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Jeff Alix<\/a><\/div>
Global Director of Business Development, Pet Business Group<\/div>
dsm-firmenich<\/div>
Jeffrey Alix is the global director of business development for the dsm-firmenich pet business group. With a background in chemistry, food science and business, he offers more than 40 years of experience in pet food innovation, spanning R&D, product development and commercial strategy. Before joining dsm-firmenich in 2001, Alix held roles at Nestl\u00e9 Petcare and Bioproducts (now part of AFB International).<\/div><\/div>
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Sarah Andereck<\/a><\/div>
Pet Account Manager<\/div>
IFF<\/div>
Sarah Andereck is a seasoned commercial leader whose career spans the full food ecosystem \u2014 from pet nutrition to agriculture, human food and now, in her sales role, back to pet. She began her journey in pet food marketing at AFB International before expanding into agriculture and animal nutrition through marketing roles at Novus International. Andereck then transitioned into the human food and beverage space, serving as the global digital communication lead at IFF. Most recently, she made a purposeful shift from marketing into sales, taking on the role of pet account manager at IFF, getting to her first passion: the pet food industry. And though her career path has taken many turns, there have been constants: passion for customers, organization and great mentors who act as guideposts along the way.<\/div><\/div>
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<\/div>Emma Bermingham<\/a><\/div>
Founder and Head Consultant<\/div>
Ember Pet Nutrition<\/div>
Emma Bermingham, Ph.D., founder and head consultant for Ember Pet Nutrition, is a pet nutrition scientist and strategic advisor with 20 years of experience advancing evidence-based nutrition in the pet food industry. She bridges fundamental research with practical commercial pet food development, translating complex science into manufacturable solutions. A longtime advocate for cats and senior pets, Bermingham is dedicated to closing gaps in aging-related nutrition research and evaluating functional benefits of novel ingredients and sustainable strategies that optimize resource use.<\/div><\/div>
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Dana Brooks<\/a><\/div>
CEO and President<\/div>
Pet Food Institute<\/div>
Dana Brooks recently served as the president and CEO for the Pet Food Institute. With more than 30 years of experience across the food and agriculture industries, she has become a trusted advisor to the pet food industry. Her resume includes serving as director of government relations for Elanco Animal Health, senior vice president of government relations at the National Milk Producers Federation and director of public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation. Brooks earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in agriculture from the University of Arkansas-Monticello and a master\u2019s degree in agribusiness from Kansas State University, where she has also served as an industry advisor.<\/div><\/div>
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Charlie Connolly<\/a><\/div>
Business Development Manager<\/div>
Symrise - Videka<\/div>
Charlie Connolly holds a degree in microbiology and molecular genetics. With more than a decade of experience in the food safety and pharmaceutical industries, he joined Videka (a Symrise Pet Food company) in 2023 to lead global initiatives in antimicrobial solution development and commercialization. As business development manager, he focuses on advancing natural antioxidant and antimicrobial technologies for pet food protection.<\/div><\/div>
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Greg Daniel<\/a><\/div>
Strategic Industry Advisor - Pet Food\/Treats & Protein<\/div>
Haskell Company<\/div>
Gregory Daniel serves as strategic industry advisor for Haskell, bringing more than 26 years of experience in the pet food industry. His career spans technical services, new product and process development, and advanced statistical process optimization. Daniel has led numerous initiatives focused on improving product consistency, nutritional integrity and operational efficiency across diverse pet food categories. His deep understanding of processing transformations and facility design helps manufacturers achieve both innovation and certainty of outcome in pet food processing.<\/div><\/div>
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Caitlyn Dudas<\/a><\/div>
Principal<\/div>
Good Company<\/div>
Caitlyn Dudas is the founder of Good Company, a consultancy advancing regenerative supply chains in the pet food industry. She has more than a decade of experience leading sustainability initiatives, including co-founding and serving as executive director of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, where she built a 200-plus company member base and spearheaded industry-wide packaging and sourcing programs. Dudas currently advises ranchers, processors and pet food manufacturers on scaling regenerative ingredient markets across the U.S.<\/div><\/div>
