Governance
IFIC is governed by a Board of Trustees, the majority of whom are academic researchers.
Board of Trustees
Jeneen Fields, PhD
Co-Chair
Clinical Assistant Professor, Botany and Plant Pathology
Purdue University
Jeffrey Zachwieja, PhD
Co-Chair
Senior Director, Global R&D Nutrition Sciences
PepsiCo
Jessica Campbell, PhD
Co-Vice-Chair
Director, Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition
General Mills
Timothy Sellnow, PhD
Co-Vice-Chair
Professor, Communication
Clemson University
Amy Preston, PhD, RD
Treasurer/Secretary
Senior Manager, R&D Regulatory & Nutrition
The Hershey Company
Arti Arora, PhD
Senior Vice President, Global Scientific & Regulatory Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company
Regan Lucas Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD
Associate Director, Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture
Professor of Nutrition
Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M University System
Regina Benjamin, MD
Bayou Clinic, Inc., & Former U.S. Surgeon General
Andrew Brown, PhD
Associate Professor, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences,
Biostatistics Core Director, Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention
Arkansas Children’s Research Institute
Benjamin Chapman, PhD
Department Head and Professor, Food Safety Specialist
Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences
North Carolina State University, NC State Extension
Emily Dimiero
Director, Federal Government Relations
Cargill
Mario Ferruzzi, PhD
Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech
Laurie Guzzinati
Vice President, Global Internal Communications
Mondelēz International, Inc.
Simin Meydani, DVM, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Immunology
Tufts University
Tia Rains, PhD
Vice President, Science, Innovation & Corporate Affairs
Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.
Dojin Ryu, PhD
Professor & Director, Division of Food, Nutrition & Exercise Science, CAFNR
Chair, Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, School of Medicine
University of Missouri-Columbia
Barbara Schneeman, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Nutrition
University of California, Davis
Anna Maria Siega-Riz, PhD
Dean and Professor, Departments of Nutrition & Biostatistics & Epidemiology
University of Massachusetts- Amherst
Kelly Smith
Vice President, Head of Institutional Affairs
Ferrero
Lynn Yu, PhD, RD
Nutrition Team Lead
The Kraft Heinz Company
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.
Stephen Norman
Director, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences
Health Products and Food Branch
Health Canada
Janelle Gunn, MPH
Associate Director of Policy, Partnership & Communication
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Christopher Waldrop
Senior Health Scientist
Office of Surveillance Strategy & Risk Prioritization (OSSRP)
Human Foods Program
United States Food & Drug Administration
Alfred Aziz, PhD
Director, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences
Health Products and Food Branch
Health Canada
Janet M. De Jesus, RD
Senior Nutrition Advisor
Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Aaron Lavalee, MS
Deputy Assistant Administrator
Food Safety and Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-FSIS)
Guiding Principles
Fulfilling Our Mission
Our vision is a global environment where science informs food decisions.
Our mission is to effectively communicate science-based information about sustainable food systems, with a focus on food safety and nutrition.
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.