Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN
President & CEO
International Food Information Council (IFIC)
Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN is President and CEO of the International Food Information Council (IFIC), a nonprofit 501c(3) research and education foundation focused on effectively communicating science-based information about food safety, nutrition, and sustainable food systems, serving the public good.
Prior to joining IFIC, Wendy served as the President and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) (now known as the Foundation for Fresh Produce). At PBH, she guided the Foundation’s efforts with hundreds of public and private partners to advance fruit and vegetable consumption for happier, healthier lives. Under her leadership and through a two-year transformation, the organization launched the Have A Plant® Movement in 2019, which today inspires millions of consumers to eat and enjoy more fruits and vegetables every day.
From 2012 to 2016, Reinhardt Kapsak held multiple leadership positions in the Food, Nutrition & Health Partnerships as well as Corporate Engagement verticals at what is now known as Bayer Crop Science. While in these roles, her efforts focused on connecting the food, nutrition, culinary, and agriculture communities for greater understanding, collaboration, and innovation.
Wendy returned to IFIC after a previous tenure from 2000–2012, including service as Senior Director, Health & Wellness. During this time, she directed food and nutrition communication strategies, including consumer research, opinion leader and media outreach, as well as publications and partnerships, for multiple food safety, nutrition, and agriculture issues.
Wendy earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition and exercise science from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and James Madison University, respectively. She completed her dietetic internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital — an affiliate of the Yale University School of Medicine.
Bhakti Petigara Harp
Research Chemist
Office of Cosmetics and Colors, FDA
Bhakti Petigara Harp has been with FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors (OCAC) which now sits in the Office of Chief Scientist as a research chemist since 2000. Her current responsibilities as a supervisory research chemist include overseeing research and methods development for color additives and other components using various analytical for the agency’s color certification program. She also is a technical expert and troubleshooter to support the FDA district laboratories in regulatory actions concerning the analysis of atypical samples of food, drugs and cosmetics containing organic color additives. In addition, Bhakti oversees and performs chemistry reviews of data establishing chemical identity, composition, stability, and manufacture of color additives submitted in support of color additive petitions. Bhakti earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Maryland in College Park, Md.
Tongtong Xu, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist II
Food Chemicals Codex
Tongtong is a Documentary Scientist supporting the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) at U.S. Pharmacopeia, where she leads the development and modernization of standards for food ingredients, including colors from natural sources. She also serves as staff lead for the USP Adulteration and Contamination Joint Sub-Committee. Her previous roles at the American Beverage Association and FDA focused on ingredient safety, nutrition, and food additive regulations. Tongtong holds a Ph.D. in Food Science from The Pennsylvania State University.
Elisabeth Anderson
Director of Science Communication
Michigan State University, Center for Research on Ingredient Safety
Elisabeth Anderson is the Director of Science Communication for the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety at Michigan State University.
She focuses on the intersection of science, media, and technology, translating complex scientific information into accessible, evidence-based content that reaches audiences where they are, not where we think they should be.
Her work focuses on the algorithmic amplification of chemical ingredient content, optimizing scientific information for discoverability across modern search and information retrieval ecosystems, and integrating AI-driven tools into science communication strategies.
Her work has helped evidence-based content reach tens of thousands of readers and has supported national media coverage, including features in Tier 1 outlets.
She co-authored Curated: The Reality of Ingredient Safety with Dr. Joe Zagorski, the forthcoming book (2027) that explores the intersection of ingredient safety, misinformation, and the algorithmic forces shaping public perception.
She has her master’s degree in strategic communications from Michigan State University.
Doug McKalip
Former Chief Agricultural Negotiator
USTR
Ambassador Douglas J. McKalip is a globally recognized leader in trade, commerce, supply chain and national security issues. He served in the U.S. government for more than 30 years in senior food and agricultural trade and national security positions. From January 2023 to January 2025, McKalip served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). He was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate and was in charge of all global trade negotiations involving food and agriculture, representing a $1 billion sector of the U.S. economy. In this position, he secured over $26.7 billion in agricultural market access across the globe for America’s farmers, ranchers, fishers, and food manufacturers, and led negotiation and reduction of more than 14 tariffs that had previously faced U.S. products. As a result of Ambassador McKalip’s work, the U.S. four-year average of agriculture exports was 28.5 percent higher than the previous four years.
Prior to this position, McKalip served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture, handling all trade and national security matters. He coordinated supply chain and sourcing issues associated with military conflict in Eastern Europe, provided leadership on agriculture trade with the United Nations and served as point on matters involving the World Trade Organization. From 2011 to 2015, McKalip was Senior Advisor to the President of the United States for Agriculture and Rural Affairs at the White House Domestic Policy Council. McKalip has previously served in senior leadership positions with the Agriculture Marketing Service, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
McKalip was an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) and holds both a Masters and Bachelors Degree in Public Policy. He has delivered science and policy lectures on six continents. McKalip currently possesses a U.S. Coast Guard Master Mariner Captain’s License, and is authorized to operate commercial vessels up to 100 Tons.
Pam Gesford
Staff Scientist
The Hershey Company
Pam Gesford is a Staff Scientist at The Hershey Company, specializing in sweets and refreshment product development, with a focus on Jolly Rancher and Twizzlers innovation. She is an active member of the Professional Manufacturing Confectioners’ Association (PMCA) and serves on its Program Committee. Pam has taught confectionery industry courses for more than 25 years, including PMCA courses, former NCA and PMCA panning courses, and two current industry courses at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Pam has held senior technical and leadership roles across the confectionery industry. She began her career at Hershey Foods in product development, supporting chocolate and non-chocolate confections from concept through production startup. She later served as R&D Manager at the former Herman Goelitz Candy Company, now Jelly Belly Candy Company, where she developed new flavors for Jelly Belly and other Goelitz confections. Her experience also includes roles as Technical Service Manager at Colorcon, Technology Manager at Perfetti Van Melle USA, and Senior Consultant at Knechtel, Inc., where she provided R&D support, technical training, and troubleshooting for clients. Pam holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from The Pennsylvania State University and completed additional coursework in food science. Her contributions to the confectionery industry have been recognized with the Stroud Jordan Award in 2017, induction into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2021, and the Marie Kelso Award in 2022.