October 22-24, 2008
The Venetian & The Sands Expo
Las Vegas, Nevada

Speaker Biographies

Clayton A. Ajello, Ph.D., is managing partner of inlexo, a policy research and practice firm advising traditional foundations and venture-philanthropy funds seeking to advance health systems innovation. Dr. Ajello’s core interest is to advance systems supporting delivery of basic health services in low resource settings. He fulfills this interest through a diverse combination of roles within public and private sector institutions serving as epidemiologist, researcher, teacher, author and entrepreneur. He has successfully lead or collaborated with teams of public health professionals in 30+ countries to identify preventive, therapeutic and systems innovations; demonstrate their application at scale; and facilitate systems strengthening by integrating proven, evidence-based policies and practices into everyday use. Dr. Ajello has held faculty and/or senior management positions in leading academic and non-profit institutions including Yale University Medical School; The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; JHPIEGO, a non-profit affiliate of the Johns Hopkins University; and The World Bank. He is a graduate of the State University of New York, Yale Medical School and The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; recipient of commendations/awards from governments and professional societies; and serves as member trustee of the College Foundation of the State University of New York. Daniel Barry, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver and Health Sciences Center, focuses his practice on internal medicine and his research interest in the area of musculoskeletal responses to exercise performance. Prior to his current position, Dr. Barry completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado Denver and Health Sciences Center and recently obtained his certification in public health through the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Barry earned his bachelor’s of science degree in molecular biology from the University of Colorado Boulder and his doctorate in medicine from the University of Colorado Denver and Health Sciences Center. Jon Benninger is the director of business development at Virgo Publishing LLC, with responsibility for industry outreach and new business development for Virgo. Benninger entered the natural products industry in 1990 and joined Virgo in 1995 as the founding editor of HSR. He is an active member of many associations, including the Natural Products Association (NPA), American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) and Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). Benninger also serves as president of the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA). 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. Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., president, Dickinson Consulting, is a consultant on dietary supplement regulation and food and nutrition policy. Dr. Dickinson worked in Washington, D.C., for more than 30 years for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade association for the dietary supplement industry. During that time, she was responsible for regulatory and scientific affairs for CRN and served as the association’s president prior to her retirement and move to Minnesota in 2005. Dr. Dickinson was appointed in 2002 to serve a three-year term on FDA’s Food Advisory Committee. She was appointed by President Clinton to the Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels (1995-1997) and has been a frequent witness before the U.S. Congress and at other public forums. Dr. Dickinson’s expertise includes the legal and technical aspects of marketing dietary supplements, including provisions relating to labeling, advertising and good manufacturing practices. Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., is the vice president for scientific affairs of the Natural Products Association (NPA), where he heads up NPA’s ongoing research initiatives and the association’s quality assurance efforts for dietary supplements, the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Certification and TruLabel random testing programs. Dr. Fabricant has an extensive background in dietary supplements for women’s health, sports nutrition and quality analysis of botanical products. Prior to joining NPA, Dr. Fabricant was the assistant director of research at ConsumerLab.com, where he overlooked efforts to evaluate and identify quality dietary supplements and coordinated independent laboratory testing. Dr. Fabricant earned a bachelor's of science degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his doctorate in pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, in the Center for Botanical Dietary Supplement Research for Women’s Health, under the tutelage of Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D. Dr. Fabricant is a member of the American Society of Pharmacognosy and the American Chemical Society, and holds a Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Vasilios H. Frankos, Ph.D., serves as the director, Division of Dietary Supplement Programs (DDSP) for FDA. Dr. Frankos directs and coordinates policy, budget, personnel and administrative activities within the division. He advises on policy and management issues, decision making, and provides expert advice and assistance to the Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements’ director, and other key FDA officials on dietary supplement programs, new dietary ingredient safety assessments, good manufacturing practices, adverse reaction monitoring and related activities pertaining to dietary supplements. Dr. Frankos is responsible for the full implementation of DSHEA through the interpretation and enforcement of dietary supplement requirements that ensure the safety and truthful labeling of dietary supplements, and support legislative compliance, enforcement and public affairs initiatives. Dr. Frankos received his master’s of science degree in molecular