Agenda
2022 AAFP Annual Conference
Monday, September 12, 2022
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Around Fayetteville
Speaker Bios
John Handley
A food safety professional with over 17 years of poultry, beverage, bakery, and raw commodity milling experience. John has worked in a variety of roles for Tyson Foods, Inc., OSI Group, Cooks Venture, Cedar Lake Products, Inc., and Food Safety Net Services. The roles John has filled have spanned lab management, overseeing food safety and quality assurance and auditing, and serving as Director, Food Safety and Quality Assurance. John also is a co-founder of Black Apple Hard Cider in Springdale, AR. John has a bachelor’s degree in biology, a master’s degree in Food Science, and a doctorate in cell and molecular biology from the University of Arkansas.
Steven Mandernach
Steven Mandernach (Mawn-dur-knock) is the executive director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). Prior to becoming executive director in 2018, Mandernach was the bureau chief for food and consumer safety at the Iowa Department of Inspections. Mandernach is a past president of AFDO and current co-chair of the Association’s Laws and Regulations committee. He has also served as the chair and co-chair for the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Alliance. He is a past president of the Mid-Continental Association of Food and Drug Officials. Mandernach has a J.D. from Drake University Law School. He has completed graduate work in Food Safety at Michigan State University.
Shannon Harrison
Shannon Harrison is the Director of Quality for Simmons Pet Food & Animal Nutrition and has been with Simmons for five years. She leads the quality teams at the five pet food and the five animal nutrition production facilities. In addition to managing the quality teams at the plants, she focuses on customer education of pet food quality and food safety and continuously building a quality culture at all levels and functions of the organization. Prior to joining Simmons, Shannon spent nearly 16 years in various quality roles for ConAgra Foods. As a native of El Dorado, AR, Shannon graduated from Southern Arkansas University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and is currently completing her Masters of Food Safety at the University of Arkansas.
Shannon lives on a small hobby farm in Oklahoma with her husband Tony along with dogs, goats, sheep, chickens and turkeys. She enjoys the new adventure of farm life, spending time with family and college basketball.
Eelco Heintz
Eelco Heintz is Global R&D Manager for the Preservation Central team for Food Protection and Preservation unit at Kerry based out of Netherlands. He leads the discovery and development platform for Preservation solutions for food. He has more than 20 years of experience in the field of Food Microbiology and Preservation. He holds advanced science degree in Microbiology and Immunology from University of Utrecht.
Dr. Jessica Dyszel
Dr. Jessica Dyszel is the Director of Microbiology for BrightFarms Inc. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Microbiology from the Southern Illinois University and her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Her experience is primarily in the field of food microbiology and consulting with food manufacturers. Jessica’s research interests have been focused on understanding the fate and control of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in food matrices and the food production environment and helping to educate about potential risks within food production systems. Now with BrightFarms she is part of a dynamic team focused on better understanding the ecology of the growing systems for plant and human health.
Andrea Hines
Andrea Hines is the Training & Quality Manager for FSNS Certification & Audit and owner of a small consulting business, A Food Nerd, LLC. She started with FSNS in 2011, and currently manages auditor training and competency programs, and assists with external training courses. Andrea is a BRCGS Advanced Training Provider, BRCGS Lead Auditor and Witness Assessor, SQFI Lead Auditor, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, FSSC trainer, Certified Food Scientist, and earned her Master of Science in Food Safety from the University of Arkansas.
Amy Szadziewicz
Amy Szadziewicz is the VP of FSQA and Technical Services at George’s Incorporated and has over twenty-two years in the poultry industry. Amy is also a member of NCC committees, regulatory and technical, Broiler Welfare and AMS Committees. Previously, Amy served as the VP of FSQA at OK Foods, and was also the Director of Quality at Mountaire. Amy also enjoyed 15 years at Pilgrim’s Pride, serving in various roles including Sr QA Manager over Small Bird Plants, CFA Representative, QA Manager, Labeling and Regulatory Manager, Public Relations and also, accounting. Amy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Graphic Design as well as Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Science, and Master’s Degree in Business Administration. In her free time, Amy loves spending time with my husband (Joe) and kids, Jacob (8) and Isabella (11) and watching the many sports they are both involved in.
Dr. Lily Yang
Dr. Lily Yang, Associate of Food Safety, comes to us today from The Acheson Group, a consulting group that brings together subject matter experts to assist industry clients with practical food safety solutions focused on mitigating operational, regulatory, and reputational risk.
