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 22 years of experience in management consulting, M&A transactions, capital raising and strategic market research.
Steve Allen
Steve Allen, vice president, new ventures for Nestlé and chairman of the screening committee for the Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) investor meetings, has been in the food industry for more than 20 years. Allen’s current responsibilities are with the venture capital activities of Nestlé and the investments Nestlé has made in start-up companies in the United States and Canada. Prior to moving to the United States, he was head of the nutrition division of Nestlé in Canada. Allen has had functional responsibility for marketing and sales in his career, as well as general management. He gained experience working in Africa, the Middle East, the Far East and Switzerland.
William A. Barrier, Ph.D.
William A. Barrier, Ph.D., vice president of research and development, American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ), is responsible for the management of all research and development functions for ADQ, including product development, quality assurance and international research and development. Dr. Barrier joined ADQ in January 2006, and has more than 20 years of experience in the foodservice and packaged goods food industries. He has worked for Burger King, KFC, General Mills, Pillsbury and Firmenich, an industry flavor supplier.
Jon Benninger
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 Health Supplement Retailer, now Natural Products Marketplace. 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).
Joseph M. Betz, Ph.D.
Joseph M. Betz, Ph.D., became the director of the Dietary Supplements Methods and Reference Materials Program at the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in December 2001. In this role, he oversees efforts to promote development of validated analytical methods and reference materials for dietary supplements. Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Betz spent 12 years as a research chemist at FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. This was followed by two years as vice president for scientific and technical affairs at the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). Dr. Betz is the recipient of the Norman R. Farnsworth Botanical Research Award from the American Botanical Council, and AHPA's Herbal Insight Award for contributions to the botanical sciences. He has over 50 publications in the natural products area and continues to work toward ensuring the quality and safety of botanical products.
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.
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.
Amy Caplette
Amy Caplette is a group leader of quality assurance for Nutrilite Products of Amway Global, and is a certified quality auditor. She has extensive experience with GMP compliance, and has developed quality programs such as customized GMP training, gold medal audits, environmental monitoring and integrated pest management. In addition, Caplette has influenced the current Global Supplier Quality Development Program that sustains high performance of over 300 suppliers, and provides interactive, cross-functional supplier improvement plans. She serves as the lead for all internal and external audits from groups including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
JOHN H. CARDELLINA II, PH.D.
John H. Cardellina II, Ph.D., is a natural products and botanicals expert, formerly with the National Cancer Institute, and currently consulting for the dietary supplement industry and working as a contractor for the Office of Dietary Supplements and the U.S. Army Research Institute for Infectious Diseases. From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Cardellina served as an expert chemist in the Screening Technologies Branch of the National Cancer Institute, focusing on the identification and preclinical development of novel antitumor, antiviral and anti-infective agents from libraries of both natural product extracts and synthetic compounds. Prior to that, he served as vice president, botanical science and regulatory affairs, for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), where he developed CRN's comprehensive botanicals agenda, intended to guide member companies in the manufacture of high quality, safe, beneficial herbal products for the ever-growing number of consumers interested in improving or maintaining their health. Dr. Cardellina is co-inventor of patents covering nine classes of natural products and four synthetic chemotypes. He has published more than 190 scientific papers in peer reviewed professional journals and has lectured extensively on issues related to natural products research and botanical products.
Richard L. Cleland, Esq.
Richard L. Cleland, Esq., is assistant director – division of advertising practices at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), where his primary area of expertise is the advertising and marketing of health-related products and services. He also supervises many of FTC’s health fraud and weight-loss product and service law enforcement initiatives, and supervised FTC’s review of the Endorsement and Testimonial Guides. Cleland joined FTC’s Division of Advertising Practices in 1991. In 1996, he was appointed assistant to the director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection and, in 1998, he was appointed assistant director of the Division of Service Industry Practices. Prior to joining FTC, Cleland served as special assistant attorney general and director of the Division of Consumer Protection in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.
Lori Colman
Lori Colman is a founding partner and CEO of Colman Brohan Davis. Colman has been instrumental in developing brand strategies and marketing initiatives for companies in the food, dietary supplement and ingredients sectors. She is a frequent speaker at industry events, has written articles on brand positioning, product launches, channel management and planning, and has a particular passion for adding value to commodity-style products and markets. Colman is a firm believer in understanding consumer behavior and putting customers at the core of all marketing and communications decisions.