biology from the University of Maryland, and his doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Maryland Pharmacy School. He has more than 30 years of experience in the toxicological and pharmacological evaluation of data used to assess the safety of nutritional supplements, foods and food additives, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and environmental chemicals. Gabriel I. Giancaspro, Ph.D., has 17 years of teaching and research experience in the areas of organic chemistry, drug quality control and drug stability at the School of Pharmacy at Buenos Aires University, Argentina. Dr. Giancaspro also has nine years of experience in private industry as technical director for Schwabe Argentina and Kampel Martian Laboratories, where he was in charge of quality control and R&D, including herbal products and generic drugs. He received his Pharm.D. and doctorate in medicinal chemistry from Buenos Aires University. Dr. Giancaspro joined the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) in 1997 as a scientific liaison for Latin American countries and chemistry expert committees. Two years later, he moved to the dietary supplements division to serve as a liaison for dietary supplements with an emphasis on botanicals, non-botanicals and bioavailability, and developed many of the monographs now in the dietary supplements section of USP. Today, Dr. Giancaspro is director of the dietary supplements group in the documentary standards division of USP. Jacques Goulet, Ph.D., is a tenured professor at Laval University’s food science and nutrition department. Dr. Goulet obtained his doctorate in applied microbiology at McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, and is a founding member of Laval University’s Dairy Science and Technology research group. He is the author of numerous authoritative technical reports and scientific papers on probiotics, dairy technology, fermentation and disinfection. Dr. Goulet acts as scientific counsel to several companies in the food industry and sits on numerous scientific committees in the food, biotechnology and agriculture sectors, and is affiliated with the International Probiotics Association. Paul M. Gross, Ph.D., is a former research scholar for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. He earned his doctorate in physiology and trained in brain research at NIH. Dr. Gross has 85 peer-reviewed publications over a 25 year career in medical research, and was recipient of the Karger Memorial Award, Switzerland, for research on brain capillaries. Now a private investor, writer and consultant in the functional foods industry, Dr. Gross authored a 2006 book on the goji berry, entitled Wolfberry: Nature’s Bounty of Nutrition and Health, and publishes The Berry Doctor’s Journal. Commander Joseph R. Hibbeln, M.D., is acting chief, section of nutritional neurosciences, LMBB, NIAAA, NIH. Dr. Hibbeln originated the field of omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies in affective disorders by contributing more than 60 peer-reviewed scientific papers. His research interests encompass severe pathological states, including suicide and psychosis, to normative personality in adulthood and early development. Dr. Hibbeln’s numerous honors include the T.L. Cleave Award from the McCarrison Society, London; U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Outstanding Service Medal; three Crisis Response Awards, USPHS; the Gerald Klerman, Independent Investigator and Young Investigator Award from NARSAD; and Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America. He received his bachelor’s of arts degree from the University of Chicago with special honors and his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Hibbeln completed his residency at the University of California, Los Angeles, is a board certified physician in psychiatry, and serves as a Commander in the USPHS. Joy A. Joseph, president, Joys Quality Management Systems, assists companies in the implementation of the new dietary supplement GMPs and in the development of science-based products. She is the former vice president of quality, technical operations, scientific affairs and R&D for Pharmavite LLC. Joseph has more than 40 years of experience in quality control systems, regulatory affairs, product development and scientific affairs, both in the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries. She is the chairman of the USP Committee of Revision for Nutritional Supplements Non-Botanicals, and is course director for the Center for Professional Advancement. Joseph is also a member of CRN’s regulatory affairs committee, and serves on the scientific advisory board at the University of California’s School of Pharmacy. She received a bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry from Xavier University, and a master's of business administration in technology management from the University of Phoenix. Paul Klinger, executive director of Informed-Choice LLC, is responsible for all business development, sales and marketing functions in North America. Prior to joining Informed-Choice, Klinger served as director of operations for Champion Nutrition. He has over 6 years of experience in the sports nutrition industry where his focus has been product development, sales, marketing and business development. Klinger also served as director of operations for Schwinn Cycling & Fitness in the aftermarket division. 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. He is the managing editor of AHPA's Botanical Safety Handbook (1997) and of Herbs of Commerce, 2nd Edition (2000). 