McCormick Science Institute

Speakers from the 2014 MSI Science Summit

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Richard Anderson, Ph.D.

Visiting Scientist 
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center
Beltsville, MD

Dr. Richard Anderson is currently a visiting scientist at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center working on the role of natural products to improve the function of insulin. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Iowa State University and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. He is a recognized expert in the nutritional and biochemical roles of chromium in human and animal nutrition. He is also conducting studies to determine the role and mechanism of action of polyphenols, with emphasis on those from cinnamon, on insulin sensitivity, the metabolic syndrome and neurobiology. Dr. Anderson has published more than 230 scientific manuscripts and has presented more than 200 presentations at national and international meetings throughout the world.

Cheryl A.M. Anderson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
University of California at San Diego

Cheryl A. M. Anderson, Ph.D., MPH, M.S., is an Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. Dr. Anderson is trained in nutrition, epidemiology, and health behavior. She received her doctoral degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and her master of public health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Anderson is currently a member of the American Heart Association's Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee, the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board, the Pan American Health Organization's Expert Group on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction, and the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer committee on nutrition and physical (in)activity as determinants of cancer risk in Africa. Dr. Anderson's research focuses on examining the role of nutrition factors in chronic disease prevention in underserved populations, and she has active research projects investigating the effects of sodium and potassium intake on cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. At UCSD, Dr. Anderson is a member of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Prevention Center of Excellence and the Health Behavior Change in Underserved and Vulnerable Populations Center of Excellence.

Keith Ayoob, Ed.D., RD, FADA

Associate Clinical Professor
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
New York, NY

Keith-Thomas Ayoob, Ed.D, RD, FADA, is an Associate Clinical Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City where he has maintained a clinical practice for over 25 years, specializing in obesity, child nutrition, and family dynamics. Much of his work also focuses on motivational counseling. Dr. Ayoob received his doctorate degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College, his master’s from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he did his undergraduate work at the University of California at Davis. He sits on a number of advisory boards, including the Academic Advisory Board of the Children’s Advertising Review Unit of the National Advertising Review Council.  
In addition, Dr. Ayoob chairs the Scientific Advisory Board for NuVal, a nutrition profiling system and consumer education tool, which he also helped develop, and which is now in over 2500 supermarkets across the US. He helped formulate a highly regarded global nutrition policy for the Walt Disney Corporation in 2006 and updated those landmark guidelines in 2012. These guidelines were widely acclaimed and were endorsed by the White House and First Lady Michelle Obama. Dr. Ayoob is a strong advocate against fad dieting and in 2004 he testified before Congress against the marketing of diet pills to children. He co-authored the American Dietetic Association’s position paper on food and nutrition myths and misinformation.

Brian Berman, M.D.

University of Maryland School of Medicine
Professor, Family & Community Medicine
Director, Center for Integrative Medicine
Baltimore, MD

Brian Berman, M.D., is a tenured professor of Family and Community Medicine and the Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Berman is recognized as a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine. Twenty-two years ago, he founded the Center for Integrative Medicine which was the first program of its kind at a U.S. academic health center. The recipient of more than $30 million in National Institutes of Health research funding, he has published extensively on acupuncture and mind/body medicine in such prestigious journals as the Annals of Internal Medicine and the New England Journal of Medicine. He served as the first chair of the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, which now includes 55 member institutions. Additionally, Dr. Berman co-founded the complementary medicine field within the Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical practices through systematic reviews of research literature. Dr. Berman was the 2005 recipient of the Bravewell Leadership Award for his achievements in “transforming healthcare in America and ushering in a new practice of medicine.” Dr. Berman is also a practicing family physician and pain management specialist.

John Courtney, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer
American Society for Nutrition
Bethesda, MD

John E. Courtney, Ph.D., is the American Society of Nutrition’s Executive Officer. In this capacity, Dr. Courtney interacts with the elected Officers of the Society in order to manage the business affairs of the Society and the scientific journals, maintain a relationship with the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), coordinate public affairs activities, and provide support for the selection and scheduling of the scientific program at the annual meeting (Experimental Biology). Prior to his current position at ASN, Dr. Courtney was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Clinical Research Forum and the Clinical Research Foundation and previously held the position of Chief Staff Officer/Chief Financial and Administrative Officer with the American Diabetes Association and related affiliates, The American Diabetes Association Research Foundation, The American Diabetes Advocacy Association, and the American Diabetes Association Property Title Holding Company. Dr. Courtney holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from The American University where his academic study included strategy development and implementation and continuous quality improvement. He also holds a Masters Degree in Business from Hood College. He is a frequent presenter at conferences and trade meetings and has led seminars on Non-Profit Governance and Strategic Planning.

