Overview
IDFA’s Regulatory RoundUP virtual conference returns this summer with a jam-packed lineup of current and former federal regulatory officials and regulatory experts from IDFA and other organizations serving the food and beverage and nutrition sectors. This is a once-per-year, can’t-miss event, for dairy and other food professionals that:
- inform the development and implementation of federal food safety, labeling, and nutrition policies;
- drive regulatory compliance with federal and state standards;
- perform quality assurance and quality control functions in facilities;
- and provide legal expertise and advice.
Join us from 12:00 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern on July 22-23 for exclusive sessions with key regulatory experts.
Agenda
| July 22, 2024 | Event | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm |
Session
|
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| 1:00pm - 1:45pm |
What Might the Future of GRAS Look Like from a Regulatory Perspective?
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Join Tony Pavel, Partner, Keller Heckman, as he shares his views on how GRAS could be modernized to provide the transparency consumers demand and deserve with comprehensive regulatory oversight that assures the safety of these important food ingredients. Would mandatory listing of all GRAS substances and self-GRAS determinations, systematic post market review, and putting stricter guardrails around GRAS panel composition and conflicts of interest disclosure do the job? |
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| 1:45pm - 2:00pm |
Break
|
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| 2:00pm - 2:45pm |
Food Fights in the Courtroom
|
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|
As the legislative and regulatory landscapes for food have ramped up under the new administration, the class action litigation drumbeat also goes on. In the past year we have continued to see a significant number of suits filed over claims such as “naturally flavored” and “no preservatives”; and alleged contaminants in foods. Other hot topic issues include so-called “ultra-processed foods” and health halo claims, nutrient content claims, alleged greenwashing, and substantiation for health-related claims. In this session, Veronica Colas will share her expertise advising food companies on the current state of food labeling litigation, lessons your company can learn from these lawsuits, and how we might forecast the future of this area of litigation. |
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| 2:45pm - 3:45pm |
What Advocacy Levers and Priorities are Front and Center for Food Safety Related Consumer Advocacy Groups?
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Join consumer advocates with a focus on food safety from Consumer Reports, STOP Foodborne Illness, and the Consumer Federation of America to discuss strategy changes and priorities influenced by the opportunities the Make America Healthy Again platform presents. |
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| July 23, 2025 | Event | Speaker | Location |
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm |
Insights from USDA's Chief of Staff Kailee Tkacz Buller
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In this session, hear from Kailee Tkacz Buller, Chief of Staff for USDA Secretary Rollins, about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s priorities on federal nutrition programs and initiatives, including the upcoming and future Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the WIC and school meal programs, SNAP waivers and incentives and more. |
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| 1:00pm - 1:45pm |
Session
|
||
| 1:45pm - 2:00pm |
Break
|
||
| 2:00pm - 2:45pm |
Food Traceability Rule Roundup
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|
Improving the speed and accuracy of product recalls is vital for safeguarding public health, but it’s not always easy connecting the dots. The Partnership for Food Traceability is an independent, sector-neutral nonprofit developing a shared, overarching vision for food traceability with partners across the supply chain. This session will discuss interoperability challenges, technological opportunities, and learnings from traceability pilot trials as industry tries to develop implementable solutions for enhanced traceability in time for rule compliance. |
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| 2:45pm - 3:00pm |
Break
|
||
| 3:00pm - 3:45pm |
Legal Roundtable Discussion
|
||
|
Join some of the best human food lawyers as they share insights into the various tools and strategies for making food policy, such as Executive Orders, rulemaking, social media, legislation and lawsuits. These experienced advocates will share their advice on how companies can leverage these tools and ultimately reduce risks to their company and elevate advocacy for the food industry. |
|||
What Might the Future of GRAS Look Like from a Regulatory Perspective?
Join Tony Pavel, Partner, Keller Heckman, as he shares his views on how GRAS could be modernized to provide the transparency consumers demand and deserve with comprehensive regulatory oversight that assures the safety of these important food ingredients. Would mandatory listing of all GRAS substances and self-GRAS determinations, systematic post market review, and putting stricter guardrails around GRAS panel composition and conflicts of interest disclosure do the job?
Tony Pavel
Anthony (Tony) Pavel is a partner at Keller and Heckman LLP, in Washington, DC. Tony guides clients through a comprehensive array of food and drug regulatory matters with his extensive knowledge of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations related to food, food additives and ingredients, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. In addition to FDA matters, Tony assists clients with issues related to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other regulatory bodies around the world. Prior to joining Keller and Heckman, Tony was in private practice at a major international law firm, followed by in-house positions leading a global food law team at a major food, agricultural, and industrial products producer and Deputy General Counsel, Global Food Law for a consumer biology startup. Tony’s in-house corporate experience helped shape his approach to practical, actionable advice and effective solutions for clients. Tony is frequently invited to speak at domestic and global conferences on food ingredients, food additives, and related policy matters.
Food Fights in the Courtroom
As the legislative and regulatory landscapes for food have ramped up under the new administration, the class action litigation drumbeat also goes on. In the past year we have continued to see a significant number of suits filed over claims such as “naturally flavored” and “no preservatives”; and alleged contaminants in foods. Other hot topic issues include so-called “ultra-processed foods” and health halo claims, nutrient content claims, alleged greenwashing, and substantiation for health-related claims. In this session, Veronica Colas will share her expertise advising food companies on the current state of food labeling litigation, lessons your company can learn from these lawsuits, and how we might forecast the future of this area of litigation.
