B. Jan-Willem van Klinken, MD, PhD, MSc
Director Nutrition: PepsiCo
Bernardus Jan-Willem van Klinken is Director Nutrition at PepsiCo and leader of the research program in grains and oversees the clinical research in nutrition at PepsiCo. He gained his medical license at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, where he received training in Pediatrics and completed a PhD in Medicine. He received a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition from Columbia University in New York City.
Beth Arndt, PhD in Grain Science and Industry – Kansas State University
Director: R&D for ConAgra Foods
Beth focuses on whole-grain and functional ingredient development, whole-grain product applications, health and wellness studies as well as nutrition
and labeling. With over 15 years of food industry experience, she is a co-inventor
on patents involving whole-grain foods with enhanced benefits of blood sugar management and satiety.
Lee Anne Murphy
Lee Anne serves as a first point of contact for groups and individuals seeking to connect with Manitobas vibrant functional food and nutraceutical industry. She combines a solid technical background with on-the-job credentials gained in public and private companies. Prior to joining MAHRN, Lee Anne provided strategic communications counsel to public, private, not-for-profit associations and government clients.
Bill Atwell, PhD in Grain Science – Kansas State University
Research Fellow & Technical Leader: Bakery Category in Cargills Global Food Technology Group.
Professor: Department of Food Science and Nutrition – University of Minnesota
Bills 30+ years of experience in the food industry has brought him from inventor or co-inventor on 18 U.S. patents, to co-author of the Eagan Press handbook Starches, and author of Wheat Flour, as well as several other book contributions and journal articles. Hes served in a variety of positions with the American Association of Cereal Chemists International.
Mary Ellen Camire, PhD in Food Science – Texas Womans University
Professor: Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition – University of Maine
Director: University of Maines Testing Center
Mary Ellen was the 2006 recipient of the Babcock-Hart award from the Institute of Food Technologists and the International Life Sciences Institute. Her research interests include chemical changes in extruded foods, factors influencing consumer acceptability of healthy foods, and health benefits of foods, particularly fruits and whole grains.
Paul F. Jacques, D.Sc.
Professor: Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University
Senior Scientist and Director: Nutritional Epidemiology Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA HNRCA at Tufts University
Dr. Jacques currently focuses his research on Flavonoids, B vitamins, whole grains, diet patterns and diet quality, and their relation to inflammation, insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. He has been awarded the 2005 USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Robert M. Russell Scientific Achievement Award and the 2007 Jean Mayer 25 Year Scientific Leadership and Service Award. Dr. Jacques has contributed over 225 original research publications to the literature and is a long-time member of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, American College of Nutrition (Fellow), and American Society for Nutrition.
Gerald F. Combs, Jr., PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry – Cornell University
Director: Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Gerald is internationally recognized as a leader in nutrition, having published widely and conducted research ranging from basic biochemical studies to human metabolic and clinical investigations as well as serving on USDA strategic planning committees for food security research. Currently hes researching the proteomics/metabolomics of selenium in humans, including effects of adiposity.
Carol J. Pratt, RD
Liaison: Human Health & Nutrition Industry Liaison, Heartland Plant Innovations Inc.
Carols focus is on collaborating with food industry businesses and academic researchers with interest in native plant, wheat and sorghum plant components and extracts to improve existing food offerings and stimulate new product development. She advises corporate, academic and non-profit organizations in areas of nutrition science, labeling and regulatory affairs, product development, benchmarking analysis, dietetic training and mentoring.
Jeff Dahlberg, PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics – Texas A&M University
Director: Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension (KARE)
Jeff is Center Director for KARE which cares for the farmers, consumers and environment of San Joaquin, California and the Nation. He is an expert in sorghum germplasm working with this ancient cereal crop for the past 25 years. He is one of the founding members of the Whole Grains Council and continues to work on promoting sorghum for its health benefits, especially as a source for a whole grain gluten-free cereal.
Jon Faubion, PhD
Professor: Baking Science, Department of Grain Science – Kansas State University
Over his 30-year career, Jon has had the sole or shared responsibility for teaching 9 different cereal or food science courses. He has authored 82 refereed journal articles and nine book chapters. He is a senior editor of Cereal Chemistry, an associate editor of Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, and currently a member of AACCIs Professional development panel and publications panel.
Jan de Vries
Independent Consultant: De Vries Nutrition Solutions
Jan de Vries has more than 16 years’ experience in the Research & Development of the food industry, respectively in the Dairy Industry (Friesland Coberco from 1994-2006) and the Bakery Ingredient Supplies Industry (CSM from 2006-2010). Before starting to work for the food industry he contributed to several advices from the Dutch Food and Nutrition Council in the Netherlands. With his background in Biology, Human Nutrition and Pharmacology he is able to understand a wide variety of scientific approaches needed in the field of cereal sciences and health. His publications cover the broad area of human nutrition to pharmacology. During his industrial career he participated actively in many Task Forces of ILSI-Europe and actively represented his employers in the Top Institute Food and Nutrition in the Netherlands. From September 2010 he started a consultancy to support food industry, government and other organizations in scientific background of nutritional issues.