Kevin W. Concannon

Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, USDA

Kevin W. Concannon was nominated by President Obama and Secretary Vilsack and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in July 2009 to serve as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services in the United States Department of Agriculture.
Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services has principal responsibilities and funding authority for Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), which serves 1 in 4 Americans, and has lead responsibilities for promoting healthful diet through the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
Working in partnership with State and local organizations, FNS oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program; child nutrition programs including National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Summer Food Service Programs; The Child and Adult Care Food Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Commodity Supplemental Food Program; Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations; The Emergency Food Assistance Program; and other nutrition programs.
Under Secretary Concannon has had a lengthy and distinguished career in public service. Over the past twenty-five years, he has served as Director of State Health and Human Services departments in Maine, Oregon, and Iowa. He has championed expanded services, improved access, alternatives to institutions, consumer choices, affordable health care, diversity in workplace and programs, and modernization of public information technology systems.
He has served in a number of national organizations, including serving as President of the American Public Welfare Association, President of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, trustee of the American Public Human Services Association, and board member of the American Humane Association.
He has received a number of awards, including the Lifetime Human Services Award from the American Public Human Services Association in 2007, 2012 Catholic Charities USA Keep the Dream Alive Award, and the 2012 National WIC Association Leadership award.
He is a native of Portland, Maine, a graduate of Saint Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia with both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees. He has continued his studies at the University of Southern Maine and the University of Connecticut Graduate School of Social Work. He was awarded a Doctor of Laws Degree honoris causa by Saint Francis Xavier University in 2013.
Concannon has taught graduate courses at the University Connecticut, Portland State University, Oregon, and the University of Iowa as Adjunct Professor of Social Work.

Rick Cristol, M.B.A

President 
The Kellen Company
Atlanta, GA

Rick Cristol is president of the Kellen Company, a 50-year old, global association management and public relations firm. The company manages 85 associations, including 17 food trade associations, most of which are engaged in nutrition and health issues. Rick has more than 30 years of association management experience with particular emphasis on governance, strategic planning, government affairs, public relations, meetings management and international and domestic marketing. During his long career at the Kellen Company, he has served as CEO for ten different food trade associations. Rick is a past president of the Association Management Company Institute and a member of the Institute of Food Technologists, among other organizations. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia State University and his M.B.A from the University of Georgia.

Greg Drescher

Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Industry Leadership
The Culinary Institute of America
St. Helena, CA

Greg Drescher is vice president of strategic initiatives & industry leadership at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). He is responsible for the college's thought leadership, strategic partnerships and initiatives, industry conferences, and new media. Mr. Drescher assumed his current title in 2011 after serving as executive director of strategic initiatives for the CIA. In this role, he created the college's influential Worlds of Flavor® International Conference & Festival series, Worlds of Healthy Flavors Leadership Retreat in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, and other CIA "think tank" initiatives. Previously, Mr. Drescher was co-founder and program chairman of the Boston-based Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust. In the 1980s, he served as national program director and later as associate director of the American Institute of Wine & Food, an organization co-founded by Julia Child and Robert Mondavi. Mr. Drescher was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2005. The following year, he was honored with Food Arts magazine's Silver Spoon Award. He has shared two James Beard Awards for his work in developing the CIA's "Savoring the Best of World Flavors" DVD and Web cast series. In 2008, he was appointed by the President of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine to its "Committee on Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake," whose final report was published in 2010.

Johanna Dwyer, D.Sc., RD

Professor of Medicine and Community Health
Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston, MA

Dr. Johanna Dwyer is Professor of Medicine (Nutrition) and Community Health at the Tufts University Medical School, and Professor of Nutrition at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She is also Senior Scientist at the Jean Mayer/USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Dr. Dwyer is the Director of the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center, which is one of the oldest dietetic internship programs and outpatient nutrition clinics in the USA. She served as Dietetic Internship Director there from 1974 to 2009. From 2003-2011, Dr. Dwyer served part time as Senior Nutrition Scientist, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. She now serves as a Scientific Consultant in the same capacity, where she is responsible for several large projects, including studies of dietary supplement motivation and the use and development of an analytically substantiated dietary supplement database and other dietary supplement databases, development of research on the assessment of dietary supplement intake and other topics, including national population-based surveys.
Dwyer received her D.Sc. and M.Sc. from the Harvard School of Public Health, an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin, and completed her undergraduate degree with distinction from Cornell University. She is the author or co-author of more than 250 research articles and 300 review articles published in scientific journals and serves as the Editor of Nutrition Today.