Lily is an enthusiastic and collaborative science communicator with a focus on food safety culture as it pertains to the impacts of consumer and stakeholder attitudes, behaviors, and technological utilization within the food system. Her food safety approach is through scientific and cultural inclusivity, literacy, accessibility, and capacity-building to nurture trust and bridge knowledge gaps to “meet people where they are”.
Lily earned her B.S in Food Science at UC Davis. She then worked for the USDA to develop and improve biochemical techniques for toxin detection within food matrices. Lily completed her M.S. and PhD in Food Science at Virginia Tech and was a science communicator for the International Food Information Council (IFIC).
Lily has many years of experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating adaptable educational toolkits, social marketing campaigns, and social media campaigns for diversified communities, food service industries, small- and mid-size producers, and food entrepreneurs to meet knowledge, policy, language, and technological needs. Her research interests include evaluating technology readiness levels for emerging food processing technologies, natural language processing (and big data mining) applicable to food safety and the food system, and understanding the adoption and utilization of smart farm innovations.
Dr. Nicole Arnold
Dr. Nicole Arnold is an Assistant Professor and Food Safety Field Specialist at The Ohio State University with a split appointment between Ohio State University Extension and the Department of Food Science and Technology. Her research aims to assess the current landscape of various food-based activities in practice to make recommendations for more effective food policies and educational initiatives. She primarily focuses on applied food safety, food safety education and interventions, and risk communication for consumer and food handler populations.
Dr. KatieRose McCullough
Dr. KatieRose McCullough serves as the director of science and public health at the North American Meat Institute where she provides expertise on a variety of topics including: meat science, food safety, meat consumption, public health, and more. As the scientist for NAMI, McCullough works to ensure policies are created on a sound science-based foundation. McCullough also serves as the Senior Science Advisor to the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education and leads their research program.
McCullough received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Texas Tech University, her Master of Science in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University with research focusing on meat quality and her Doctorate of Philosophy in Animal Science from Colorado State University with her research focusing on food safety. McCullough also holds a Master’s in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health focusing on Animals, People and the Environment.
Jenny Scott
Jenny Scott is a Senior Advisor in the Office of Food Safety with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, where is the technical lead for the Preventive Controls for Human Food rule and guidance. Prior to joining FDA in August 2009, Jenny was Vice President of Science Policy, Food Protection, at the Grocery Manufacturers Association in Washington, DC, where she held various positions over a 29-year tenure. She received a B.A. degree in biology from Wellesley College, an M.S. in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin, and an M.S. in food science from the University of Maryland. She has served several terms on the U.S. National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. She is a past president of the International Association for Food Protection and a fellow of both IAFP and the Institute of Food Technologists. She serves as the U.S. Delegate to the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene and co-leads the working group on the control of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli.
Dr. Denise Eblen
Dr. Denise Eblen was appointed as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in May 2018. In this role, Dr. Eblen leads OPHS to provide expertise in scientific analysis, including oversight of FSIS laboratories and testing of regulatory samples, risk assessment, and outbreak investigation and response. Her team provides recommendations on all matters involving public health and related sciences at FSIS. Her duties directly support FSIS’ Strategic Goals 1: Prevent Foodborne Illness and Protect Public Health, and 2: Modernize Inspection Systems, Policies, and the Use of Scientific Approaches. In 2015, Dr. Eblen joined USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in Washington D.C., as a Deputy Director. In this role, she led NIFA’s Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, which supports research, education and extension activities in food safety, food quality, nutrition and obesity. Dr. Eblen first joined the FSIS family in 2001 as the Agency’s first Food Safety Fellow and rose to become OPHS’ Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator in 2013. Dr. Eblen previously held the position of Research Associate at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, where she studied the safety of produce. A native of Ireland, Dr. Eblen is a naturalized U.S. citizen. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Ulster at Coleraine in Northern Ireland, a Master of Science Degree in Food Science from Queen’s University, Belfast, in Northern Ireland, and a Ph.D. in Food Safety Microbiology from the University of Ulster at Jordanstown, Northern Ireland.
Dr. Hany Sidrak
Dr. Hany Sidrak was appointed Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) Office of Field Operations (OFO) in May 2018. He has 31 years of FSIS experience, and throughout that time, Dr. Sidrak has been committed to ensuring the Agency’s Strategic Goals – 1: Prevent Foodborne Illness and Protect Public Health; 2: Modernize Inspection Systems, Policies, and the Use of Scientific Approaches; and 3: Achieve Operational Excellence – have been successfully implemented.
