Norma Dawkins, Ph.D. is a professor, a research scientist, and the Department Chair of Food and Nutritional Sciences at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama. She has been actively involved in teaching and research in academic institutions at the national and international levels. She also worked as a senior scientist in the food industry. Her most recent work involves basic and applied research in the prevention and reduction of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity among underserved population groups. Dr. Dawkins has numerous publications covering foods, nutrition, and community-based intervention to her credit.
Larry Keener, C.F.S., P.A., P.C.Q.I. is President and CEO of International Product Safety Consultants, which provides food safety and food technology solutions to the food processing industry, serving a broad client base that includes Fortune 500 food companies, academic research institutes, and government agencies.
Mr. Keener is an internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority in the food industry. His areas of expertise range from applied food microbiology to the development and application of novel preservation technologies. He is a past president of the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT's) Nonthermal Processing Division.
Mr. Keener has received numerous awards and honors, including 2013 IFT Fellow, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) for his work in microbiology and food safety. Mr. Keener has published more than 100 papers on subjects related to food production and food safety science.
Mr. Keener has deep ties to Tuskegee University, previously serving as President of the Food and Nutrition Board for two terms. He has also been an advisor for the U.S. National Aeronautics Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Center for Deep Space Research, and has lead collaborative efforts between numerous organizations including IFT, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and industry, culminating in the first George Washington Carver Lecture Series at Tuskegee. Mr. Keener is a recipient of the George Washington Carver distinguished service award from Tuskegee University.
Christopher R. Daubert, Ph.D., serves as the President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and as the Vice Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri (Mizzou), as well as a Professor in the Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering. He joined Mizzou from North Carolina State University, where he served as a Professor and Head of the Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Services; Director of the Food Rheology Laboratory; and system Co-Chair of Food, Biochemical, and Engineered Systems. His research explained the physical chemistry, molecular-level interactions, and functionality of food systems through an understanding of rheological behavior, while solving problems facing the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Alex Truelove has served as Legislation and Advocacy Manager at BPI (Biodegradable Plastics Institute) since 2022. He previously directed U.S. PIRG's (Public Interest Research Group's) zero-waste program. He remains passionate about waste reduction, public policy, and working with others to incrementally solve messy environmental problems.
To get a taste of the discussions that were happening at the 2025 Food Safety Summit, we spoke face-to-face with Sharon Beals, Founder, SKKB; Peter Taormina, Ph.D., Founder and President, Etna Consulting Group; Sandra Eskin, J.D., CEO, STOP Foodborne Illness; John O'Fallon, Senior Manager Environmental Sensors, Zebra Technologies; and Monica Khoury, Senior Quality Expert, Nestlé; Lily Yasuda, Program Manager, Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness.
To get a taste of the discussions that were happening at the 2025 Food Safety Summit, we spoke face-to-face with keynote speaker Jason Evans, Ph.D., Dean, College of Food Innovation and Technology, Johnson & Wales University; as well as Brian Ronholm, M.A., Director of Food Policy, Consumer Reports; Michael Fang, Co-Founder, Spectacular Labs; and Steven Lyon, Ph.D., Director, Food Safety—Field Operations, Chick-fil-A Inc.; Purni Wickramasinghe, Ph.D., Food Safety & Restaurant Solutions, Chick-fil-A Inc.
Christian Ararat, M.Sc., M.Eng. is a food safety professional with more than ten years of experience in food safety and quality. After earning a bachelor's degree in Food Science from Valley University in Colombia, he began his career in the bakery industry, where he implemented and enforced good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and prerequisite programs. After moving to Canada, Christian joined Natursource Inc., a Montreal-based food manufacturing company dedicated to producing healthy snacks.
Savannah Applegate, Ph.D. is a Senior Consultant at Elanco Poultry Food Safety. Dr. Applegate received her B.S. degree in Meat Science from Ohio State University and her M.S. degree and Ph.D. in Applied Food Microbiology from Texas Tech University. Her areas of expertise are meat and poultry food safety, and she specializes in diagnostics and pathogen mitigation.
