VP, Consulting, Intertek Alchemy

Jeff currently serves as VP of Consulting at Intertek. Throughout his career, Chilton has consulted with hundreds of food manufacturing firms to develop and enhance their food safety and quality programs.

• 23 years of consulting experience helping clients with regulatory compliance, training needs and GFSI certifications

• Certified SQF Auditor and SQF Consultant
• Certified Lead Instructor, Basic and Advanced HACCP 
• Certified Lead Instructor, Preventive Control for Human Food

Director of Technical Services, Intertek Alchemy

Jorge currently serves as Director of Professional Services for Intertek Alchemy.

• Certified SQF and FSSC auditor, consultant and trainer
• Approved Training Provider (ATP) for BRC on Storage & Distribution and Food Standards
• Certified Basic and Advanced HACCP trainer
• Certified Lead Instructor for PCQI and FSVP
• 20+ years of consulting and auditing experience, helping companies in 30+ countries and a variety of food industry sectors

Sr. Environmental Safety & Health Consultant, Intertek Alchemy

Rick is an experienced former auditor, EHS consultant, and trainer.

• 25 years of experience across industries—from food production to automotive and aerospace manufacturing
• Formerly served as Intertek’s Green Services Associate Program Manager
• Certified management systems Lead Auditor with experience across the ISO and OHSAS spectrums

Director, Food Protection and Defense Institute, University of Minnesota

Dr. Jennifer van de Ligt serves as the Director of the Food Protection and Defense Institute and as Associate Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

• Focuses on building collaborations to advance food and feed security, safety, defense, and supply-chain resilience

• Director of the Integrated Food Systems Leadership program, an online learning program dedicated to improving the leadership and systems thinking capabilities of early to mid-career professionals affiliated with any aspect of the food system
• extensive background in animal feed and human food production, nutrition, modeling, and regulations, with academic, industry, and global perspectives

Senior Advisor, Food Protection and Defense Institute, University of Minnesota

Dr. Kircher is the Senior Advisor of the Food Protection and Defense Institute (FPDI), a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, and an Assistant Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

• Leads a talented staff and coordinates a research consortium of experts dedicated to protecting the food system through research and education

• Current research includes identification and warning of food disruptions through data fusion and analysis

Produce Safety Advisor, Produce Marketing Association

Dr. Bob Whitaker holds the responsibility for food safety and security, environmental sustainability and technical innovations for the produce supply chain, from field to fork.

• 13 years working within PMA
• 16-year tenure with DNA Plant Technology Corporation (DNAP) where he served as Vice President for Vegetable Research and Development, and Vice President of Product Development, managing the development of products ranging from extended life tomatoes to seedless watermelons and tobacco varieties
• Intimately involved in the development of the leafy greens GAP Metrics
• Serves on both the California and Arizona Leafy Greens Technical Committees
• Named to the Executive Advisory Board for the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) in 2017
• Chairman for the CPS Research and Technology Council (2008) which oversees the solicitation, review and funding for research projects focused on produce food safety

• Ph.D. in Biology from the State University of New York at Binghamton

Senior Rabbinic Field Representative, Orthodox Union (OU Kosher)

• Over 20 years of tenure in the kosher industry
• Experience includes food production and pharmaceuticals in a variety of capacities

• Graduate-level studies in Jewish, specifically kosher, law

VP Food Safety & Global Alliances, Intertek Alchemy

Laura Nelson serves as Vice President Food Safety & Global Alliances at Intertek Alchemy. She has over 25 years of experience implementing food safety and quality control programs for processing, packaging, food service, and retail operations. She has worked with global retailers and manufacturers in the implementation of their GFSI certification programs. Prior to Alchemy, Laura managed Silliker’s South Region food testing laboratories, implemented ISO 17025 requirements, conducted GMP and HACCP audits, and trained food safety auditors.

Her hands-on experience in testing food products has assisted food companies in the successful implementation of good manufacturing practices (GMP), quality assurance, and HACCP programs. Laura is a graduate of University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology.

Senior Industry Analyst, Intertek Alchemy

• 30 years of experience in the food industry at companies like ConAgra, Kellogg, and Sara Lee.
• Helps Intertek Alchemy to create world class workforce development solutions for large, complex operations within the food industry
• Held positions in food safety, quality assurance, sanitation, and plant regulatory affairs.
• Accolades include Safe Quality Food Institute’s Outstanding Achievement Award and Food Logistics’ 2016 “Champions of the Supply Chain”

Sr. Manager Food Auditing, Subway

Aaron Clanton is the Director of BFTS Innovation for AIB International. Clanton has taught in all aspects of the AIB’s baking curriculum including bread production, cake and sweet goods production, operations, and the science of baking with a solid understanding of ingredient functionality and bakery processes.

• 20 years of experience in the food industry at several major companies including the Kellogg Company and Interstate Brands Corporation

• Senior food technologist at IBC, developing over 25 new bread and roll products introduced to the US market

Sr. Manager Food Auditing, Subway

Andrew currently oversees the Global Auditing Program for Subway, which includes the 2nd Party audits of all food and packaging Vendors and the large network of storage and distribution facilities supplying the Subway system worldwide.

• BSc Food Technology and an MSc Food Safety Management
• Significant experience in auditing and working in food manufacturing/processing/distribution and storage facilities in Europe and North America
• Experience working in senior regulatory and certification body positions
• Experienced and qualified food safety and quality auditor and trainer
• Active member of the International Association for Food Protection, a Fellow of the UK Institute of Food Science and Technology, and he currently serves on the BRC Global Standards Advisory
• Global Food Safety Initiative volunteer

Chief Human Resource Officer, Castellini

Bonnie has a long track record of accelerating growth for two very different companies, Procter & Gamble and Castellini.

• Expansive  expertise in management, supply chain, human resources and sales

• Headed the largest P&G plant in Asia

• Graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Chemical Engineering
• Currently enrolled in a PhD program for Leadership and Change