He graduated from CIHEAM – Mediterranean Institute located in Bari, Italy.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed him Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission (2014-2021). He serves as Chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee and as the chief economist function for Associated Builders and Contractors, the Construction Financial Management Association, the Modular Building Institute, and the Maryland Bankers Association. Dr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He acquired his Juris Doctor at the University of Maryland School of Law. He completed his doctoral work at UMBC with a concentration in health economics.

Bisht is additionally part of ITC Agri Business Division Leadership Team and is currently Chairman of All India Spice Export Forum (AISEF). He joined ITC in 2001 as Management Trainee after completing his Masters in Agri-Business Management from MANAGE, and pursued multiple management programs at IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, and Cornell University.

He has spent considerable time at Jayanti’s processing units in India and Turkey, understanding product technicalities, and also completed a brief stint at Jayanti’s office in Switzerland as Regional Head. Desai has participated in many knowledge-sharing sessions and has been a speaker at the International Spice Conference, the European Spice Association, and the Sustainable Spice Initiative. He is a commerce graduate and holds a diploma in International Trade and Foreign Exchange.

Karen completed MPH and PhD degrees in Public Health at the University of Minnesota where she received a Department of Homeland Security Career Development Grant, and was integral to the development and successful launch of the Food Fraud Database at the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). She previously served as Chair of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) Food Fraud Professional Development Group and as a member of food authenticity expert panels at USP and AOAC International. Karen has additionally published articles and co-edited a book on food fraud risk mitigation that was published in 2021.

He has over 20 years of experience in the spice industry with extensive knowledge and experience in quality processes, food safety and regulatory affairs. Roberto is also a member of the Contaminants Working Group of FDE (Food Drink Europe).

After completing rabbinical school, Mendy joined NFC in 2015 as a trained inspector and reviewer. In 2019, Mendy assumed the role of Administrator at NFC, taking on the responsibility of managing the organization’s activities.

Under Mendy’s leadership, NFC has adapted to meet the evolving needs of the growing organic certification industry. He has been instrumental in streamlining certification services, simplifying complexity in certification while maintaining a strong commitment to integrity and transparency.

Anna earned her master’s degree in International Development from George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College. She previously served as Associate Director for Foundation Relations at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and has written extensively on the potential benefits of leveraging agricultural technologies to improve food security throughout the developing world.

Gradison has considerable experience with FDA and FSMA, including advising companies on what FSMA means for their business, helping to develop compliance strategies, and providing strategic advice on public policy issues. Her practice also focuses on enforcement and compliance matters, particularly involving recalls or following the receipt of FDA Warning Letters. She graduated with high honors from The George Washington University Law School and summa cum laude from Tulane University.

Lone chaired the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) technical working group “A Culture of Food Safety,” chaired the International Association of Food Protection’s (IAFP) professional development group “Food Safety Culture,” and was the technical author of the BSI PAS320, “Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture.” Lone holds a Ph.D. in Culture Enabled Food Safety from the University of Guelph, Canada, and a Master in Mechanical Engineering from Syd Dansk University, Denmark, and is a visiting professor at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. Lone serves as chair of the IFPTI Board and as director of the STOP Foodborne Illness Board.

After his tenure in the State Senate, and prior to founding Long Point Advisors, Craig spent five years at Dentons, a global law firm, and its predecessor law firm, McKenna Long & Aldridge. Craig also worked at Bloomberg LP, where he was responsible for the development of Bloomberg Law’s integrated market strategies for key segments of the legal marketplace. Most recently, he served as Vice-President of Government Affairs for Altice USA, Inc., the fourth largest cable company in the United States, where he oversaw the lobbying and advocacy efforts throughout the company’s 21-state footprint. Craig graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College in 1993 with a B.A. in History. He received his J.D., cum laude, from St. John’s University School of Law in 1996, where he was an editor on the Law Review.

Dan has been with McCormick for 16 years and came to McCormick following 17 years of factory and headquarters Quality leadership with Nestle S.A.

She works to execute ASTA’s regulatory and technical affairs strategy by monitoring regulatory developments and creating member resources on regulatory and technical affairs matters to assist compliance activities. Before ASTA, Shannen held several scientific roles supporting trade associations, including the International Organization of the Flavor Industry (IOFI), the International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM), and the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). Shannen received her B.S. in Environmental Science from Hollins University and her M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins Krieger School of Arts & Sciences.

