Food Product Development and Flavor & The Menu.

David Sprinkle

David Sprinkle worked for a dozen years as an analyst and editor for consumer packaged goods market reports by Packaged Facts, a division of the Market Research Group (Rockville, Md.), before assuming his current role as research director and co-publisher of Culinary Trend Mapping Reports. Sprinkle has a master’s of business administration with a concentration in marketing from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business, where he has also taught courses in business communications.

Kimberly Lord Stewart

Kimberly Lord Stewart, food journalist and natural products consumer expert, is the author of Eating Between the Lines, the supermarket shoppers guide to the truth behind food labels. Stewart is a two-time Association of Food Journalist award winner for food news reporting. She is also the former editorial director for Functional Ingredients magazine and executive editor for Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine and Healthwell.com.

Darryl Sullivan

Darryl Sullivan is the immediate past president of the AOAC International board of directors and is a past secretary and member of the board of directors of the AOAC Research Institute. He is considered an expert in the validation of analytical methods and served for three years as chair of the AOAC International official methods board. Sullivan has developed and validated hundreds of analytical methods in the areas of nutrient and residue testing and is the author of more than 50 publications and over 150 scientific presentations. Currently, Sullivan is the director of scientific affairs for analytical chemistry at Covance Laboratories, where he acts as the primary liaison with food, nutritional and dietary supplement clients and provides expertise on designing comprehensive testing programs to meet scientific and regulatory requirements. He has more than 30 years of experience in laboratory testing of food and dietary supplements.

Barry Titlow

Barry Titlow, CEO and founder, Compound Solutions Inc., is a trained chemist with more than 40 years experience in the fine chemical industry. He is an expert in the field of amino acids, an authority in dosage form applications for raw materials, and a well-established negotiator in international markets.

Peg Carew Toledo, Esq.

Peg Carew Toledo, Esq., is a partner at the Sacramento, Calif., law firm of Mennemeier, Glassman & Stroud LLP, where her practice concentrates on complex civil litigation in federal and state courts with an emphasis in Proposition 65 and appellate practice. Toledo has 13 years of experience in Prop 65 defense and counseling, helping small and large companies navigate the complexities of complying with Prop 65. She has litigated Prop 65 cases against the California Attorney General as well as private prosecutors. She has handled cases alleging exposure to a variety of Prop 65 listed chemicals, including formaldehyde, mercury, acrylamide, toluene, benzene, lead, cadmium, progesterone and phthalates. Toledo has successfully represented numerous consumer product companies in Prop 65 litigation, including Procter & Gamble, Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, Bayer and Swanson Health Products. She currently serves on the Prop 65 Clearinghouse Advisory Board.

James S. Tonkin

James S. Tonkin has served as a private-sector brand product and marketing development professional who builds and designs national infrastructures for food and beverage industry clients. For more than 33 years, he has successfully created and implemented business and financial strategies for domestic and international corporations – focusing on production, branding, sales, marketing and distribution. Tonkin has promoted brand and marketing programs for clients in the bottled water, functional food and beverage industries. His long-standing expertise stretches across several sectors, including domestic cheeses and potato chips; bottled waters for people and pets; and nutraceutical, functional and enhancement beverages.

Travis T. Tygart

Travis T. Tygart is the chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the agency responsible for anti-doping education, testing and results management in the United States for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Tygart has surfaced as a world leader in the anti-doping movement. His leadership includes significant education and research initiatives in support of protecting the health and safety of clean athletes and the integrity of sport. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and with a juris doctorate from Southern Methodist University, Order of the Coif, Tygart was previously an associate in a sports law practice working with athletes and national sport entities.

Jay Udani, M.D., C.P.I.

Jay Udani, M.D., C.P.I., is CEO and medical director of Medicus Research, medical director of Northridge Hospital’s integrative medicine program, and assistant clinical professor, department of medicine, at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine, where he is on faculty at the UCLA Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Udani is a board-certified internist who was the chief resident of internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, was the first Fellow in integrative medicine at Cedars Sinai, and was among the first physicians in the country to become a Certified Physician Investigator (C.P.I.) for clinical trials through the American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians.

Marc S. Ullman, Esq.

Marc S. Ullman, Esq., partner at Ullman, Shapiro & Ullman LLP, represents clients in matters relating to FDA and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) matters, regulatory issues, FTC proceedings and litigation. His practice includes representation relating to FDA compliance including labels, labeling, claims, good manufacturing practices, as well as a number of complex proceedings with the FDA relating to the agency’s powers under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. Since 2007, Ullman has assisted clients at the center of the “Pet Food Recall” connected with the adulteration of wheat gluten with melamine, the recall of StarCaps Dietary Supplements following the suspension of several NFL players whose drug screening tests indicated the presence of undeclared prescription drugs in the product, and one of the companies conducting a major recall of pistachios due to potential contamination with salmonella.

Tom Vierhile

Tom Vierhile is the director of Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics, the 2009 successor to the Productscan Online database of new products, now fully integrated with Datamonitor’s Consumer Products Knowledge Center. Vierhile has more than 20 years of experience in consumer packaged goods reporting and analysis. He is an internationally recognized expert on new product marketing and has authored many articles on new products for a variety of trade publications. Additionally, publications like USA Today and The Wall Street Journal frequently call upon Vierhile for his views on new product launches and packaged goods trends. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s of business administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Bradford W. Williams

Bradford W. Williams, manager, Division of Dietary Supplement Programs, Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is instrumental in implementing the dietary supplement current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) regulations. In addition, he has been involved in developing CFSAN’s dietary supplement regulatory strategic plan, heading the enforcement/safety strategy team that developed regulatory policies and procedures for enforcement of the Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act (DSHEA). Williams joined FDA in 1983, and has since worked there as a radiochemist, neurochemist, supervisory chemist, chief – generic drug compliance branch, and director – Division of Nonprescription Drug Compliance. Williams is a chemistry graduate of Curry College in Milton, Mass., and studied graduate level chemistry at Boston College and Providence College.

Anthony L. Young, Esq.

Anthony L. Young, Esq., is a partner with Kleinfeld, Kaplan and Becker LLP, where he has counseled and represented domestic and foreign manufacturers with respect to compliance and defense of matters under the statutes enforced by FDA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, FTC, DEA and EPA for over 30 years. He has a diversified litigation and legislative practice from a regulatory, litigation and product liability perspective. Young has counseled companies with respect to all forms of regulatory filings with FDA, including GRAS (generally recognized as safe) notifications, new dietary ingredient notifications, and 510(k) notifications for medical devices. He serves as general counsel to the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). Young helped form, and serves as general counsel to, the National Association of Free Clinics, the non-profit association of free clinics.

Karen R. Young

Karen R. Young is CEO of The Young Group. Before opening The Young Group in 1999, Young was vice president of marketing and advertising for Lancôme, where she handled product development and sales promotion. Before joining Lancôme, she spent 17 years at Estée Lauder, where she held a variety of executive positions, including director of color cosmetics. She is an active board member of Fashion Group International, and is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. She divides her time between New York and Paris, where The Young Group also has an office. Young is an adjunct professor of product development in FIT’s Cosmetic Masters Program. Since opening The Young Group, Young has developed extensive color cosmetics and skin care lines, and has worked on numerous established brands in the beauty category including Christian Dior Parfums, Shiseido Skin Care & Cosmetics, Bath & Body Works, Avon, Neutrogena and 3M Products.