Speakers

Frank Yiannas is a renowned food safety leader and executive, food system futurist, author, professor, past president of the International Association of Food Protection, and advocate for consumers.

Most recently, he served under two different administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a position he held from 2018 to 2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with two industry
giants: Walmart and the Walt Disney Company.

After retiring from the FDA, Yiannas founded Smarter FY Solutions to help organizations address critical food safety and supply chain challenges. He also advises several prestigious companies, offering consultancy services to modernize compliance strategies and ensure clients meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.

Throughout his career, Frank has been recognized for his role in strengthening food safety standards in new and innovative ways, as well as building effective food safety management systems based on modern, science-based, and tech-enabled prevention principles.

Marlenea Jackson is Vice President of Quality, North America at Mondelez International, where she leads a team dedicated to ensuring the food safety and product quality across the region.  With more than 20 years of experience spanning Coca-Cola, Danone, and other major food companies, she ahs built a reputation for transforming organizations, strengthening compliance, and embedding quality as a value and driver of growth.  An Oklahoma native and graduate of Oklahoma Christian University, Marlenea is passionate about advancing food safety and champions programs that safeguard consumers while enabling sustainable business growth.

Mahir is a Master in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and currently is a Vice President at PepsiCo leading Global FSQA (Food Safety and Quality Assurance) Organization based in New York.

Mahir has four years of work experience in Unilever, India and then 29+ years of experience with PepsiCo. He has worked in Supply chain operations, EHS (Environment , Health and Safety) , R&D, Digitization and most of all in Food Safety and Quality Assurance across three continents – India, Dubai and USA. He is currently responsible for formulating and implementing strategic plans for all Food Safety and Quality initiatives across the entire product portfolio ( Snacks, beverages, Dairy, Bread and meat snacks in over 1300 company-owned and third-party manufacturing sites around the globe.

With deep-rooted knowledge across product categories and differing regulatory and cultural environments, he plays a pivotal role in establishing rigorous standards and systems. He has shared countless lessons learned during his career. His innovative approaches ensure that PepsiCo consistently delivers products that not only meet stringent safety guidelines but also resonate with consumer expectations and satisfaction. Under Mahir’s guidance, the company’s commitment to food safety, quality assurance, compliance, and consumer trust remains unparalleled.

Currently working for Dollar Tree Inc. as Vice President – Food Safety, Quality & Sanitation, Dan has spent the past 35+ years in the global food industry.

Starting his career as a regulator in the UK, he moved into roles as an auditor with a major certification body and trading law manager for two British-based retailers. Dan subsequently pursued a variety of consulting roles giving him the opportunity to work with regulators, retailers, manufacturers and restaurant groups in Europe, North America, the Middle East and SE Asia.

This experience led him to follow an opportunity in global business development where he moved to the US to lead teams for NSF; and from there to accept a role with Walmart as International Subject Matter Expert for Food Safety. He finished his seven years with Walmart as Group Director with the US Food Safety Teams.

Dan has spoken at conferences and seminars around the world, usually targeting the juncture between human behavior and compliance.

In addition to academic qualifications, Dan has focused his career on holistic personal development and actively seeks to be an advocate, an ally and a mentor.

Sara Mortimore is the former Vice President and Global Subject Matter Expert for Food Safety at Walmart Inc. In this role, Sara was responsible for the global development and oversight of all Food Safety programs and initiatives for the company’s more than 10,500 stores, manufacturing facilities, distribution, and fulfilment centers. A proud accomplishment was leading the team to be awarded the IAFP Black Pearl Award in 2024.

Prior to joining Walmart in May 2019, Sara held the position of Vice President of Product Safety, Quality and Regulatory Affairs with enterprise-wide responsibility at Land O’Lakes, Inc. In this capacity, she covered both human and animal foods and supported non-profit international development work.

Sara began her career with Glaxo SmithKline as a Research Technologist in Research & Development. In 1989, she joined Grand Metropolitan Foods, which later became Pillsbury and was subsequently incorporated by General Mills Inc. Here she led food safety, quality, and regulatory teams throughout international markets, including support of brands such as Haagen Dazs, Wanchai Ferry, Old El Paso, and Green Giant.

She is the co-author of several successful books, chapters and papers on HACCP and food safety management. Sara has served on the board of trustees for the Royal Society of Public Health, for the BRC International Advisory Board, and is a past member of the Global Food Safety Initiative Steering Committee.

Peter Begg serves as the Chief Quality and Food Safety Officer at Lyons Magnus, overseeing all facets of quality and food safety, including risk management, regulatory compliance, and product conformity. With extensive experience in the food industry, Peter previously held leadership roles at Hearthside Food Solutions, Glanbia Nutritionals, Mondelēz International, and Kraft Foods. His career spans 29 years, encompassing positions in engineering, research and development, and quality assurance. Peter’s expertise extends to global initiatives, having represented Mondelēz International on the Global Food Safety Initiative board. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, underpinning his commitment to excellence in food safety and quality.

Laurie A. Gerbers is the VP of Food Safety and Quality, Health and Human Safety, Environment, and Sustainability at Maker’s Pride. Laurie is passionate about organizational transformation, utilizing risk and risk reduction to drive food safety and operational excellence. With over 20 years of experience, she leads food safety and people safety at Maker’s Pride, emphasizing the core values of integrity, trust, and transparency.