From 2015 to 2021, Brent was the Director U.S. Regulatory Affairs at Cargill, Inc., where he provided leadership and technical, regulatory direction to ensure that Cargill products and processes were compliant with all applicable US FDA food laws/regulations. In addition, he led the rollout of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) across ~500+ facilities globally. From 2009 to 2015, Brent was the Manager of Toxicology for General Mills where he was responsible for assuring the chemical composition of all General Mills’ products meets applicable product safety and regulatory standards.

Brent Kobielush received his B.S. from Bethel University (St. Paul, MN) in Chemistry and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (Rochester, NY) in Toxicology.

As the founding president of CSA, he works with CSA colleagues for China’s national food ingredients standards and cooperates with international professional associations to host the China Spice Conference. He was a professor at Shandong Agriculture University, Taian, Shandong, China, from 1985-1996, a visiting scholar at Texas Tech University from 1996-1998, and a Research Scientist at the University of California, Davis, from 1998-2000.   

He also examines the use of pesticides in different plantation crops, working with channel partners to identify chemical overload in Indonesian spices. Since 2014, Soumen has also been a Director at Magri Business Pte Ltd in Singapore. His prior experience included directing trading and sourcing black pepper and cashew kernels from Southeast Asia for Cornhouse Pte Ltd., Singapore. He holds an MBA in Agribusiness from the College of Agribusiness Management, G.B.Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India, and a B.SC. in Agriculture from Agra University, India.

Robert serves as an Associate Editor on the Journal of Dietary Supplements. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Communication Science and a Juris Doctor, both earned at Pennsylvania State University where his studies focused on administrative and regulatory law and on persuasive message design. He is published on issues of scientific evidence and public persuasion campaigns related to the food and drug product sectors and previously worked with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Before joining MGIL, Mr. Jayakrishnan was heading the procurement for McCormick’s India rice business. He has also worked with the joint venture operation of McCormick in India operating by the name AVT McCormick and during this tenure he managed the portfolio as a Key Accounts Manager, overseeing major accounts and their respective responsibilities ranging from business volumes to profitability

Mr. Jayakrishnan holds a Post Graduation in Business Management from a prestigious business school in India – Indian Institute of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Computer Science from the University of Bombay.

An MBA holder in Sales & Marketing with Masters in Tourism and Graduate in Hospitality Management, Prakash is currently based out of Cochin, working with A.B. Mauri India Pvt Ltd. (formerly Cochin Spices), a subsidiary of Associated British Foods Plc as Commercial Director- Strategy & Growth. He has recently also finished Advanced Strategic Management Program from IIM (one of the most premium management institutes in India) with top honors.  

Vini is a change catalyst and 25-plus years spice industry expert with an extensive background in transforming organizations at global scale by leading cross-functional teams to deliver revenue, margin, and EBITDA growth through collaboration, innovation and inspiration. He has worked across multiple continents, in different roles ranging from Supply chain management, Sales and business development to product and overall business management in the chemicals and Spices industries in Indonesia, India, Europe and the USA.

Vini received an MBA from University of Mumbai, India. An avid motorhead and Indian Mughlai cuisine enthusiast, Vini lives with his family in Fresno, CA, and enjoys hiking, traveling, and photography.

Nate started at Pacific Farms in 2000 while simultaneously attending the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a degree in International Business. After university, Nate enjoyed a successful career in CPG manufacturing but his heart was always in the food industry. In 2012, Nate returned to Pacific Farms, successfully transitioning ownership from his father and other partners. Since 2012, Pacific Farms has rapidly grown to become one of the industry leaders in supply of minimally processed vegetable ingredients to food manufacturers. Nate is most proud of the team he has built and the relationships that Pacific Farms has maintained for multiple decades.  

Tom has held increasingly responsible positions in manufacturing, planning, purchasing, sales/marketing, and joint venture operations and has traveled extensively to source markets during his career. Tom served on the ASTA Board of Directors for six years and was ASTA President from 2000-2002. 