Hamed Faridi, Ph.D.

Chief Science Officer
McCormick & Company, Inc.

Dr. Hamed Faridi, a renowned food scientist, leads a global team of scientists and flavorists responsible for research, product development, and technical services to support McCormick’s business plans worldwide. He was the impetus behind and is responsible for the McCormick Science Institute (MSI), created in 2006 to advance knowledge of the health benefits of culinary spices and herbs. As such he is essentially the voice of science for McCormick’s internal and external audiences, as well as a champion for McCormick’s commitment to health and wellness. 
Dr. Faridi has edited and authored six books and more than 70 articles about food science and technology. He has lectured at conferences and research institutions in 21 countries and has served on several boards of professional and trade associations in the US and Europe. In addition, he has acted in an advisory capacity to food science departments of Texas A&M, University of Illinois, Rutgers University and Louisiana State University. He was honored as Fellow by the Institute of Food Technologists in 2010 and the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) International in 2011. He is the recipient of Kansas State University's 2013 Outstanding Alumni Award. Dr. Faridi also is a member of the Sabri Ulker Food Research Institute Foundation Science Committee based in Istanbul, Turkey. 
Prior to joining McCormick & Company in 1997, Dr. Faridi served on the faculty of Washington State University and held R&D executive positions at Nabisco (now a unit of Kraft). He is past president of both AACC International and the Flavor & Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). 
Dr. Faridi received his M.S. and Ph.D. in food science from Kansas State University and M.B.A. in management and marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Lisa Gable

President, Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation
Washington, DC

Lisa Gable, is the President of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, a CEO-led initiative aimed at helping to reduce obesity, especially childhood obesity, in America. Under Lisa’s leadership, the foundation grew from 21 founding members to over 200 members in the first 24 months. Lisa serves on the board of Girl Scouts of the USA; is a member of the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Obesity Solutions; serves on the editorial board of the Diplomatic Courier and is a member of Women Corporate Directors. Lisa is a regular guest on Lifetime’s national morning show, The Balancing Act.   
In August 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Lisa as U.S. Commissioner General to the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan. She held personal rank of Ambassador.  
Her background includes tenure as: Global Brand Identity Manager, INTEL Corporation;  Partner, The Brand Group; Member, Governor’s Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission; Advisory Board Member, Base Technologies; Trustee, Thunderbird School of Global Management; Board Member, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; Board Member, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities; Commissioner, President’s Commission on White House Fellowships; U.S. Delegate, United Nations; Vice Chairman, U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services; Trustee, California State Summer School of the Arts; Deputy Associate Director, Office of Presidential Personnel, the White House; and Special Assistant for Technology Transfer Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Lisa is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University’s National Security Studies program.

Louis Grivetti, Ph.D.

Professor of Nutrition, Emeritus
University of California at Davis
Davis, CA

Louis Grivetti, Ph.D., is Professor of Nutrition, Emeritus at the University of California at Davis. Dr. Grevetti graduated from Berkeley in 1960 with an A.B. in paleontology with an academic minor in anthropology. He entered graduate school at Berkeley, and received his M.A. in paleontology in 1962. He was then commissioned Lieutenant j.g. in the United States Public Health Service and served on active duty in Cincinnati, Ohio. After discharge from the USPHS, Dr. Grivetti joined Vanderbilt University, Division of Nutrition, Department of Biochemistry as a research anthropologist and field assistant. He served as a member of the Vanderbilt team that conducted zinc-related research until 1967. Dr. Grivetti received his Ph.D. in Geography at the University of California at Davis in 1976 and the same year joined their Departments of Nutrition and Geography. Through the years his nutrition and geographical research has focused on human food patterns and how cultural decisions influence nutritional status of individuals and groups, whether from contemporary or historical perspectives. He and his students have conducted their research on food patterns and nutritional status in the United States, as well as in Africa, Asia, and Europe, specifically, Botswana and Egypt, Greece and Ireland, Israel, West Bank, Kuwait, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Viet Nam.

