Registration Now Open for Event Scheduled for May 11-14, 2026 in Rosemont, IL
ROSEMONT, IL / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2025 / In recognition of Food Safety Education Month, the Food Safety Summit (FSS) is proud to announce the members of its 2026 Educational Advisory Board(EAB), who will lead the development of dynamic educational programming for the 2026 Food Safety Summit, taking place May 11-14 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.
The EAB brings together leaders from food manufacturing, retail, foodservice, distribution, regulatory agencies, academia, produce, and advisory services to identify critical issues, develop engaging sessions, and deliver valuable insights for food safety professionals across the supply chain.
"It's an honor to lead such a passionate and experienced group of professionals on the Educational Advisory Board," said Gillian Kelleher, CEO of Kelleher Consultants LLC and Chair of the FSS EAB. "Together, we are identifying critical topics, engaging dynamic speakers, and crafting a robust program that addresses today's most urgent food safety challenges. The 2026 Summit will be an invaluable opportunity for learning, collaboration, and advancing the future of our industry."
Members of the 2026 Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board include:
Foodservice:
Al Baroudi, Ph.D., The Cheesecake Factory Inc.
Jorge Hernandez, The Wendy's Company
Matt Jenkins, McDonald's (New)
Sabrina Terada, Yum! Brands (New)
Steven Lyons, Ph.D., Chick-fil-A Inc.
Retail:
Glenn Stolowski, M.S., H-E-B
Jeremy Zenlea, M.B.A., EG America
Kathleen O'Donnell, M.S., Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
Liz Duffy, M.B.A., Walmart (New)
Michael Wood, Ph.D., Kroger
Robin Forgey, M.S., Costco Wholesale
Suzette Stalker, Target Corporation (New)
Manufacturing/Distribution/Produce:
Caitlin Boon, Ph.D., Mars (New)
Chitsanzo Chiko Kachaje, M.B.A., Home Market Foods
Deb Kane, J&J Snack Foods Corp.
Drew McDonald, Taylor Farms
Joan Menke-Schaenzer, Van Drunen Farms/FutureCeuticals
Julie Kuruc, Ph.D., PepsiCo (New)
Monica Khoury, Nestlé
Nickolas Waters, Sysco
Olamide Afolayan, Ph.D., Kellanova
Sharon Birkett, M.B.A., OSI Group, LLC
Spir Marinakis, Maple Leaf Foods
Regulatory:
Laura Gieraltowski, Ph.D., M.P.H., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Laurie Farmer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (New)
Steven Mandernach, J.D., Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
Tim Jackson, Ph.D., U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Academia:
Alvin Lee, Ph.D., Institute for Food Safety and Health
Ben Chapman, Ph.D., North Carolina State University (New)
John Spink, Ph.D., Michigan State University Food Fraud Initiative
Matthew Stasiewicz, Ph.D., University of Illinois
General/Advisory:
Adrienne Blume, M.A., Food Safety Magazine
Brendan Niemira, Ph.D., Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
Cindy Jiang, M.S., Food Safety Consultant
Donna Schaffner, M.S., Food Safety and Training Consultant
Gillian Kelleher, Kelleher Consultants LLC
Larry Keener, International Product Safety Consultants LLC
Lone Jespersen, Ph.D., Cultivate SA
Oscar Garrison, United Egg Producers
Sara Mortimore, Sara Mortimore LLC
Sharon Beals, SKKB LLC
Shawn Stevens, J.D., Food Industry Counsel LLC
William Lachowsky, Food Safety Consultant
The 28th Annual Food Safety Summit will be held May 11-14, 2026, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. Plans are underway for a comprehensive conference program, interactive exhibit hall, and collaborative opportunities designed to advance food safety across all sectors.
Registration for the Summit is now open. Register before September 30th with the code: LEARN and save $100 per person. For more information on sponsorship or exhibiting opportunities, contact Kim Hansen at hansenk@bnpmedia.com. For more information and updates for the 2026 event, visit https://www.food-safety.com/food-safety-summit.
The Food Safety Summit is owned and produced by Food Safety Magazine (www.food-safety.com) and BNP Media (www.bnpmedia.com), one of the country's leading business-to-business media companies serving industry professionals across 60+ industries through magazines, custom media, e-newsletters, webinars, events, and market research.
# # #
For further information, contact:
Amy Riemer, Media Relations
978-502-4895
amy@foodsafetysummit.com
SOURCE: Food Safety Summit
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/food-and-beverage-products/food-safety-summit-announces-prestigious-educational-advisory-board-to-d-1073913