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, the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance and United Plant Savers, and as an advisor for the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy Regulatory Sciences Program. Leonardo Mendez is a senior technical service specialist for BASF Human Nutrition and Pharma Solutions Group. Mendez has executed the role of product and quality management and regulatory affairs, and is experienced in developing new and innovative products for the nutraceutical and dietary supplements industry. Aside from formulation and application technology, Mendez has also lectured throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America. Steven M. Mister, Esq., is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). Mister joined CRN from his position as director of government affairs at the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations. Prior to that, he worked for more than a decade at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), most recently as vice president and associate general counsel. He also worked as an attorney in the Washington, D.C. area. Harry G. Preuss, M.D., M.A.C.N., C.N.S., is a professor of physiology, medicine and pathology at the Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. Preuss is the past president of the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists (CNS), a member of the board of directors of the American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF), past president and ninth master of the American College of Nutrition (ACN), former established investigator of the American Heart Association, past member of three NIH councils, member of the National Cholesterol Education Program and author of more than 600 medical publications; the nutrition section of the Encyclopedia Americana and ten books including The Prostate Cure, Maitake Magic, Phytopharmaceuticals in Cancer Chemoprevention, The Natural Fat Loss Pharmacy and Phytopharmaceuticals in Obesity Prevention. Dr. Preuss earned his medical degree from Cornell Medical College with special research and clinical training at Vanderbilt University, Georgetown University and the NIH. He is a recipient of the James Lind Award for excellence in nutritional research, the William B. Peck Award for excellence in medical research, the Bieber Award and the Ragus Award for the best research article of 2006 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Ranjit Anand Puranik is executive director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Shree Dhootapapeshwar Ltd. – India, an enterprise that has over 135 years of experience in Ayurvedic health care. Puranik has served as honorary general secretary in the Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association. He has also been a member of India’s National Medicinal Plants Board; the steering committee for Ayurved, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy set up by the government of India’s Planning Commission; India’s Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee, Department of A.Y.U.S.H., Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; and the Ayurvedic Siddha Unani Drug Technical Advisory Board. Puranik has represented the Ayurvedic industry in many forums on issues related to the environment, forest, trade barriers and regulatory framework, and as chairman of the working group for the committee established by the government of Maharashtra on issues relating to the A.Y.U.S.H. sector, and forest and wildlife regulations. Barry W. Ritz, Ph.D., is an active researcher in the emerging field of nutritional immunology. Dr. Ritz currently holds a faculty position as research associate and instructor at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and serves as a consultant on technical and regulatory matters to a number of leading companies in the dietary supplement, functional food and wellness industries. He has been a member of the dietary supplement industry for more than nine years and is involved in a number of professional organizations, including the American Society for Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Ritz’ research interests in nutrition science are varied, including the evaluation of immuno-modulatory nutraceuticals, bioactive peptides as functional foods, and the influence of nutritional status on the innate immune response to influenza infection. Dr. Ritz and his colleagues recently published research on the positive effects of AHCC, an immune-enhancing nutritional supplement, on the immune response to influenza infection. Gregory J. Stephens, R.D., is the vice president of strategic consulting with The Natural Marketing Institute. Stephens brings 25 years of specialized expertise in the nutrition and pharmaceutical industries to NMI. His background includes sales, marketing, strategic planning, clinical research and regulatory affairs for companies such as Nurture Inc. and Ross Nutritional Products Division of Abbott Laboratories. He received a bachelor’s of science degree in human nutrition from Georgia State University, and is a registered dietitian with the American Dietetic Association. Stephens is a frequent author of published articles, and has spoken at industry events such as SupplySide, the American Dietetic Association and the American Healthcare Association. Marc Ullman, Esq., partner at Ullman, Shapiro & Ullman, 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. Lu Ann Williams is a senior analyst at Innova Market Insights. Williams hails from Augusta, Ga., and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech and her master’s of business administration from Thunderbird. She has 14 years of experience in the international food industry and serves as a consultant to some of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. Peter Zambetti is global business development manager for dietary supplements at Capsugel. Before coming to Capsugel, Zambetti was the director of sales of microencapsulated food and dietary supplement ingredients for Balchem Encapsulates. Prior to his role there, Zambetti served in several capacities at Roche Vitamins Inc. During his 13 years at Roche, Zambetti managed the food division sales force and headed up business development strategies for their industrial and agricultural products group. At Capsugel, Zambetti’s responsibilities include facilitating global outreach efforts and working with local business development managers to identify new market opportunities.