CARLA DANCA
Carla Danca is currently account manager, AAK Lipids for Care North America, where she is responsible for sales and technical development for AAK specialty vegetable oils within the beauty care market. Danca earned her bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry from Fairfield University, and a master’s degree in cosmetic science from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She and the global AAK team are developing and marketing innovative and functional cosmetic ingredients to meet the industry's need for natural ingredients with well substantiated sustainability and safety.
Ameann DeJohn
Ameann DeJohn, chief executive officer and market development consultant, Ameann Solutions, is a versatile industry professional with vast, real life business experience and a keen understanding of the skin care business. She is currently an active consultant, author and speaker to the beauty industry, ranging from small start-ups to prominent corporations. DeJohn has been featured at national conferences and industry events, has held training seminars and has been featured on many major television networks providing commentary, business advice and educational services. She entered the industry as manager of Prescriptives, a division of Estée Lauder, where she provided skin care and makeup expertise.
Alejandro Diaz
Alejandro Diaz is operations manager for Originates. Since 2006, Diaz has been immersed in business of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). Prior to that, he worked for 19 years in the wood industry (plywood and particle-board manufacturing), and three years in the palm oil industry (refined oils, margarines and biodiesel). For 10 years, Diaz was the senior professor of engineering subjects at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia.
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.
Lynn Dornblaser
Lynn Dornblaser is the director, CPG Trend Insight, for Mintel International Group. New product trends have been the focus of Dornblaser’s career for more than 20 years, giving her a unique perspective on the marketplace and new product development. A trained journalist and experienced public speaker, Dornblaser has been quoted by major U.S. news organizations, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times and CNN.
Vasilios H. Frankos, Ph.D.
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 director of the Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements and other key FDA officials on dietary supplement programs, new dietary ingredient safety assessments, GMPs (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. 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.
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 has unparalleled experience across a wide range of corporate business functions and has pioneered a range of consumer research databases. 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.
Joy L. Frestedt, Ph.D., RAC, CCTI
Joy L. Frestedt, Ph.D., RAC, CCTI, is the president and CEO of Frestedt Inc., a consulting group providing services in the broad areas of clinical trial development and execution as well as U.S. and international regulatory compliance and the management of corporate quality systems. Dr. Frestedt taught biology and chemistry in the Minnesota State College and University System and served as a laboratory director, research scientist and medical technologist in clinical and research laboratories in Minnesota, New York and Illinois. She is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists, Association of Clinical Research Professionals (currently serving as past president of the Minnesota chapter and a member of the national Editorial Advisory Board for The Monitor), Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (where she serves as chair of the Ethics Committee 2009-2010), Society of Clinical Research Associates, and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.
Mindy S. Goldstein, Ph.D.
Mindy S. Goldstein, Ph.D., is president of Personal Care Tech Solutions LLC, a consulting firm serving the personal care industry. Most recently, Dr. Goldstein served as executive director of research & development for The Estée Lauder Companies, where her responsibilities included supplier contact for REACH activities, internal commercialization of new treatment actives for all of the Estée Lauder brands, troubleshooting formulation issues with active materials, encapsulation technology and identifying new platform technologies. She has previously held director positions in R&D at Bath & Body Works, Lipo Chemicals and Collaborative Laboratories. She is an active member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and has been credited with more than 11 publications in scientific journals and books. Dr. Goldstein has been awarded patents in the areas of raw materials, encapsulation and controlled release. She is editor and serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Cosmetic Science.
JEFF HILTON
Jeff Hilton is co-founder and partner 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 17 years spent within the natural health products industry with leading companies such as Nature’s Way and Nutraceutical Corp. Hilton has also worked at several major national agencies, where he guided the marketing efforts of numerous recognized consumer brands including Continental Airlines, Mrs. Field’s Cookies and Major League Baseball.
Ewa Hudson
Ewa Hudson is research manager for the global health and wellness industry at Euromonitor International, where she is focused on helping Euromonitor's key clients make informed strategic decisions by providing insights into consumer trends, new product developments and retail channel developments in the health and wellness industry worldwide. In her role, Hudson is directly responsible for the content and quality of Euromonitor's health and wellness food and beverages research. She is also responsible for working with the international client base of Euromonitor's online health and wellness foods and beverages passport.
Robert W. Hutkins, Ph.D.