Jackie Haven, M.S.

Acting Executive Director
USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Alexandria, VA

Jackie Haven, M.S. is the Acting Executive Director of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) where she directs USDA’s programs to set national nutrition policy, and design and implement innovative and effective science-based national nutrition promotion and outreach programs, to improve the health of all Americans. Ms. Haven is responsible for the development and implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and supporting programs, including USDA’s Nutrition Evidence Library, the Healthy Eating Index, and the USDA Food Plans. She provides oversight for the design and implementation of USDA’s new MyPlate food icon, the ChooseMyPlate.gov website, USDA’s award-winning SuperTracker, and the associated multi-modal, multi-year Dietary Guidelines consumer communications campaign. Under the MyPlate public-private partnerships initiative, she is leading a challenge to corporate America, youth, community and research organizations, educators, healthcare providers, and the media, to help magnify the reach of Dietary Guidelines nutrition messages by creatively working in ways that promote healthy eating practices and increase physical activity.
Ms. Haven has been with USDA for over 20 years. She holds an M.S. degree in clinical nutrition from New York University and a B.A. in psychology and marketing from the State University of New York at Albany. She is a Registered Dietitian.

Davis Heber, M.D.

Professor of Medicine and Public Health
UCLA School of Medicine
Los Angeles, CA

David Heber, M.D., is an internist, endocrinologist, and a physician nutrition specialist who has been on the School of Medicine and Public Health faculties at the University of California at Los Angeles since 1983, when he founded the Division of Clinical Nutrition in the Department of Medicine. In 1996, he established the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Dr. Heber earned his M.D. at Harvard Medical School in 1973 and his Ph.D. at UCLA in 1978. He completed his internship at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and his internal medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. From 1978 to 1983, he was the Associate Director of the Harbor General Hospital NIH-funded General Clinical Research Center prior to coming to UCLA, where he was both Associate Director of the Center for Health Enhancement of the UCLA Medical Center and the first Chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition. 
Dr. Heber's primary areas of research are obesity treatment and prevention, the role of nutrition, phytochemicals, and botanical dietary supplements in the prevention and treatment of common forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. He is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 50 book chapters, and two professional texts: Dietary Fat, Lipids, Hormones and Tumorigenesis and Nutritional Oncology(Academic Press, 1999, 2nd edition in preparation for 2005). Dr. Heber has also written four books for the public: Natural Remedies for a Healthy Heart (Avery Publishing Group 1998), The Resolution Diet (Avery Publishing Group 1999), What Color is Your Diet? (Harper Collins/Regan Books 2001), and The L.A. Shape Diet (Harper Collins/Regan Books March 2004).

James O. Hill, Ph.D.

Executive Director
Anschutz Health and Wellness Center
University of Colorado
Denver, CO

James O. Hill, Ph.D., is the Founding Executive Director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado. He is the Anschutz Professor of Pediatrics, Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire in Physiological Psychology. He was Chair of the first World Health Organization Consultation on Obesity in 1997. He was President of The Obesity Society (TOS) 1997-1998 and The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) 2008-2009. He was a member of the NIH Expert Panel on Obesity that developed the first U.S guidelines for the treatment and prevention of obesity. Dr. Hill has published more than 500 scientific articles and book chapters, most focused on weight management. He is the recipient of the 2007 TOPS award and the 2012 George Bray Founders Award from TOS. He has received the Centrum Center, McCollum and Kritchevsky awards from the ASN. He is the 2012 Atwater Lecturer for the US Department of Agriculture. Dr. Hill is a co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry, a registry of individuals who have been successful in maintenance of a reduced body weight. He is co-founder of America on the Move, a national weight gain prevention initiative that aims to inspire Americans to make small changes in how much they eat and how much they move to prevent weight gain. He is the author of the Step Diet Book, published in June 2004 and the State of Slim published in August 2013.

Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Ph.D.

President
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD

Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski has served as President of UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) since 1992 and is a consultant on science and math education to national agencies, universities, and school systems. He was recently named by President Obama to chair the newly created President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. He also chaired the National Academies’ committee that produced the recent report, Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads. Named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME (2012) and one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report (2008), he also received TIAA-CREF’s Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence (2011), the Carnegie Corporation’s Academic Leadership Award (2011), and the Heinz Award (2012) for contributions to improving the “Human Condition.” UMBC has been recognized as a model for academic innovation and inclusive excellence by such publications as U.S. News, which the past five years ranked UMBC the #1 “Up and Coming” university in the nation.

