Speakers
Politics NOW
Stu Rothenberg offers his razor-sharp insights into political trends and the upcoming elections. Funny, witty, and known as one of Washington’s most intuitive political handicappers, he presents his insider views on hotly debated issues and how the future of politics is being shaped. Using poll numbers, economic indicators, and historical data, he looks at today’s political and legislative environments in a balanced, non-partisan way, and his presentations focus on the implications of states’ electoral leanings and what it all means for upcoming presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections. His presentations focus on the rising heat of today’s political climate.
Stuart Rothenberg Senior Editor, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales Former Editor and Publisher, Rothenberg Political Report
One of the go-to political analysts of the last three decades, Stu Rothenberg has embodied the rare ability to report on all the political happenings in the nation with unbiased clarity and non-partisan precision. The publication he founded, the Rothenberg Political Report, provided honest, nonpartisan reporting and clear-eyed analysis of American elections and their potential ramifications, looking at U.S. House, Senate, and gubernatorial campaigns, presidential politics, and political developments. Stu remains one of the nation’s most popular political analysts and handicappers, and he captivates audiences with insightful, often humorous, discussions about election results, the issues facing decision makers on Capitol Hill, and the nature of politics itself. His presentations are as up-to-date as your Twitter feed, and he presents his insider views on hotly debated issues and how the future of politics is being shaped by our nation’s current newsmakers. A top handicapper of the political horse race, Stu has been a columnist for the Washington Post and Capitol Hill’s Roll Call. His op-eds have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and other newspapers. A frequent soundbite, his political expertise has made him a common guest on the network television news circuit, where he has appeared on Meet the Press, TODAY, This Week, Face the Nation, Nightline, and The McLaughlin Group. In 2008, 2010 and 2012, he was a regular contributor to PBS NewsHour, on which he continues to appear. Before that, he served as a CNN political analyst for more than 10 years, which included extensive on-air election night analysis. He has also served as a political analyst for the Voice of America. More about Stuart Rothenberg: Dr. Rothenberg holds a BA from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, and a PhD from the University of Connecticut. He has taught political science at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Stu has been speaking to corporate and association audiences around the country for over two decades, helping people identify and better understand political trends.
The FSMA Puzzle: How Intentional Adulteration Fits In
When FDA released the Intentional Adulteration (IA) rule in May 2016, it was the last of the extensive, complex set of regulations necessary to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Ms. Schaffner’s presentation will consider how the IA rule fits into the broader “FSMA puzzle,” with particular focus on the impacts on ingredient suppliers and food processors. She will discuss how the development of mitigation strategy actionable steps will reduce a facility’s likelihood of intentional adulteration occurring in the food processing environment.
Donna F. Schaffner, MS Associate Director: Food Safety, Quality Assurance & Training Rutgers Food Innovation Center
Ms. Schaffner has 20+ years as a HACCP specialist Food Safety Consultant in FDA and USDA plants, and teaches FDA certificate programs: Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCHF), Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), general HACCP, Seafood HACCP, Better Process Control School, Food Defense (including Intentional Adulteration of Foods and Food Fraud), Microbiology, and food safety classes in the US and abroad. She develops customized training programs for processing plants to implement PCHF, FSVP or HACCP, improve audit scores, meet regulatory demands, and solve food safety and quality problems. She serves or has served on: FDA’s Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance, CASE Food Science & Safety curriculum development for high schools, NJ Agricultural Education Advisory Council, Executive Board member of the NJ Food Processors Association (and chairs monthly QA Roundtable meetings for the NJFPA), member of the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board, and sits on Advisory Boards for various other colleges and Technical schools. Donna holds TTT certificates for PCHF, FSVP, FSIS and FDA HACCP and Seafood HACCP.
The Ripple Effect of European Regulatory Decisions
Recent decisions by regulators in Europe underscore the importance of staying on top of a fast-changing regulatory landscape. During this panel discussion, panelists will discuss the shifts taking place in regulatory opinions and decision making among European regulators and the ensuing ripple effect of these decisions throughout the flavor industry.
Sven Ballschmiede Executive Director International Organization of the Flavor Industry
Sven Ballschmiede is Executive Director of the International Organization of the Flavour Industry. Before joining IOFI Sven had been the Executive Director for the European Flavour Association (EFFA), while simultaneously serving as Executive Director for the German Flavour Association (DVAI) and the German Fragrance Association (DVRH). A native of Saarbrücken (Germany), Sven is a lawyer by training who studied both in Germany and Switzerland. Prior to his career in the world of associations Sven worked at the International Law Firm Gide Loyrette Nouel in Brussels specializing in International Trade Law and WTO Dispute Settlement. He assisted multinational companies in the context of anti-dumping & anti-subsidy procedures and advised different national governments in dispute settlement procedures at the WTO in Geneva.
Alexander Mohr, PhD Executive Director European Flavour Association
Alexander Mohr, PhD, is the Executive Director of the European Flavour Industry association EFFA, based in Brussels. Before joining the EFFA secretariat in 2016 he was the Secretary General of APEAL, the Association of European Producers of Steel Packaging, and heading the public affairs practice for the European container glass industry (FEVE). Mr Mohr has worked previously for a political think tank on global political party consulting issues in Southeast Asia and Africa and has been a lecturer on international relations at the ‘Institut d’études Politiques de Paris’ (SciencePo) and Senior Advisor to the permanent Thai Delegation to the UNESCO in Paris. He has published several articles and interviews in the context of EU regulatory and policy developments and more recently on the EU Flavour Regulation progression.
Sean V. Taylor, PhD Scientific Secretary to the FEMA Expert Panel Scientific Director International Organization of the Flavor Industry
Sean V. Taylor, PhD, is the Scientific Director of the International Organization of the Flavor Industry, the Scientific Secretary to the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association, and is a Managing Director of Verto Solutions, a trade association management and scientific consulting firm based in Washington, DC. Dr. Taylor received a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Penn State University in 1992, a Master’s degree from Cornell University in 1995, and a PhD in Chemistry from Cornell in 1998. From 1998-2002, he carried out postdoctoral research in protein engineering, directed evolution, and natural product biosynthetic pathways at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland. Dr. Taylor was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at The Ohio State University from 2002 to 2005 before beginning his work with the flavor industry, initially as the Assistant Scientific Director for the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association. In 2012 he was named the Scientific Director for FEMA, as well as the Scientific Secretary to the FEMA Expert Panel. In 2013, he assumed the role of Scientific Director for the International Organization of the Flavor Industry while continuing his role as Scientific Secretary to the FEMA Expert Panel.