Robert W. Hutkins, Ph.D., is the Khem Shahani Professor of Food Microbiology in the department of food science and technology at the University of Nebraska, where his research is focused on metabolism of prebiotic carbohydrates by lactic acid and probiotic bacteria and their role in gastrointestinal health. Prior to joining the faculty at Nebraska in 1987, Dr. Hutkins was a research scientist at Sanofi Bio Ingredients in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He has taught courses in food microbiology for 20 years and has published widely on probiotics and prebiotics. Dr. Hutkins is a past-chair of the IFT Expert Panel on Food Safety and Nutrition, and is currently on the scientific board of the International Probiotics Association. He is the author of the recently published text, Microbiology and Technology of Fermented Foods.
Adam Ismail
Adam Ismail is executive director of the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED), a proactive and accountable trade association of the world's processors, refiners, manufacturers, distributors, marketers, retailers and supporters of long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Prior to GOED, Ismail worked for Cargill Health & Food Technologies, where he was in charge of its omega-3 food ingredient business and worked on new product development and acquisition and licensing transactions for nutrition products. He has a passion for helping improve living situations for the poor in developing countries and serves as treasurer of To Give Hope, a charity that helps provide children in Ecuador with educational, psychological and health support through after-school programs.
Loren Israelsen
Loren Israelsen is executive director of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), a trade association of dietary supplement companies committed to safety, science and quality. Israelsen has been deeply involved in the commercial and regulatory issues facing the global dietary supplement industry since 1980. He has served as vice president and general counsel to the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), co-founder and counsel to the European American Phytomedicine Coalition, industry liaison to FDA’s Expert Advisory Committee on Ephedra, industry advisor to the Office of Dietary Supplements, expert panel member on IFT’s Functional Food Report (2005) and most recently sat as an expert panel member to the Department of Defense/RAND study on dietary supplement use among military personnel. Israelsen has authored more than 150 articles, book chapters and has lectured in over 30 countries on dietary supplement and functional food issues.
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.
Arwen Kimmell
Arwen Kimmell, ethnographic analyst for The Hartman Group, has a background in linguistics and cultural anthropology, and extensive retail experience in the natural foods industry. Kimmell's current research interests include the ways language is being used to express a variety of beliefs about health and wellness, and how the language of health and wellness changes over time.
Ellie Krieger
Author of The New York Times best-selling book, The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life and host of Food Network's "Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger," Ellie Krieger is a renowned registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and health communications. She helps people of all ages achieve balance in food, health and life, and have joy right at their fingertips. Krieger's success can be attributed to her way of offering real advice without any of the gimmicks and crash diets that permeate today's news. She reaches people with her message that it is possible for anyone, given the tools and knowledge, to live life to the maximum by being in healthy balance, nurturing a richly satisfying and sumptuous, attainable lifestyle. Krieger believes that through her work she can help to change the way society views food, health and nutrition.
Claire L. Kruger, Ph.D.
Claire L. Kruger, Ph.D., is CEO and director of health sciences at Spherix Inc., where her primary area of expertise is in foods, consumer products and pharmaceuticals. Dr. Kruger provides scientific, regulatory and strategic support to clients in the U.S. and international regulatory arenas, and with more than 20 years of consulting experience, has conducted toxicity evaluations of foods and food contaminants, as well as health risk assessments and exposure assessments of drugs, cosmetics and pesticides. In her role as a consultant, Dr. Kruger has been involved in the safety evaluation of a variety of consumer products, providing oversight of product compliance with current and emerging scientific and regulatory guidance. She has been involved in evaluating the safety of foods, novel foods, food additives, GRAS (generally recognized as safe) substances, dietary supplements, food contact substances, and food contaminants. Dr. Kruger has also developed health risk assessment and regulatory compliance dossiers for ingredients used in dietary supplements, infant formulas, medical foods, novel foods and functional foods.
Joe La Placa
Joe La Placa is senior vice president, DSM functional foods marketing, for the North American area. Prior to joining DSM, La Placa held a variety of positions for Roche Vitamins Inc. and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., including senior vice president, dietary supplements and health and new ingredients; vice president, human nutrition and health; assistant vice president, director of North American sales and marketing, vitamins and fine chemicals division; director of U.S. sales and marketing; and marketing manager, human nutrition. He received both his bachelors of science in economics and his masters of business administration in marketing from Rutgers University.
