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.