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Erik Eckhardt<\/a><\/div>
Principle Scientist<\/div>
dsm-firmenich<\/div>
Erik Eckhardt earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Utrecht University and spent more than a decade in U.S. academia researching nutrition, the gut microbiome and immune health. In 2012, he transitioned to industry, focusing on microbial and nutritional solutions for digestive and immune health in humans and animals. Since 2021, Eckhardt has been principal scientist at dsm-firmenich, where he leads the development of postbiotics to support health from the gut and beyond.<\/div><\/div>
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Brooke Eiler<\/a><\/div>
Sales Manager, North America<\/div>
IFF<\/div>
Brooke Eiler\u2019s path illustrates that diverse education, experiences and roles can create an interesting and unexpected career journey. Today, she leads North American sales for IQI Trusted Petfood Ingredients, but her background spans leadership, sales, marketing, product and communications roles across varied industries. Eiler\u2019s early education and career were in public relations, but she quickly pivoted to marketing and product leadership \u2014 first in pharma, then in pet food ingredients. Her work eventually led her to sales and commercial leadership, including roles in Europe and one that took her briefly outside of pet food. In 2025, she found her way back to pet, where she plans to stay for good. Across every chapter, Eiler leads with adaptability, a fierce commitment to customers, a long-term mindset and a belief that careers don\u2019t have to be linear to be meaningful.<\/div><\/div>
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Ryan Estis<\/a><\/div>
Bestselling Author<\/div>
Sales and leadership<\/div>
Ryan Estis is a sales and leadership expert at the forefront of the human-centered growth movement transforming the way we work, lead and live so individuals and organizations can achieve sustainable success. He\u2019s a bestselling author who has spent his career building high-performance teams and a client roster of category-leading brands. As a strategic advisor and former Fortune 500 chief revenue officer, Estis understands that the key to meaningful results lies in elevating people to their highest potential. He empowers individuals and organizations to leverage change as a catalyst for growth and maximize their impact by embracing a human-centered approach to sales, leadership and life. Estis has served as an advisor to companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 giants including Mayo Clinic, Mastercard, the NBA, Pfizer, IBM, Deloitte, McKesson, CVS and State Farm Insurance. His work and writing have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Inc. and Entrepreneur magazines.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Tiffany Fiore<\/a><\/div>
Senior Product Manager<\/div>
McCormick \/ FONA<\/div>
Tiffany Fiore has 15 years of experience working in marketing for food and flavor, with the past three years managing the pet flavors business for McCormick Flavor Solutions. She brings firsthand knowledge of launching new products to market, coupled with a passion for staying on top of trends in pet food and treats.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Iv\u00e1n Franco<\/a><\/div>
Founder & Independent Advisor<\/div>
Triplethree International<\/div>
Iv\u00e1n Franco is the founder of Triplethree International Market Research, a firm specialized in advanced analytics and shopper insights for the pet food industry in Latin America. With more than 24 years of experience, he serves as an independent advisor to several leading pet food companies, guiding strategic decisions in pricing, market entry and category management. Recognized as consultant of the year for innovative market strategies, Franco is an author and frequent speaker.<\/div><\/div>
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Susan Gallager<\/a><\/div>
Senior Regulatory Analyst<\/div>
McCormick \/ FONA<\/div>
Susan Gallager offers more than 15 years of regulatory experience across the pesticide and food\/flavor industries. She has been with McCormick & Co. for more than four years, providing regulatory support for North American flavor solutions customers, including those in the pet food segment.<\/div><\/div>
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Craig Grantham<\/a><\/div>
Director of Business Development<\/div>
Pet Food Solutions<\/div>
Craig Grantham is a former CEO in the consumer packaged goods space, with 30 years of expertise creating, building and managing businesses to success. From startups to multibillion-dollar entities, he has managed and built businesses in multiple geographies and currencies. Specific to pet food, Grantham is the primary trade-facing contact for Pet Food Solutions and has been the architect of building its business since 2019.<\/div><\/div>
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Matt Graunke<\/a><\/div>
Freeze Dry Sales Executive<\/div>
Parker Freeze Dry<\/div>