Ido Leffler
Ido Leffler is global chief executive officer and “Carrot Lover” of Yes To Inc., where he has realized his goal of catapulting Yes To Carrots™ into one of the most successful brands in the world, recognized for its unique products, global vision and humanitarian goals. Leffler is also the former chief executive officer and current director of Trendtrade International, which has a mission to discover and develop unique and exciting brands in the health and beauty industry and share them with the world. Today, Leffler works hard to ensure people around the globe are saying “yes” to making a conscious decision to smile more often, improve their lifestyle and help others live healthy. Leffler works very closely with the Yes to Carrots™ Seed Fund, a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization established to assist underprivileged communities develop self-sustaining organic food sources.
Kerri LeVanseler, Ph.D.
Kerri LeVanseler, Ph.D., technical manager of the NSF chemistry laboratory, contributes to process improvements and new business development, acts as a coordinator for the Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) Program, participates in research and development of new methods, coordinates quality assurance efforts, supervises chemistry staff for special projects and resolves special technical issues. Dr. LeVanseler has experience in the analysis of a wide range of analytes (vitamins, heavy metals, pesticides, natural constituents, active ingredients and material extractants) in various sample types (dietary supplement ingredients and products, food and food contact materials, sanitizers, pharmaceuticals, detergents and medical devices).
Judy Lindsey
Judy 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.
DeAnn J. Liska, Ph.D.
DeAnn J. Liska, Ph.D., is director of nutrition science at The Kellogg Co., where she is responsible for research and science on health benefits of products and product ingredients, as well as review of the science and substantiation behind novel ingredients and health benefit claims. Prior to joining Kellogg’s, Dr. Liska held management positions at Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. and Metagenics Inc. She received her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and was a postdoctoral fellow, and subsequently a research faculty member at the University of Washington’s Department of Biochemistry prior to joining the industry.
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. Prior to her association with Dow, Lynch was a senior project leader and food scientist at Thomas J. Lipton (Unilever) in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Anne V. Maher, Esq.
Anne V. Maher, Esq., is a partner with Kleinfeld, Kaplan and Becker LLP, where she practices in the area of advertising and consumer protection regulation. Her particular experience involves food, drug, cosmetic and dietary supplement advertising issues and investigations. Maher’s experience includes FTC and state Attorneys General investigations of unfair and deceptive advertising and marketing practices; advertising challenges before the BBB’s self-regulatory groups: the National Advertising Division, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit, and the Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program; review and evaluation of advertising substantiation; express and implied claims conveyed by promotional messages; development and assessment of consumer perception surveys; internet marketing issues; and the overlapping jurisdiction between the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration. Prior to joining Kleinfeld, Kaplan and Becker, Maher was in private practice, and from 1992 until 2001, was the assistant director of the Advertising Practices Division in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, where she supervised law enforcement investigations and industry outreach efforts in such areas as food, dietary supplement, OTC drug, tobacco, alcohol, infomercial and online advertising.
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 advisor for the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy's Regulatory Sciences Program.
Gerard McIntee
Gerard McIntee is vice president of marketing integration at NBTY Inc. A skilled strategic planner with 25 years of experience in the sales and marketing of consumer products, McIntee has successfully created marketing strategies that integrate magazine publishing, direct mail, national advertising and a retail sales force to achieve heightened brand awareness, increased market penetration and consistent product distribution. A 20 year health food industry veteran, McIntee has a proven track record of conceiving and implementing integrated marketing programs that increase sales and generate significant incremental income.
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 previously worked for the FDA, The Dial Co. and the National Soft Drink Association.
Steven M. Mister, Esq.
Steven M. Mister, Esq., is president and 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.
Louis C. Paul, Esq.
Louis C. Paul, Esq., is the founder of Louis C. Paul & Associates, PLLC – a Manhattan intellectual property law firm specializing in product development law for cosmetic, topical pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. He advises an international clientele of finished goods companies, raw materials suppliers and physicians on patents, trademarks, claims substantiation and regulatory issues as well as related commercial agreements covering clinical trials, licensing, supply, marketing and distribution. Paul teaches a course on cosmetic patents for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and in 2007 authored the book Patent Peace of Mind.
George Pontiakos
George Pontiakos, president and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals (BI), oversees all aspects of operations for BI’s West and East Coast offices, and the Zuellig Group Nutrition and Ingredients, 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.
Lakshmi Prakash, Ph.D.