Suzanne C. Johnson, Ph.D.

Director Flavor Research and Development 
Technical Innovation Center
McCormick & Company, Inc.
Hunt Valley, MD

Suzanne C. Johnson, Ph.D., is Director of Flavor Creations and Applications in Research & Development at the Technical Innovation Center of McCormick & Company, Inc. She is responsible for leading and managing the Flavor and Applications Teams, including Process Flavors, Flavor Applications, Flavor Creation and the Sample Department. She is also responsible for the development of longer term research objectives for flavors. She provides technical leadership for these teams and is responsible for all flavor product development and formulation, compounding, and flavor commercialization for the Consumer Food Manufacturers business as well as industrial sales. 
Prior to joining McCormick, Suzanne held several leadership roles in flavor product development: R&D Director, where her responsibilities included both R&D and business development for a Flavor Division, R&D Manager and Product Development Manager, and product development and analytical chemistry roles. In addition, Suzanne has been an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, and has lectured on flavor chemistry at Purdue University, the University of Illinois, the Society of Flavor Chemists (SFC), the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and the American Chemical Society (ACS). Suzanne holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Bradley University, a M.S and Ph.D. in Physical Analytical Chemistry from Northwestern University.

Guy H. Johnson, Ph.D.

Executive Director of the McCormick Science Institute

Guy H. Johnson, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the McCormick Science Institute, which is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge on the health benefits of culinary herbs and spices. He is also principal of Johnson Nutrition Solutions LLC (JNS), a nutrition-oriented consulting firm. Prior to founding JNS, Guy was vice president of nutrition for Kellogg USA. Dr. Johnson’s background also includes extensive experience in applied nutrition science. From 1989 to 1998 he was director of nutrition and labeling services for The Pillsbury Company and before that he was director of infant nutrition for Gerber Products Company. Dr. Johnson is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign where he received his undergraduate degree in food science and Ph.D. in nutritional sciences.

Carl L. Keen, Ph.D.

Professor, Nutrition & Internal Medicine
University of California at Davis
Davis, CA

Dr. Keen has been a member of the nutrition faculty at the University of California, Davis since 1981. He was the Chairman of the Department of Nutrition from 1993 to 2006. He is a member of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences (ASNS), the American Society of Clinical Nutrition (ASCN), the Teratology Society, the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (SEBM), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Keen has over 600 peer reviewed scientific publications. The activities of Dr. Keen’s research group are currently focused in two areas; the investigation of the influence of maternal diet on the risk for pregnancy complications (maternal, conceptus, and fetal) and the influence of diet on the risk for age-related chronic diseases. Regarding the influence of diet on embryonic and fetal development, his group has been studying the acute and long-term consequences of micronutrient deficiencies on embryonic and fetal development for almost three decades. The majority of their efforts have been centered on the characterization of the effects of primary and secondary zinc and copper deficiencies. Recently this work has been focused on the effects of these deficiencies on oxidative stress in the conceptus, and its consequences, particularly with respect to the vascular system and the developing brain. Regarding the influence of diet and chronic disease, during the past decade his group’s work has been centered on the study of dietary factors that influence the risk for vascular disease. A current hypothesis in the laboratory is that a significant part of the positive cardiovascular health benefits associated with plant food rich diets can be attributed to their flavanol content.

Gilbert A. Leveille, Ph.D.

Leveille Associates
Denville, NJ

Gilbert A. Leveille, Ph.D., is President of Leveille Associates, a company providing consultation in the areas of Nutrition, Food Science and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Leveille was a Biochemist for the US Army Nutrition Research Laboratory in Denver Colorado (1960-1965) before becoming Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Illinois and Professor and Chairman of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University from 1971 to 1980. He then moved to the private sector where he has been employed by a number of food firms including General Foods, Nabisco, McNeil Nutritionals, and Cargill. From 2004 to 2010 Dr. Leveille was the Executive Director of the Wrigley Science Institute. 
Dr. Leveille received his Ph.D. from Rutgers University and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He also has been awarded an honorary D.Sc. degree from Purdue University. Dr. Leveille is a past president of the Institute of Food Technologists and of the American Society for Nutrition and is a Fellow of both organizations. He is a member of numerous other professional organizations. He lectures widely and has published more than 300 scientific papers and several books and patents. Dr. Leveille is the recipient of several awards including the Mead Johnson and the Conrad Elvehjem Awards from the American Society for Nutrition, and the Carl Fellers, Industrial Scientist and Appert Awards from the Institute of Food Technologists. In 2010, an endowed lectureship was established. The Gilbert A. Leveille Award and Lectureship, honoring Dr. Leveille's commitment to the disciplines of Food Science and Nutrition, is jointly managed by the American Society for Nutrition and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Barbara Mikulski

