December 3, 2020

IFIC Elects New Officers

Download the press release here

Purdue’s Bailey, Mondelēz Internationals Dyer to Co-Chair  

(Washington, D.C.)— The International Food Information Council (IFIC) confirmed new officers on December 2, 2020. IFIC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes science-based information on nutrition, food safety and agriculture. IFIC is led by a public-private Board of Trustees comprised of academic and food industry leaders. The majority of IFIC’s board are independent, academic researchers. 

We look forward to working with Regan Bailey and Russ Dyer, and all of our trustees, to advance IFIC’s evidence-based science communications mission,” said IFIC Chief Executive Officer Joseph Clayton. Russ, Regan and all of our Trustees understand the important role sound science plays in supporting healthy food decisions.”  

Regan Lucas BaileyPh.D., R.D., MPH, CPH, Associate ProfessorDepartment of Nutrition Science, Purdue University will serve as Co-Chair. The focus of research in the Bailey lab is to improve the methods of measuring nutritional status to optimize health. Dr. Bailey’s work provides landscape analysis of current dietary and biochemical measures of nutrition to inform the research and policy communities. 

Russell DyerVice President & Chief of Communications & Government AffairsMondelēz International, will serve as Co-Chair. At Mondelēz International, Dyer is responsible for overseeing all external and internal communications as well as government affairs for the company. Prior to joining Mondelēz, he served as Vice President, Head of Corporate Affairs at Kraft Foods Group, where he led the communications function prior to the company’s merger with The H.J. Heinz Company. 

Anna Maria Siega-RizPh.D.Dean and Professor, Departments of Nutrition & Biostatistics & EpidemiologySchool of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, will serve as Co-Vice Chair. Dr. Siega-Riz’s research focuses on the first 1,000 days of life by understanding the influence of maternal weight status and dietary patterns/behaviors in the etiology of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Other research interests include examining the determinants and consequences of food insecurity and the implications of food policy on health outcomes.   

Don JonesVice President, QualitySimply Good Foods USA, Inc will also serve as Co-Vice Chair. Don has over 30 years of experience working primarily in the areas of food safety and quality. He currently is head of Food Safety and Quality at Simply Good Foods Company. 

Joe KelsayUS Food Chain CoNNEXT ManagerCorteva Agriscience will serve as Treasurer/SecretaryJoe is a seventh-generation family farmer and has held roles in the government and private sectors. He works to build relationships and develop an understanding of the most impactful challenges and opportunities that exist in food production to provide for the advancement of novel, sustainable solutions for modern agriculture. 

In addition to new officers, several new IFIC federal Public Liaisons have been appointed. Public Liaisons help IFIC better understand emerging agency priorities in nutrition education, health promotion and research in the United States and Canada. The 2021 Public Liaisons include Jackie Haven, MS, R.D., Deputy Director at the United States Department of AgricultureJohn FinleyNational Program Leader at the United States Department of AgricultureJanelle GunnAssociate Director of Policy, Partnership and Communication at the United States Centers for Disease Control and PreventionChristopher WaldropSenior Health Scientist at the United States Food & Drug Administration; and William Yan, Ph.D.Director, at the Food Directorate of Health Canada