Sue has been at Conagra for 15 years. She is responsible for customer-facing support in food safety quality and regulatory affairs. Her team supports key Conagra Brand strategic customers like McDonalds, Costco, US Foods, Walmart, and Amazon along with strategic private label customers. Her team supports the customer complaint management process, along with the management of all customer technical documentation requirements, questionnaires, and various inquiries to support the business. She also leads key food safety initiatives for new business initiatives like e-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer shipping. Most recently, Sue served on the board of the Mid-Continental Association of Food and Drug Officials (an AFDO regional affiliate) and created the Heartland Food Safety Roundtable which is an industry/regulatory agency forum for food safety and regulatory affairs discussions.

Prior to her fourteen years with Conagra, Sue was with the Schwan Food Company, the beef industry, and in healthcare food service management. Her roles in food manufacturing have focused on H&W innovation, scientific and regulatory affairs, food safety and quality, and customer management.
Sue has a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics and Nutrition from Missouri State University, an RDN credential from Kansas State University, and a Master of Science in Strategic Communications Management from Purdue University.

David Melton is the Corporate Quality Assurance Manager at Daisy Brand, where he oversees Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory programs across the organization. With over 20 years of experience in the Food Safety and Quality field, David has worked with companies ranging from small manufacturers to global enterprises. His expertise includes HACCP, FSMA compliance, sanitary design, environmental monitoring, and both USDA and FDA regulatory programs.

David’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry from The University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Science in Food Science from Texas Woman’s University, where he conducted research focused on fats and oils, particularly cottonseed oil.

Prior to his current role, David held leadership positions at Pegasus Foods, Conagra Brands, AFA Foods, and Fresh Express. He also holds certifications as a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) and BRC Third Party Auditor. Known for his deep technical knowledge and ability to build standardized programs, David is a respected leader in the industry with a passion for driving food safety and quality excellence.

Mahir is a Master in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and currently is a Vice President at PepsiCo leading Global FSQA (Food Safety and Quality Assurance) Organization based in New York.

Mahir has four years of work experience in Unilever, India and then 28+ years of experience with PepsiCo. He has worked in Supply chain operations, EHS (Environment , Health and Safety) , R&D, Digitization and most of all in Food Safety and Quality Assurance across three continents – India, Dubai and USA. He is currently responsible for formulating and implementing strategic plans for all Food Safety and Quality initiatives across the entire product portfolio ( Snacks, beverages, Dairy, Bread and meat snacks in over 1300 company-owned and third-party manufacturing sites around the globe.

With deep-rooted knowledge across product categories and differing regulatory and cultural environments, he plays a pivotal role in establishing rigorous standards and systems. He has shared countless lessons learned during his career. His innovative approaches ensure that PepsiCo consistently delivers products that not only meet stringent safety guidelines but also resonate with consumer expectations and satisfaction. Under Mahir’s guidance, the company’s commitment to food safety, quality assurance, compliance, and consumer trust remains unparalleled.

Frank Yiannas is a renowned food safety leader and executive, food system futurist, author, professor, past president of the International Association of Food Protection, and advocate for consumers.

Most recently, he served under two different administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a position he held from 2018 to 2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with two industry
giants: Walmart and the Walt Disney Company.

After retiring from the FDA, Yiannas founded Smarter FY Solutions to help organizations address critical food safety and supply chain challenges. He also advises several prestigious companies, offering consultancy services to modernize compliance strategies and ensure clients meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.

Throughout his career, Frank has been recognized for his role in strengthening food safety standards in new and innovative ways, as well as building effective food safety management systems based on modern, science-based, and tech-enabled prevention principles.

Douglas Guilherme is the Supply Chain Vice-President for US & Canada for The Hershey Company. Douglas leads Supply Chain driving best practices and building winning organizations to accelerate Leading Snacking Powerhouse vision. Douglas leads a diverse team in the business of supply. Every individual in his team strives to provide a demonstrable and sustainable competitive advantage.

Douglas serves as Member of Board of Directors for Goodwill – Easter Seals Minnesota and devote passion and dedication to develop underrepresented individuals.

Prior to this role, Douglas has led large Supply Chain corporations for 29 years in companies such as Procter & Gamble for 14 years and Ecolab for 4 years where he served as Global Senior Vice-President for Supply Chain.

Douglas earned his bachelor’s degree on pharmacy and biochemistry, followed by 2 post graduations titles on Operations and Administration and followed by Master’s on Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

Later Douglas studied Machine Learning, and Exponential Technologies from Singularity University and Technology Acceleration Program from Wharton.

He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Renata and children, Luisa and Vinicius.

Peter Begg serves as the Chief Quality and Food Safety Officer at Lyons Magnus, overseeing all facets of quality and food safety, including risk management, regulatory compliance, and product conformity. With extensive experience in the food industry, Peter previously held leadership roles at Hearthside Food Solutions, Glanbia Nutritionals, Mondelēz International, and Kraft Foods. His career spans 29 years, encompassing positions in engineering, research and development, and quality assurance. Peter’s expertise extends to global initiatives, having represented Mondelēz International on the Global Food Safety Initiative board. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, underpinning his commitment to excellence in food safety and quality.