United States Senator for Maryland

Senator Barbara Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party, serving since 1987. Senator Mikulski, a former United States Representative from 1977 to 1987, is the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. Congress.
Senator Mikulski attended Mount Saint Agnes College and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Originally a social worker and community organizer, she was elected to the Baltimore City Council in 1971 after delivering a highly publicized address on the "ethnic movement" in America. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, and in 1986 she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland.
Mikulski has chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee since the death of Senator Daniel Inouye in December 2012.[2] She also serves on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Robert Post, Ph.D.

Chief Science Officer
FoodMinds, LLC
Washington, DC

Dr. Robert Post is a former member of the Federal Executive Service and the current Chief Science Officer with FoodMinds, LLC, an award-winning food and nutrition consulting and communications agency. He has over 30 years of executive leadership experience in nutrition research and promotion, food safety, food processing, food additives, food labeling, public health communications and education, and food laws and policy. Rob works to advise clients on the critical science and evidentiary issues facing the food, beverage, nutrition, health and wellness industries today. He provides counsel on changes in the nutrition affairs environment, including dietary guidance, marketing, and nutrition and food labeling. Prior to joining FoodMinds, Rob served 3 appointments as the Acting Executive Director, and 7 years as the Associate Executive Director of the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, where he set national nutrition policy and implemented marketing, communications, and media programs. In these positions, Rob led the efforts around the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, USDA’s Nutrition Evidence Library, and the award-winning MyPlate communications initiative and USDA’s SuperTracker. As USDA’s spokesperson on dietary guidance, he served as a nutrition advisor to the White House and the First Lady’s Office on a variety of nutrition policy issues and campaigns, including the White House Let’s Move! initiative. Prior to the Center, Dr. Post headed USDA’s labeling and ingredients policy office, leading landmark efforts, e.g., creating nutrition labeling requirements in 1993, jointly with FDA; and establishing the USDA-FDA joint ingredient approval process in 2000.  In his role at USDA, he set the labeling policy for “natural’ and “organic,” and led the way for a host of voluntary labeling claims. He is an adjunct professor in the University of Maryland Nutrition and Food Science Department.

Sylvia B. Rowe

President
SR Strategy
Washington, DC

Sylvia B. Rowe is currently president of SR Strategy pursuing communications and issues management consulting on a broad range of health, nutrition, food safety and risk issues. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Previously, Rowe served as president and chief executive officer of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and IFIC Foundation, in Washington, D.C. These nonprofit organizations communicate science-based information on food safety and nutrition issues to health professionals, journalists, government officials, educators and consumers. Rowe's background in media and expertise in issues management are reflected in her professional history as a producer and on-air host of several television and radio talk shows covering social, political, and economic and consumer issues. She also previously held positions in public relations, marketing, and membership development for several diverse associations. Rowe is a member of the Institute of Medicine Obesity Roundtable, Contributing Editor ofNutrition Today and member of the Institute of Medicine Food Forum. She has served on several Boards and Advisory Committees of the following: American Heart Association (AHA) Healthier Diet Business Committee (Vice-chair), Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, American Society for Nutrition Publications Management Committee, Washington D.C. Mayor’s Commission on Food, Nutrition and Health, the AHA Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, the Grains for Health Foundation, University of Massachusetts Amherst Food Science Policy Program, Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy Graduate Program in Nutrition Communication, University of Rochester Medical Center Nutrition Academic Award Program, Food and Drug Law Institute, Society for Nutrition Education Foundation, Maryland Title IX Commission and the American Society of Association Executives Foundation. She is also a member of the International Women’s Leadership Forum and the National Press Club among other professional groups. Rowe received a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and was awarded a masters’ degree from Harvard University, both with honors.