Matt Graunke is freeze dry sales executive at Parker Freeze Dry, a Division of ProForm Fabrication. A seasoned veteran of the freeze dry industry, he has experience speaking on various subjects ranging from general education, scaling and process improvements.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Nicole Hill<\/a><\/div>
VP of Strategy and Innovation<\/div>
MarketPlace<\/div>
Nicole Hill is the vice president of strategy and innovation at MarketPlace, a specialized strategy and brand firm focusing exclusively on the pet and human nutrition markets. She drives forward-looking strategy and innovation, leading the firm\u2019s proprietary research platform, Nextin Research, which transforms emerging consumer trends and market intelligence into on-demand strategic insights. With deep expertise across the pet industry, Hill uncovers opportunities and translates them into high-growth strategies.<\/div><\/div>
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Min Hu<\/a><\/div>
Technical Fellow<\/div>
Rangen<\/div>
Min Hu, Ph.D., is a food chemist with more than 25 years of experience in product development and commercialization across the food and pet food industries and academia. He specializes in lipid chemistry, lipid oxidation and antioxidant development, with additional expertise in food proteins, carbohydrates, emulsifiers and hydrocolloids. Hu is currently a technical fellow at Rangen Pet Nutrition, developing new natural antioxidants and conducting application research of antioxidants in pet food and ingredients. Previously, he held research and team leadership roles at Corbion, DuPont Nutrition and Bioscience, Campbell Soup Co. and Colgate Palmolive. He edited the book \u201cOxidative Stability and Shelf Life of Foods Containing Oils and Fats\u201d and has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed papers, two books, seven book chapters and four patents. Hu serves on the editorial boards of two scientific journals and has presented at multiple international conferences.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Jessica Jarett<\/a><\/div>
R&D Principal Scientist, Pet<\/div>
Cargill<\/div>
Jessica Jarett, Ph.D., is the principal scientist for pet at Cargill Inc. She has more than 15 years of experience in microbiome research, translational science and product innovation, including seven years dedicated specifically to pet microbiome studies. She received a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of New Hampshire as a National Science Foundation fellow and has conducted postdoctoral studies in microbial genomics and single-cell genomics at the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute.<\/div><\/div>
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Sean Jones<\/a><\/div>
Director of Sales<\/div>
Glacial Freeze Dry<\/div>
Sean Jones, MBA, is the sales director at Glacial Freeze Dry, where he supports pet brands in launching and scaling freeze-dried products. Prior to joining the company, he founded Foodynamics, a multimillion-dollar enterprise acquired by Glacial in 2025. As co-founder of What\u2019s In The Bowl Pet Shops and its franchise system, Jones has firsthand experience in building successful pet businesses, having collaborated with more than 150 brands on product strategy, formulation, packaging and go-to-market execution. He also served for over a decade as faculty at the University of Phoenix. Certified in pet nutrition, canine herbalism and raw feeding, Jones blends technical expertise with real-world insights.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Jasmine Kataria<\/a><\/div>
Senior Scientist<\/div>
Kerry<\/div>
Jasmine Kataria, Ph.D., is a senior scientist in research and development at Kerry Ingredients and Flavors. She earned her Ph.D. in food science and technology from the University of Georgia and a master\u2019s degree from Auburn University; her research centered on developing and validating rapid quantification methods for Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry, as well as assessing clean-label interventions for their efficacy against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. At Kerry, Kataria leads the development, optimization and validation of clean-label antimicrobial technologies for both human food and pet food applications, with a focus on beverages and high-moisture products.<\/div><\/div>
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Mark Kleinschmit<\/a><\/div>
COO and CFO<\/div>
Other Half Processing<\/div>
Mark Kleinschmit (and his brother, Jim) were raised on a farm in northeast Nebraska, where their parents adopted regenerative practices in the early 1990s. Mark went off to college pursuing physics, and even received a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and then worked in standard development, product development and marketing for Avery Dennison. But Jim was often whispering about Other Half Processing: finding value in byproducts from regenerative farms as a way to support the whole movement. Jim was right \u2014 and he and Mark founded Other Half Processing in 2019, with Mark serving as COO and CFO.<\/div><\/div>
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Brenda Knapp<\/a><\/div>
Director of Nutrition<\/div>
Simmons Pet Food<\/div>