Rao has dedicated a large part of his career to implementing strategies for reducing the usage of pesticides in the production of spices & Herbs and is a pioneer in promoting integrated pest management in spice cultivation with the objective of meeting US and EU regulations. In recent years, he has focused on Climate Change Action in Spices and herbs and has promoted Sustainable Sourcing, Regenerative Agriculture, and GHG emission reduction strategies in the supply chain. Rao holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Rural Management. In June 2016, he was a Panel Member at the United Nations SDG business forum moderated by Brian Griffith, Chairman of Griffith Foods, in New York.

With over 23 years in the industry, Gary’s technical experience spans all areas of quality, safety, and the authenticity of ingredients, most notably in the production and processing of Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings.

Gary’s career includes operating within key industry associations and committees. He has made significant contributions as a member of the Seasoning and Spice Association (SSA UK) ’s Executive Board and Technical Committee, the Food Industry Intelligence Network (FiiN) ’s Technical Steering Group, and the Gluten Free Industry Association (GFIA) ’s Technical and Executive Committees. Gary is also currently active in a variety of technical committees within the European Spice Association (ESA) & the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA).

His extensive travels conducting food safety and integrity audits and farm-level investigations following industry incidents have given him a broad understanding of the vulnerabilities and complexities within global ingredient supply chains.

Tridge is a trusted provider of reliable data, information, insights, analytics, and networks for the global agri-food supply chain; empowering an equitable, resilient and sustainable future for generations to come.

Other projects have involved establishing import tolerances for various commodities and MRL harmonization issues and working on pesticides undergoing registration review in the US and other countries. While at EPA, she was the Director of the Registration Division in the Office of Pesticide Programs for 11 years. She additionally served as the U.S. delegate to the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) from 2004 to 2014. She was the head of the U.S. delegation to the Working Group on Pesticides and the Registration Steering Group for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Ms. Rossi has a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, and a Masters of Science in Biostatistics and Epidemiology from Georgetown University.

Tamás completed an Executive Education in Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies at Cambridge Judge Business School, and holds an Executive MBA from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Passionate about creating positive impact and value across the spice industry and beyond, Tamás actively contributes as the Sustainability Committee Chair at ASTA. He also serves as the Communication Committee Chair at the SSI, where he champions collaboration, engagement, and advocacy within the spice community and the broader public.

Aaron has extensive experience communicating complex issues and gaining regulatory and legislative support for products and technologies that upset the status quo and draw intense scrutiny. Today, he performs a variety of public affairs functions for his firm’s diverse group of clients, including strategic planning and counsel, crisis training and management, media engagement, media training, and coalition building.

He has played an active role in organic and inorganic growth, mergers, and acquisitions of the company’s food business. Suvan Sharma has a Bachelor’s in Commerce and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Her key focus areas are domestic and international regulatory advocacy, issue management, and navigating challenges related to the supply chains of food ingredients sourced from origin countries. Prior to joining ASTA, she previously led the Scientific and Regulatory affairs function at the National Confectioners Association and oversaw the Chocolate Council, a decision-making body that handles issues specific to the cocoa and chocolate industry. Laura received her Master’s in Health Sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor’s in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin. She is an active member of professional societies, including the Institute of Food Technologists and the Food and Beverage Issue Alliance.

His current research uses machine learning to understand better field-level weather impacts on US yields and increase confidence in long-range weather prediction. Snodgrass is a co-founder of Global Weather and Climate Logistic, LLC and Agrible, Inc, both acquired by Nutrien Ag Solutions in 2018. From 2006-2019, Eric was the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he taught over 20,000 students across a wide range of course work in Atmospheric Science.

Before Giza, Shazly was a consulting manager at Bain & Company, focusing on private equity projects and post-merger integrations in Europe and the Middle East.

In his current role, he manages global programs governing the hazard analysis process for ingredients supplied to PepsiCo. He is a subject matter expert for assessing and mitigating chemical contaminant risks to the ingredient and product portfolio. In addition, he leads global cross-category working groups focused on developing and deploying tools and processes to strengthen PepsiCo’s Food Safety programs and standards. Joseph received a Master’s in Analytical Chemistry from SUNY Oswego.

With the current pivotal role of the Vietnam pepper and spice Industry, she aims to drive the production and business of Vietnam’s pepper and spices for sustainable development.

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.