Marianne Smith-Edge, M.S., RD, LD, FADA

Senior Vice President, Nutrition and Food Safety
International Food Information Council (IFIC) and International Food Information Council Foundation
Washington, DC

Marianne Smith-Edge, M.S., RD, LD, FADA, is Senior Vice President, Nutrition & Food Safety, for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) in Washington, DC, a nonprofit organization that effectively communicates sound, science-based information on nutrition and food safety to health professionals, educators, government officials, journalists and consumers. 
In her role at IFIC, Smith-Edge is responsible for directing the overall nutrition and food safety strategic initiatives of the organization, group facilitation and external collaborations. She also serves as IFIC’s spokesperson on various nutrition, food safety and health issues.
Smith-Edge is an experienced communicator, strategic planner, and facilitator with over 25 years of experience. Prior to joining IFIC, she was the owner of MSE and Associates, LLC, providing strategic nutrition consulting services for the food and healthcare industry, as well as commodity groups. Smith-Edge’s expertise includes strategic positioning of nutritional products/services, nutrition communications, healthy aging and food allergies. She is a nationally recognized speaker in health, wellness and farm-to-table issues.
Smith-Edge is a past president of The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and received the ADA Medallion Award in 2009. She is also a member of the Institute for Food Technologists (IFT), International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and the American Public Health Association. She currently services on the One Health Commission Board of Directors and completed two terms on the USDA National Research, Extension, Education, & Economics Advisory Board, the advisory board to the Secretary of Agriculture.
Smith-Edge holds a Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from the University of Kentucky where she was a member of the Board of Trustees (2000-06) and a master’s degree in public health-nutrition from Western Kentucky University. In August 2009, she earned a certification in Appreciative Inquiry from the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University.

Barbara O. Schneeman, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus
University of California, Davis

Dr. Barbara O. Schneeman is Professor Emeritus associated with the University of California, Davis. She served as the Director of the Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S.A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for over 8 years. In that position, she oversaw the development of policy and regulations for dietary supplements, labeling, food standards, infant formula, and medical foods and served as the U.S delegate to two Codex committees (Food Labeling and Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses). From 1976-2004, she was Professor of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis, and served in several administrative roles, including Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She has been a visiting scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Assistant Administrator for Nutrition in the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 
She received her B.S. degree in Food Science from the University of California, Davis, Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley, and postdoctoral training in gastro-intestinal physiology at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, California. 
Professional activities include participation in Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committees, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Science (NAS), committees for NAS and for the State of California, USDA, Food and Agricultural Organization, World Health Organization, the American Society for Nutrition, and the Institute of Food Technologists. 
She has been Associate Editor for the Journal of Nutrition and on the editorial boards for Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Food and Nutrition Series of Academic Press, Nutrition Reviews, Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Food Science, and California Agriculture. Professional honors for Dr. Schneeman include Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Carl Fellers Award from the Institute of Food Technology, the FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation and the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, the FDA Merit Award, the Samuel Cate Prescott Award for research, the Future Leader Award, and several honorary lectureships. She has published over 130 journal articles, book chapters and review articles in addition to numerous abstracts. She is recognized for her work on dietary fiber, gastro-intestinal function, development and use of food-based dietary guidelines, and policy development in the area of food and nutrition.

Maha Tahiri, Ph.D.

Chief Health and Wellness Officer
Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition
General Mills, Inc.
Golden Valley, MN

Maha Tahiri is Chief Health and Wellness Officer at the Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition at General Mills, Inc., where she has been head of the Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition since February 2012. Maha leads a group of dedicated nutrition and food scientists, dietitians, and public health professionals. The Bell Institute integrates nutrition science, regulatory expertise and communications skills to deliver strategic innovation in health and nutrition for all of General Mills business globally. Scientists within the Bell Institute publish scientific articles in leading peer-reviewed journals and have contributed to research on a variety of important health topics including: whole grains, digestive health, vascular health, weight management, micronutrients and breakfast.
Dr. Tahiri has professional experience in the food industry, developing global health and nutrition innovation strategies for a variety of food companies covering several regions including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the National Institute of Agricultural Research, France. Dr. Tahiri also serves on the Executive Board of Directors of both the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and the European Food Information Council (EUFIC). She is also an active member of the International Life Science Institute (ILSI). She is a member of the IOM Food Forum and the newly formed IOM Roundtable on obesity solutions. She has also served as a Board of Directors member of the French Nutrition Institute.