Lakshmi Prakash, Ph.D., is vice president of innovation and business development at Sabinsa Corporation, an industry leader in natural extracts. Dr. Prakash has over 25 years of research and management experience in the health, wellness and beauty space, and is well published in scientific and trade media. A co-inventor on 16 granted and several pending patents, her areas of expertise include identifying and developing innovative health applications, delivery systems, and intellectual property, for natural actives. Dr. Prakash also provides guidance in translating these technologies into marketable dietary supplements, personal care products, and functional foods, and on the related regulatory and labeling issues.
Justin J. Prochnow, Esq.
Justin J. Prochnow, Esq., is a former prosecutor practicing law in the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig, where his practice focuses on providing regulatory and business advice to companies in the food, medical device, drug and cosmetic industries. Prochnow works with dietary supplement, sports nutrition, beverage, conventional food, cosmetic, medical device and OTC drug companies to ensure regulatory compliance with statutes and regulations enforced by FDA, FTC and other regulatory agencies. He has assisted numerous industry companies with initiating and concluding voluntary recalls for issues ranging from ingredient and allergen labeling to potential contaminations, including the most recent salmonella outbreak involving peanut products. Prochnow also defends companies from both governmental agencies and private litigants in actions ranging from breach of contract and false advertising to RICO and Lanham Act violations.
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 nine years translating his experience and applying it to food systems innovation, literally bringing rocket science into the kitchen.
Catherine A. Rimmer, Ph.D.
Catherine A. Rimmer, Ph.D., received her doctorate in analytical chemistry from Florida State University, and completed a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). While at NIST, Dr. Rimmer used her expertise in liquid phase separations to expand dietary supplement measurement capabilities. This work contributed to the certification of several dietary supplement Standard Reference Materials, including Ginkgo biloba, carrot extract in oil, saw palmetto extract and a multivitamin/multi-element tablet. Dr. Rimmer recently gained responsibility for a NIST dietary supplement laboratory proficiency testing pilot program.
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. Prior to starting Tampa Bay Analytical Research, Dr. Roman served as director of research and development for a phytochemical reference standard manufacturer and contract analytical laboratory, and also worked in analytical laboratories for pharmaceutical companies and instrument manufacturers.
Christopher Shanahan
Christopher Shanahan is a research analyst with the Frost & Sullivan North America Chemicals, Materials and Foods Practice. He focuses on monitoring and analyzing emerging trends, technologies and market dynamics in the food ingredient, personal care and specialty chemical industries in North America. Since joining Frost & Sullivan, Shanahan has specialized in the food ingredient and specialty chemical industries. Recent studies include an in-depth look at rising food prices and its impact on ingredient suppliers and processors, a market study on functional beverages, and several studies exploring specialty chemical ingredients in personal care products.
Eric Shanfelt
Eric Shanfelt is executive vice president of eMedia for Virgo Publishing. He has an extensive online marketing background spanning 18 years, and his experience from the client/agency and media company perspective gives him a unique view of what does and doesn’t work in online marketing. Shanfelt is a sought-after speaker for online marketing events and writes a column for Publishing Executive magazine. He has consulted with marketers, agencies and media companies, always with a special emphasis on practical, revenue-generating, online marketing techniques.
Jo Anne Shatkin, Ph.D.
Jo Anne Shatkin, Ph.D., is managing director of CLF Ventures, a non-profit affiliate of the Conservation Law Foundation, working at the intersection of business, governmental and environmental issues to optimize environmental and economic performance. Dr. Shatkin is a recognized expert in strategic environmental initiatives, health risk assessment, technical communications and environmental aspects of nanotechnology. She recently developed NANO LCRA, an adaptive life cycle framework for identifying and managing the risks of nanomaterials, described in her book, Nanotechnology Health and Environmental Risks, (CRC Press 2008). Dr. Shatkin is listed as one of the Top 10 EHS experts by Nanotechnology Law and Business.
Barbara Shukitt-Hale, Ph.D.
Barbara Shukitt-Hale, Ph.D., is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist in the neuroscience laboratory, USDA-ARS, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Dr. Shukitt-Hale's current work involves researching the behavioral and neurochemical effects of aging, specifically motor and cognitive changes. Her work includes determining the factors responsible for age-related behavioral changes and amelioration of these effects with various nutritional treatments. Dr. Shukitt-Hale’s work showing a diet supplemented with berry fruit extracts could reverse functional age-related deficits has had a tremendous impact in the popular press. She continues to research the mechanisms behind the berry fruit’s positive effects, and has published more than 160 papers.
