60th Anniversary Annual Meeting Agenda

Melanie Goulson is President and Principal Scientist at Merlin Development, where she leads product development, ingredient applications, and research services for the food industry. A sweetener innovation expert since 2001, she has helped develop new sweetener ingredients, low/no-sugar products, and industry training programs. Previously, she spent 26 years at Cargill and contributed to the introduction of food-grade stevia and Truvia® products. She holds degrees in Biotechnology and Food Science from the University of Minnesota.

Bonnie translates complex scientific evidence into credible, differentiated strategies that build trust with healthcare professionals, consumers, and key stakeholders. Throughout her career, she has led research and promotion initiatives for commodity groups and the food industry. At IAFNS, she oversees the Assembly on Scientific Integrity and several nutrition committees, partnering with committee Chairs to advance strategic, technical, and programmatic goals.

David brings 40 years of academic and industry research experience across the US, UK, and Netherlands. He has published over 120 papers, primarily on eating behavior and metabolic health, including reviews and commentaries on sugars and sweeteners. Since retiring from Unilever in 2019, he has continued in research, advisory, and consultancy roles, and served on the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition from 2005 to 2025. He is a Fellow of the Association for Nutrition.

Katherine Appleton is a Chartered Psychologist and Registered Nutritionist at Bournemouth University, UK, where she has worked since 2012. She holds a BSc in Psychology from the University of Southampton and a PhD in Biological Psychology and Nutrition from the University of Leeds, and previously held posts at Leeds, Surrey, Bristol, and Queen's University Belfast. Her research focuses on human eating behaviour and optimizing health and well-being in the general population.

Joanne is a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She teaches Advanced Human Nutrition and has authored more than 350 scientific articles on dietary fiber, carbohydrates, whole grains, protein, snacking, gut health, and sustainable agriculture, alongside more than 350 scientific presentations worldwide. She served on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and belongs to numerous scientific societies, including IFT, AND, and ASN.

Julie Miller Jones is Emeritus Professor of Nutrition at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, twice named the university's outstanding professor. A Fellow of AACCI, International Cereal Chemists, and the Institute of Food Technologists, she has served as AACCI president and IFT Nutrition Division chair, and advises the Oldways Whole Grains Council, Grain Foods Foundation, and Carbohydrate Quality Council. She has published extensively on dietary fiber, carbohydrate quality, and whole grains in balanced dietary patterns.

Dr. Heather Schaefer is an Associate Director in ToxStrategies' Health Sciences practice, providing food and toxicology clients with epidemiological and toxicological support for safety assessments and systematic reviews. With over 15 years of public health experience, she previously worked as a toxicologist for the FDA's Human Foods Program and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Dr. Schaefer earned her Doctor of Public Health from Texas A&M University and co-chairs the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaborative.

Keith T. Ayoob, Ed.D., is a pediatric nutritionist and clinical practitioner whose work focuses on childhood obesity, feeding problems, and family-centered treatment. He helped develop the NuVal nutritional scoring system and co-designed Walt Disney Corporation's global nutrition policy, endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama. He coauthored The Uncle Sam Diet, is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and has testified before Congress on diet pill marketing to children.

Jessica O'Connell co-chairs Covington's market-leading global Food, Drug, and Device Practice Group. Drawing on nearly twenty years of experience at FDA and in private practice, she advises companies and trade associations on regulatory strategy, product risk, and engagement with FDA, FTC, and Congress. Chambers USA calls her "exceptionally smart" with "tremendous insight from being a regulator." Her practice spans food, beverages, dietary supplements, cosmetics, OTC drugs, and emerging technologies like alternative proteins and CBD.

Kevin Kenny has spent his career protecting the safety of food and consumer products. After living and working across Europe, he co-founded Decernis in 2002, building leading regulatory and compliance solutions used globally across the food industry, later acquired by FoodChain ID. Following his 2024 retirement from FCID, Kevin founded Invenimus Training Institute, delivering practical, expert-led, AI-powered food compliance and safety training globally in multiple languages.

Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN is President and CEO of the International Food Information Council (IFIC), a nonprofit 501c(3) research and education foundation focused on effectively communicating science-based information about food safety, nutrition, and sustainable food systems, serving the public good. Prior to joining IFIC, Wendy served as the President and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) (now known as the Foundation for Fresh Produce). At PBH, she guided the Foundation’s efforts with hundreds of public and private partners to advance fruit and vegetable consumption for happier, healthier lives. Under her leadership and through a two-year transformation, the organization launched the Have A Plant® Movement in 2019, which today inspires millions of consumers to eat and enjoy more fruits and vegetables every day. From 2012 to 2016, Reinhardt Kapsak held multiple leadership positions in the Food, Nutrition & Health Partnerships as well as Corporate Engagement verticals at what is now known as Bayer Crop Science. While in these roles, her efforts focused on connecting the food, nutrition, culinary, and agriculture communities for greater understanding, collaboration, and innovation. Wendy returned to IFIC after a previous tenure from 2000–2012, including service as Senior Director, Health & Wellness. During this time, she directed food and nutrition communication strategies, including consumer research, opinion leader and media outreach, as well as publications and partnerships, for multiple food safety, nutrition, and agriculture issues. Wendy earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition and exercise science from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and James Madison University, respectively. She completed her dietetic internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital — an affiliate of the Yale University School of Medicine.

Allison Mikita is Vice President and Director of the Global ExpertBench at FoodMinds in New York, specializing in global food and nutrition affairs, thought leader engagement, and translating science into compelling, business-aligned communications. She leads a team of 30+ international nutrition and communications experts delivering strategic counsel, scientific and regulatory expertise, and issues management for clients. Allison holds a master's in food policy and nutrition communications from Tufts University and a bachelor's from Ithaca College.