Brenda Knapp is the director of nutrition at Simmons Pet Food. She was born and raised on a family farm outside of Dubuque, Iowa, which laid the foundation for her passion for animals, agriculture and supporting farmers. She went on to earn her bachelor\u2019s degree in dairy science from Iowa State University, then graduate degrees at the University of Illinois in animal nutrition with a focus on companion animals. Knapp began her career in animal nutrition and spent over 10 years living and working in Latin America with Cargill and Trouw Nutrition, supporting a range of species from pets to shrimp. Her career includes a diverse range of technical, cultural and market experiences that have shaped her perspective, thinking and approach.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Shannon Landry<\/a><\/div>
Research Director, Pet<\/div>
Packaged Facts<\/div>
Shannon Landry is the research director for Packaged Facts Pet, a leading authority on the U.S. pet industry and a division of the Freedonia Group. She has been researching the pet market for more than two decades, covering pet food and treats, non-food supplies, veterinary services and non-medical services. Key areas of research include sales and new product trends, consumer purchase patterns and pet owner sentiments and influences.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Jennifer Lott<\/a><\/div>
Technical Development Director<\/div>
SGS<\/div>
Jennifer Lott is the technical development director at SGS North America, where she leads initiatives supporting global food and pet food manufacturers in auditing, compliance and quality assurance system development. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Lott specializes in food and product safety management systems, bringing deep expertise in certification, training and project management. She is known for her commitment to excellence, positive attitude and collaborative approach to problem-solving.<\/div><\/div>
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Annette Lundeen<\/a><\/div>
Head of Product<\/div>
Datacor Animal Nutrition<\/div>
Annette Lundeen is head of product for Datacor Animal Nutrition (formerly Format Solutions), a global provider of formulation and feed ERP software for animal feed and pet food manufacturers. She leads product strategy focused on improving operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making and regulatory-ready formulation and production workflows. With more than 30 years of experience in the feed industry, Lundeen began her career as a formulator and has held roles spanning formulation leadership, process standardization, global training and nutrition technology adoption. She holds a degree in animal science from the University of Minnesota and brings a practitioner\u2019s perspective to building software that works in real feed mill environments.<\/div><\/div>
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Jodi McCarthy<\/a><\/div>
President<\/div>
Pet Food Solutions<\/div>
Jodi McCarthy serves as the president of PFS. She started her career at KPMG\u2019s Chicago audit practice in 1998. She also worked in various accounting roles for several large Chicago-based companies. Beginning in 2010, she joined Sustainable Sourcing where she gained experience in the fats and oils industry. McCarthy has a bachelor\u2019s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois and a master\u2019s degree in history from DePaul University.<\/div><\/div>
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Eleanor McGhee<\/a><\/div>
Senior Vice President, Merchandising & Marketing<\/div>
Hollywood Feed<\/div>
Eleanor McGhee is senior vice president of merchandising & marketing at Hollywood Feed, where she leverages data-driven insights to shape retail strategy across the pet specialty chain. Her work focuses on translating consumer behavior, sales performance and store level feedback into actionable merchandising and marketing decisions to drive growth. McGhee partners closely with vendors to create integrated retail strategies that connect pet parents, brands and in-store teams. She is particularly passionate about using data to elevate the independent pet retail experience by helping pet parents make informed nutrition choices and enabling brands to connect more effectively at the point of purchase.<\/div><\/div>
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Bridget Meadows<\/a><\/div>
Founder and Owner<\/div>
Bridget Meadows Coaching<\/div>
Bridget Meadows is a business owner, an emotional support person for a very needy dog and a former-scientist-turned-life-coach. She is passionate about food, music, pets, chosen communities and social justice, and she believes finding the funny in any situation can save our individual and collective sanity. After 20 years in the pet food industry, Meadows pivoted her own career to found Bridget Meadows Coaching, dedicated to helping people find work they enjoy and makes them feel inspired, energized and part of something that\u2019s worth spending their precious time and energy on. She is an expert in change management, risk mitigation and decision making, bringing her background in science and innovation into coaching methods that are both rooted in evidence and lifted by possibility. In short, she loves helping people turn their big worries into bigger plans.<\/div><\/div>