Some of Dr. Sidrak’s duties consist of developing and leading modernization efforts, including the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point-based Inspection Models Project (HIMP). He plays a critical role in guiding OFO District Offices that oversee more than 6,000 geographically dispersed plants to ensure that meat, poultry and egg products are inspected for wholesomeness, safety, and truthful labeling. In addition to domestic and exported products, Dr. Sidrak leads the inspection of imported products to ensure that public health is protected at home and abroad.
Dr. Sidrak joined FSIS in November 1991 as an in-plant veterinarian covering large volume poultry producing establishments in the Delmarva and Shenandoah areas. After moving to FSIS headquarters in March 1997, he has served as a Staff Officer with the Office of Policy and Program Development, Director of the Recall Management Staff, and Program Manager for field operations. Dr. Sidrak served as an Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations from April 2012 to May 2018, where he provided leadership to five of the 10 district offices and field personnel to protect the public’s health.
Dr. Sidrak is a 1984 graduate of Cairo University, College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Nikki Shariat
Dr. Nikki Shariat is an Assistant Professor in the Poultry Diagnostic & Research Center in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia in the United States. Dr. Shariat has published multiple scientific papers addressing methodologies for molecular typing of Salmonella and her research has been funded by the USDA, NOAA, and several stakeholder organizations as well as private industry. Her research program is focused on understanding Salmonella serotype diversity and ecology by employing novel PCR-based next-generation sequencing detection technologies. Her research team applies these technologies to assess serotype dynamics in food animal production to develop improved Salmonella controls, with an emphasis on poultry and cattle production, as well as in freshwater environments.
Zongjun Li
Zongjun Li is a founding member of Gastrograph AI, and the current Director of Application. Zongjun currently manages special projects and project delivery with a focus on the Asia Pacific region, and oversees the company’s APAC office in Shanghai. Zongjun has been a part of the global data collection team since 2018 and has played a key role in growing the world’s largest sensory dataset spanning more than 30 countries.
Prior to joining Gastrograph AI, Zongjun attended Penn State University and received a degree in Geospatial Science. While at Penn State, Zongjun was an active member of the Tea Institute and upon graduation did multiple research studies focusing on the species Camellia sinesis at The National Center of Atmospheric Research.
In his free time, Zongjun is a founding member of the Merakai Organization & Funds, a non profit organization whose mission is to help provide global awareness and acceptance for people with Autism. He is also an active member and occasional presenter at the Royal Asiatic Society China, a scholarship society devoted to furthering the understanding and appreciation of Asia-centric culture since 1823.
Dr. Steven C. Ricke
Dr. Steven C. Ricke received his B.S. and M.S. from the Univ. of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL. and Ph.D. from the Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Dr. Ricke was a USDA-ARS post doctorate in the Microbiology Department at North Carolina State Univ. then joined Texas A&M Univ. as a professor in the Poultry Science Dept. In 2005, he became the first holder of the new Donald “Buddy” Wray Endowed Chair in Food Safety and Director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Arkansas (UA) and was a faculty member of the Dept. of Food Science and Cellular and Molecular Graduate program until October 2020 when he became the Director of the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Program in the Animal and Dairy Sciences Dept. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received the Poultry Sci. Assoc. (PSA) Research Award in 1999, American Egg Board award in 2006, PSA Evonik Award for Achievement in Poultry Science in 2019 and Broiler Council Award in 2020. He was honored as a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Fellow in 2002 and UA John White Outstanding Research Award in 2012. He served as co-founder and former President of the Arkansas Association of Food Protection (AAFP). He was named an AAFP Fellow in 2015, a PSA Fellow in 2017, an International for Food Protection Fellow in 2019 and a University of Wisconsin – CALS Distinguished Alumni in 2019. He served as an American Society for Microbiology Distinguished Lecturer from 2015 to 2017.
Kurt Westmoreland
Kurt Westmoreland is the Chief Commercial Officer for FlexXray and has more than 35 years of experience in food safety. His early career focused on analytical testing with Silliker and evolved into a trusted and well-respected sales and commercial operations executive with Mérieux NutriSciences for 28 + years helping the company expand to a fully integrated food safety provider. Throughout his career, Kurt has been an active member in several industry associations, including but not limited to: IFT, IAFP, AFFI, IPPE, BIFSCO, NAMI and several others.