Governance
IFIC is governed by a Board of Trustees, the majority of whom are academic researchers.
Board of Trustees
Regan Lucas Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD
Co-Chair
Associate Director, Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture
Professor of Nutrition
Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M University System
Russ Dyer
Co-Chair
SVP Chief Communications Officer and Head of Public & Government Affairs
Mondelēz International
Anna Maria Siega-Riz, PhD
Co-Vice-Chair
Dean and Professor, Departments of Nutrition & Biostatistics & Epidemiology
University of Massachusetts- Amherst
Don Jones
Co-Vice-Chair
Senior Vice President, Quality
Simply Good Foods USA, Inc.
Jeffrey Zachwieja, PhD
Treasurer/Secretary
Senior Director, Global R&D Nutrition Sciences
PepsiCo
Regina Benjamin, MD
Bayou Clinic, Inc. & Former U.S. Surgeon General
Susan Bond
Vice President Regulatory & Scientific Affairs
Kerry, Inc.
Jessica Campbell, PhD
Director, Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition
General Mills
Mario Ferruzzi, PhD
Director, Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center
Chief, Section of Developmental Nutrition
Department of Pediatrics
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Simin Meydani, D.V.M, PhD
Senior Scientist and Director of Nutritional Immunology Team
Tufts University
Amy Preston
Senior Manager, R&D Regulatory, Nutrition and Agile Innovation
The Hershey Company
Tia Rains, PhD
Vice President, Customer Engagement & Strategic Development
Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America
Dojin Ryu, PhD
Professor
Department of Animal, Veterinary & Food Sciences
University of Idaho
Barbara Schneeman, PhD
Professor Emerita
Department of Nutrition
University of California, Davis
Timothy Sellnow, PhD
Professor, Strategic Communication
Nicholson School of Communication
University of Central Florida
Alison Van Eenennaam, PhD
Professor of Cooperative Extension: Animal Biotechnology & Genomics
Department of Animal Science
University of California, Davis
Public Liaisons
Public Liaisons are non-voting members of IFIC who work for a federal agency and have agreed to represent their organization and serve as advisors and subject-matter experts.
John Finley
National Program Leader for Human Nutrition
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Janelle Gunn
Associate Director of Policy, Partnership & Communication
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jackie Haven, MS, RD
Deputy Director
USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Christopher Waldrop
Senior Health Scientist
Division of Public Health Informatics & Analytics
FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
William Yan, PhD
Director, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences
Food Directorate of Health Canada
Guiding Principles
Fulfilling Our Mission
Our mission is to effectively communicate science-based information on health, nutrition and food safety. We envision a global environment where credible science drives food policy and consumer choice.
Funding and Governance
IFIC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Trustees, the majority of whom are independent, academic researchers. Our work is primarily supported by grants and contributions from the private sector. IFIC is non-partisan. IFIC does not represent any company, industry or product. IFIC does not lobby or serve as an advocacy organization.
Furthering Our Scientific Values
IFIC is committed to promoting the values of transparency and scientific integrity. Therefore, IFIC derives its resources from peer-reviewed science and the work of authoritative bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the European Food Safety Authority and others.
Gathering Consumer Insights
IFIC has commissioned research on consumer attitudes and behaviors for more than 30 years. Our research findings and funding sources are made available to the public. We often work in partnerships across sectors on consumer research and encourage input from government agencies, NGOs, academics and professional organizations.
Engaging with Scientific Experts and Organizations
As an organization funded primarily by the private sector, IFIC’s collaboration with independent organizations and outside experts in nutrition, food safety and agriculture helps ensure the integrity of our education and communications programs.