Nancy S. Wellman, Ph.D., RD, FADA

Professor (retired) of Dietetics and Nutrition
Stempel School of Public Health at Florida International University
Miami, FL

Dr. Nancy Wellman is an adjunct professor at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. In 2007, she retired as the professor of dietetics and nutrition in the School of Public Health at Florida International University, the public research university in Miami. She is the former director of the National Resource Center on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Aging, which was funded primarily by the US Administration on Aging. Wellman’s areas of nutrition expertise include aging, public policy, nutrition screening, communications, and marketing, as well as consumer education and food labeling. 
Registered dietitian Wellman is past president of the 75,000-member Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association), the world's largest group of food and nutrition professionals. As one of its first national spokespersons (1982-90), she was regularly in the national press and on TV and radio. During her presidency, the Nutrition Screening Initiative, a national campaign against malnutrition in older adults backed by a coalition of 35 aging organizations, was launched. Wellman served as national chair of the Nutrition Screening Initiative for its 15-year time-span (1989-2004).
Wellman serves on the McCormick Science Institute Advisory Council and the AARP Caregiver Advisory Council. She chaired the International Food Information Council Foundation Board of Trustees for 20 years and became Chair Emeritus in 2011. She has been on aging and food labeling committees at the National Academies of Science, Institute of Medicine. She completed appointments on the American Society for Nutrition Public Information Committee, USDA National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, and US Tennis Association Sport Science Committee. She has testified before US Senate, House of Representatives and FDA Advisory committees. 
Recipient of numerous awards, Wellman was recognized as the University-wide Outstanding Faculty in 2006 and was the American Dietetic Association Lenna Francis Cooper Memorial Lecturer in 2005. She holds a doctorate from the University of Miami and a Master of Science degree from the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition.

Sheila G. West, Ph.D.

Professor of Biobehavioral Health & Nutritional Sciences
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA

Sheila G. West, Ph.D., is Professor of Biobehavioral Health and Director of the Vascular Health Interventions Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. West leads an interdisciplinary research team that conducts randomized clinical trials examining effects of nutrition and psychological stress on blood pressure and vascular function in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. The goal of her research program is to identify foods and nutrients that enhance vascular function and reduce blood pressure responses to stress. In 1997, Dr. West earned a Ph.D. in Experimental and Biological Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received extensive training in cardiovascular physiology and health psychology. She received a National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Mental Health and a university-wide teaching award while at UNC. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Medicine at Ohio State University, and joined the faculty at Penn State in 1999. She was tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in 2005.

Margriet Westerterp-Plantenga, Ph.D.

Professor of Food Intake Regulation in Humans in Relation to Energy Balance
Maastricht University
Maastricht, Netherlands

Prof. Dr. M. S. Westerterp-Plantenga is Professor of Food Intake Regulation in Humans at Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine, Life Sciences, Nutrim, The Netherlands. Her research focuses on energy-homeostasis and reward-homeostasis, in the perspective of regulation of body-weight and body-composition, in the context of obesity. Special attention is paid to the effects of thermogenic ingredients, and of protein in the diet. Moreover, she addresses the role of quality sleep and circadian rhythms, and of food reward and relevant brain-signaling. She is a member of several editorial boards, scientific committees and was formerly a member of the Faculty Board of the Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life sciences of Maastricht University.

Catherine E. Woteki, Ph.D.

Under Secretary for United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area

Dr. Catherine E. Woteki, is Under Secretary for United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area, as well as the Department's Chief Scientist. Her responsibilities include oversight of the four agencies that comprise REE, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Economic Research Service (ERS), and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The National Agriculture Library and National Arboretum also fall under this mission area. Before joining USDA, Dr. Woteki served as Global Director of Scientific Affairs for Mars, Incorporated, where she managed the company's scientific policy and research on matters of health, nutrition, and food safety. 
From 2002 to 2005, she was Dean of Agriculture and Professor of Human Nutrition at Iowa State University, where she was also the head of the Agriculture Experiment Station. Dr. Woteki served as the first Under Secretary for Food Safety at USDA from 1997 to 2001, where she oversaw U.S. Government food safety policy development and USDA's continuity of operations planning. Dr. Woteki also served as the Deputy Under Secretary for REE at USDA in 1996. In 1999, Dr. Woteki was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, where she has chaired the Food and Nutrition Board (2003 to 2005). She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1974). Dr. Woteki received her B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Mary Washington College (1969).

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