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. She has written more than 150 articles, co-authored two college textbooks on nutrition, and has appeared on numerous radio and television programs, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, and CBS and NBC newscasts.
Gregory J. Stephens, R.D.
Gregory J. Stephens, R.D., is 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.
Jeffrey Ten
Jeffrey Ten, former president Americas, ck Calvin Klein beauty, and current senior vice president, international sales, University Medical Pharmaceuticals Corp., brings 28 years of international senior management marketing and sales experience from the consumer products industry. Ten has launched brands such as Hugo Boss, Giorgio Beverly Hills, Estee Lauder and Calvin Klein in over 50 countries, and has managed global sale forces, marketing teams as well as coordinated distribution and sourcing from Latin America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. His management experience is broad, ranging from start-up and turnaround situations, to mature, established enterprises. He has experience in developing distribution channels from prestige department store, specialty retail, mass retail, travel retail and direct sales through DRTV and e-commerce. Ten also has a strong background in building global brands by tailoring to local market needs while maintaining global brand equity.
JOHANN F. TERGESEN
Johann F. Tergesen is the president and chief operating officer of Burcon NutraScience Corp., where he is helping to develop the world's first commercial canola proteins with unique functional and nutritional attributes; and a revolutionary soy protein isolate that is 100 percent soluble and completely transparent in acidic solutions without the characteristic "beany" taste of traditional soy. Prior to his role at Burcon, Tergesen was vice president and treasurer of Burcon Properties Ltd., a real estate development and ownership company. He sits on the board of directors of the United Way of the Lower Mainland in British Columbia and the POS Pilot Plant in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and is a former director of and past-chair of the Western Canadian Functional Food and Natural Health Product Network.
Gavin P. Thompson, Ph.D.
Gavin P. Thompson, Ph.D., principal consultant at ENVIRON International Corp., has 20 years of broad experience and expertise in analytical, environmental and product characterization chemistry, where he has designed, supervised, interpreted and provided critical expert opinions on the analysis of chemical ingredients and contaminants in a wide variety of consumer products and environmental matrices. Dr. Thompson has assisted clients in achieving regulatory approvals, assuring regulatory compliance and product safety. He has characterized the components and contaminants of building materials, cosmetics and toiletries, drugs and devices, food ingredients, process, and packaging materials, household products and industrial intermediates. Dr. Thompson has also evaluated and characterized product formulations, their degradation products and potential leachable components, and has evaluated environmental contaminants in surface and groundwater, sediment and soil, indoor and ambient air, process streams, wastewater and industrial sludge.
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. Dr. Udani has personally run dozens of clinical trials and published over 30 book chapters and articles in many prestigious medical journals including JAMA. He is the recipient of the AMA National Achievement Award, the Harvard Medical School Pinkney Fellowship in Orthopedic Research, and was voted Best Physician Specialist and Best Medical Speaker in Los Angeles by the Daily News.
Marc Ullman, Esq.
Marc 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. He has more than 20 years of experience in consumer packaged goods reporting and analysis. Vierhile is an internationally recognized expert on new product marketing and has made television and/or radio appearances on CNN, PBS, the BBC and Fox News Channel. 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.
Hogne Vik, M.D., Ph.D.
Hogne Vik, M.D., Ph.D., EVP documentation, Aker BioMarine Antarctic, is responsible for the ongoing documentation programs for Superba Krill Oil. Dr. Vik previously worked as a specialist in medical biochemistry and served as a Professor II at the Institute of Radiology and Medicine at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. He is the author of more than 70 original scientific papers. Since 1989, he has held various senior management industry positions within Nycomed Amersham, Natural ASA, Norwegian Food Research Institute (Matforsk) and Pronova BioPharma.
Steve Walton
Steve Walton, general manager of HealthFocus International, brings more than 20 years of general management and classical marketing experience. He has been responsible for some of the world’s most recognized consumer products, including Wesson Cooking Oil, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Ponds Skin Care, Vaseline Lotions and Body Treatments, Q-tips Cotton Swabs, Woolite Cleaners and Lysol Disinfectants. Walton works with client companies to help them understand the global consumer trends on health and wellness, and how to leverage this understanding to bring products to market faster.
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.