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Teresa Miller<\/a><\/div>
Owner<\/div>
Treats Unleashed<\/div>
In 2002, Teresa Miller launched Treats Unleashed, a community-focused pet destination offering healthy supplies, top-tier grooming, local delivery, personalized nutrition and scratch bakeries. It now has 26 stores across Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. Miller also serves as IndiePet\u2019s past board president, championing independent neighborhood pet retailers nationwide.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Ana Rita Monforte<\/a><\/div>
S&T Global Flavor & Data Sciences Manager<\/div>
AFB International<\/div>
Ana Rita Monforte, Ph.D., leads research and development initiatives at AFB, connecting flavor generation with data-driven modeling to improve speed and reliability of palatant development. She holds a Ph.D. in chemistry and has directed scientific strategy for Maillard-based and hydrolysis-derived palatants. In parallel, Monforte has established internal AI-assisted frameworks that combine palatability outcomes, formulation metadata, analytical descriptors and trial context into predictive models that help rank candidates before live testing. She also drives internal capability building in statistics and machine learning for non-data scientists, advancing the shift from intuition-driven exploration to evidence-assisted design.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Lara Moody<\/a><\/div>
Executive Director<\/div>
Institute for Feed Education and Research<\/div>
Lara Moody is the Institute for Feed Education and Research\u2019s (IFEEDER) executive director, providing leadership to the public charity\u2019s activities including program development, strategic partnerships and collaborative resourcing. Working closely with IFEEDER\u2019s board of trustees and committee members, she develops and supports resources and efforts to advance the institute\u2019s research and education mission. Moody holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in agricultural engineering and a master\u2019s degree in biosystems engineering from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Previously, she served as vice president of stewardship and sustainability at the Fertilizer Institute and worked in research and extension programs at Iowa State University and the University of Tennessee.<\/div><\/div>
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Claire Obertin<\/a><\/div>
Research Associate<\/div>
Cleveland Research Co.<\/div>
Claire Obertin is a research associate at Cleveland Research Co., leading the Pet Insights Council, where she communicates and identifies key insights across the pet retail and animal health channels. Prior to joining the company, she worked for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Obertin holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in supply chain and operations management and marketing from Miami University.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Ann Marie D. Ocker<\/a><\/div>
Technical Marketing and Innovation Director<\/div>
International Ingredient Corporation<\/div>
Ann Marie D. Ocker, Ph.D., is the technical marketing and innovation director at International Ingredient Corp., where she connects scientific insight with strategic market development to advance innovation across pet food markets. With nearly two decades of experience spanning academic research, global R&D and commercial application, she specializes in ingredient functionality, processing technologies, natural product chemistry and formulation strategy. Her work focuses on promoting the value of upcycled and functional ingredients to support sustainability and nutrition. Ocker holds degrees in chemistry, biology, organic chemistry and food science, including her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee.<\/div><\/div>
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Kevin Ryan<\/a><\/div>
CEO and Founder<\/div>
Malachite Strategy and Research<\/div>
Kevin Ryan, Ph.D., is founder and CEO of Malachite Strategy and Research, where he helps consumer product goods, retail and foodservice leaders translate cultural shifts and consumer behavior into smarter innovation strategies. Drawing on 20 years at the intersection of anthropology, food science and corporate strategy, Ryan specializes in mapping emerging demand spaces, uncovering jobs to be done and guiding companies to opportunities they might otherwise miss. Before founding Malachite, he was global strategic senior planner at Amazon, shaping brand and advertising strategy for Prime and non-Prime consumers worldwide. He also led innovation strategy at General Mills, building new platforms and capabilities across its global portfolio. Ryan holds a Ph.D. in food science and a master of science in food anthropology. He is regularly featured as an industry expert in publications like Food Dive, the Food Institute and Food Navigator-USA.<\/div><\/div>
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