Eileen Ferruggiaro, RD, PhD in Human Nutrition, Syracuse University, New York
Section Chief: The Nutrition and Technical Assistance Section at USDAs Child Nutrition Division of the Food and Nutrition Service.
Eileen previously worked as a nutrition information specialist at the Food and Nutrition Information Center working on the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements database and the USDA Nutrient Standard Menu Planning Software Evaluation Team Projects.
Kalidas Shetty
Professor: Department of Food Science University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Kalidas research interests focus on redox pathway-linked biochemical regulation of phenolic phytochemicals in food botanicals to add value to food systems. In particular the focus is on crop and botanical systems, food ingredients and beneficial bacteria critical for combating chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and serve as the basis of new biochemical rationale for healthy whole food design for advancing global food security and health.
Joe Vanderliet
Owner: Josephs Best Flours
Joe began his career in the Midwest as a grain buyer for Archer Daniels Midland, and has attended both baking and brewing schools. He soon grew frustrated by how many nutrients were lost in conventional milling, where the only goal seemed to be to produce the whitest of flour. Not only is Vanderliets mill small enough that he can finesse the best out of each grain variety, but he also uses a unique combination of grindstones and steel rollers. Vanderliets Certified Foods is certified organic and grinds only whole-grain flour.
Kathy Wiemer, RD
Director & Fellow: Regulatory and Issues Management General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition
Kathy has been employed at General Mills for over 30 years. She is responsible for ensuring General Mills products comply with existing government and corporate nutrition regulations and policies. She serves on the Grocery Manufacturers of America board, the Nutrition, Health & Labeling
Committee and the Board for the Wheat Foods Council. She is a member of the American Association of Cereal Chemists International and co-chair of the International Food Information Council Carbohydrates/Sugars committee.
Steve Leusner
Principal: Fields of Gold Consulting LLC
Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Rutgers and an MS in Organic Chemistry from the University of Maryland. He began his career in 1979 with General Foods (later became Kraft) working in areas including: new product development for desserts, chemical modification of starches, Jell-O, Cool Whip, POST cereals, and spray dried whipping components. In 1995, he moved to General Mills, and worked with wheat sourcing, bakery flours, Wheaties, CHEX, and Cheerios. He also worked in the Bell Institute of Health & Nutrition doing mineral bioavailability and healthier grain explorations for cereals. In 2001, he moved to Sherbrooke Capital in Boston to assess venture capital opportunities for General Mills. In 2004, Steve moved to Ottens Flavors in Philadelphia to lead new technology in flavors and flavor development. In 2010, Steve founded “Fields of Gold Consulting LLC” which he still operates. Steve holds numerous US and International patents in the food arena.
Gary Fulcher, PhD in Botany
Department Head & Professor: Department of Food Science at the University of Manitoba – Winnipeg.
Fellow: American College of Nutrition
Currently Dr. Fulchers teaching focus is on food product development. He was Research Scientist and Coordinator for Grains and Oilseeds in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as well as the first ever chair of the General Mills Cereal Chemistry and Technology committee in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota.
Adelmo Monsalve-González, PhD-Washington State University
R&D Manager- Malt-O-Meal Company
Adelmo Monsalve has more than 19 year of experience in the food industry. He is responsible for the Ingredient and New Technology Platform. He also serves in various positions as technical lead at Malt-O-Meal. Adelmo is a member of the American Association of Cereal Chemists International and Institute of Food Technologist and served as technical arbiter for peer review technical papers. He has authored peer review journal articles, book chapters and he is an inventor of five US patents.
Jeff Casper
Principal Scientist: Cargill Bakery Category
Jeff is a principal scientist within Cargill’s Bakery Category, where he is responsible for the development of dough and grain based technology and products for Cargill’s bakery related customers and Cargill’s business units. Jeff earned a B.S. in food science from Iowa State University (minor in Biochemistry), and an M.S. in Food Science with an emphasis in Food Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Prior to Cargill, Jeff worked 4 years in product development on refrigerated and frozen dough products at Pillsbury, and six years at General Mills where he had roles in the development of technology for dough and grain products and product development on bakery and snacks for retail and school nutrition. Jeff has also held the position of the Chair of the Northwest Section of the American Association of Cereal Chemists International and has been active with the AACCI for 10 years. Jeff is listed as an inventor on 8 US patents or current patent applications. Jeff is an avid home brewer and baker, and burns the calories consumed by those hobbies with two other hobbies, cycling and curling.
Michael H. Pate
Vice President of Research & Development: Bay State Milling
As Vice President of Research & Development, Michael H. Pate is responsible for the grain varietal development research, process technologies development, and ingredients systems improvement programs of Bay State Milling Company. Mr. Pate serves on several national industry-related committees and is Past Chairman of the North American Millers Technical Committee. Mr. Pate joined Bay State Milling Company in 2004 as Director of Quality Assurance. Before that, Mr. Pate spent twenty-eight years in the milling and baking industry holding a variety of quality assurance and product development roles with Campbell-Taggart, Inc., DCA Foods and Midstate Mills, Inc. Mr. Pate earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 1976.