Contact: Marti Pupillo
(202) 220-3535
mpupillo@idfa.org

(Washington, D.C. – June 5, 2013) The International Dairy Foods Association has named Elizabeth Cookson to the position of senior director of meetings and educational services. In this role, Cookson will oversee all aspects of event planning for the association, including the annual Dairy Forum and a variety of technical conferences, as well as smaller training sessions, webinars and industry publications.

With 14 years of event planning experience, Cookson has directed program coordination, logistical operations and marketing for conventions, conferences and other events for both associations and corporations. She joined IDFA after seven years of service with the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), where most recently she was the director of business planning and program development. Cookson played a key role in developing and delivering GMA’s executive-level meetings and conferences and executed joint events with the association’s key partners.

Before that, Cookson was senior manager of meetings and marketing for the American Composites Manufacturers Association in Arlington, Va. She also served as symposia manager for M|C Communications in Boston, Mass., and corporate sales manager for Interstate Hotels, Inc., in Cambridge, Mass.

"We're delighted to have Liz join the IDFA staff," said Clay Hough, IDFA senior group vice president. "With her years of experience and professionalism, we know Liz will help IDFA to continue its mission of providing premiere events, expert training, and comprehensive educational programs and materials for the dairy industry."

Cookson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics at the College of Holy Cross and received a Masters of Business Administration from Boston University. She lives with her husband, Craig, and twin boys in Washington, D.C.

#  #  #

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, DC, represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies representing a $125-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85% of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States.