Veronica Colas
Veronica Colas counsels clients on the regulations and policy issues affecting food companies from farm to table.
Using her keen awareness of today's class action litigation environment, Veronica helps develop new products, label claims, and advertising materials. She has a deep understanding of both current and forthcoming food labeling and production requirements ranging from nutrition and menu labeling, to the regulatory issues surrounding bioengineered foods and organic food production. As companies seek to communicate about the health, nutrition, or environmental benefits of their products, Veronica helps them navigate the regulatory landscape.
Veronica provides clear advice and practical solutions for compliance with labeling, advertising, and safety regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and states. Veronica is a go-to on state food packaging laws, such as the California "recyclable" requirements and extended producer responsibility. She has significant experience in helping clients navigate regulatory enforcement challenges, such as recalls, Warning Letters, import detentions, and investigations by the Federal Trade Commission. Veronica works closely with trade associations and food companies to craft comments and develop strategies in response to public policy issues such as agency rulemaking and nutrition policy. She represents all segments of the food industry, including manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, and food service companies.
She is a regular speaker and contributor to industry publications, including providing training sessions to corporate clients on Food Law 101, food labeling and marketing, and claim substantiation.
What Advocacy Levers and Priorities are Front and Center for Food Safety Related Consumer Advocacy Groups?
Join consumer advocates with a focus on food safety from Consumer Reports, STOP Foodborne Illness, and the Consumer Federation of America to discuss strategy changes and priorities influenced by the opportunities the Make America Healthy Again platform presents.
Brian Ronholm
Brian Ronholm is the Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports. He leads CR's advocacy efforts to advance a safe and healthy food system. Brian brings deep legislative and regulatory experience in food policy to CR. He also writes and speaks extensively on food policy issues, with a particular emphasis on emerging technologies, food safety modernization, and pending regulatory policies facing the food industry.
During his tenure as Deputy Under Secretary, Food Safety, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brian provided leadership, management, and oversight of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the public health agency with more than 9,000 employees responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, catfish, and processed egg products.
In addition to overseeing FSIS, he chaired the U.S. Codex Policy Steering Committee, an interagency partnership that engages stakeholders in the advancement of science-based international food safety standards to facilitate fair trade, and served as Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF), which provides impartial scientific advice to federal agencies for use in developing integrated food safety systems.
He also served as Agriculture Appropriations Associate in the office of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, where he managed and coordinated activities involving key legislative initiatives for food and nutrition issues.
Prior to joining CR, Brian most recently served as Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, and he served in the same senior position at Arent Fox LLP.
He serves as a part-time lecturer at Northeastern University in the College of Professional Studies, and he also sits on the board for the SBLA, a non-profit charitable organization for professionals working in sports whose goal is to provide children with the resources necessary to engage in unique sports experiences.
Sandra Eskin
Eskin most recently served as the USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety from March 2021- January 2025. In this role, Eskin worked with the Under Secretary to lead the Office of Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, overseeing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which has regulatory oversight for ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. At USDA, she helped develop and implement the Salmonella in Poultry initiative and championed a research project to update the Safe Handling Instructions label.
Prior to joining USDA, Eskin was the Director of the Safe Food Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts in from November 2009 – March 2021. While at Pew, she managed a broad multi-stakeholder coalition that was instrumental in the enactment of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). She also served as the Deputy Director of the Produce Safety Project (PSP), a Pew-funded initiative at Georgetown University from 2008-2009, where she worked with the Association of Food and Drug Officials to draft the organization’s Model Produce Safety Code. When she was at the PSP, she was a senior scholar with the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.
Eskin spent nearly 20 years as a public-policy consultant to numerous consumer advocacy and public-interest organizations, providing strategic and policy advice on a broad range of consumer-protection issues, in particular food and drug safety, labeling, and advertising. She has served as a member of multiple federal advisory committees related to consumer information on prescription drugs, meat and poultry safety, and foodborne illness surveillance. During her career, she has written numerous reports and articles on food-safety topics.
Eskin has been engaged with STOP at multiple times during her career: as primary author of its 10th anniversary report; as a partner in the efforts to enact FSMA; and as a member of its Board of Directors.
Eskin received her J.D. from UC Law-San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law) and her B.A. from Brown University.
Thomas Gremillion
Thomas Gremillion is the Director of Food Policy at the Consumer Federation of America. He oversees the research, analysis, advocacy and media outreach for the group’s food policy activities, and monitors food safety activities at USDA, FDA and in Congress, where he advocates for strong food safety protections for consumers. He also coordinates the Safe Food Coalition, a group of consumer, trade union, and foodborne illness victim organizations dedicated to reducing foodborne illness by improving government food inspection programs.
Prior to joining CFA in 2015, Gremillion practiced environmental law at Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Public Representation, where he represented community groups and advocacy organizations in litigation against polluters and government regulators. He also served as an associate attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center in Chapel Hill, NC, where he specialized in transportation and land use issues.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Gremillion is a member of the D.C. and North Carolina bars. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. in mathematics, and served as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Quito, Ecuador, where he received an M.A. in International Relations from La Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar.
Insights from USDA's Chief of Staff Kailee Tkacz Buller
In this session, hear from Kailee Tkacz Buller, Chief of Staff for USDA Secretary Rollins, about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s priorities on federal nutrition programs and initiatives, including the upcoming and future Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the WIC and school meal programs, SNAP waivers and incentives and more.
Kailee Tkacz Buller
Kailee Tkacz Buller serves as chief of staff of USDA. Most recently, Tkacz Buller served as the president and CEO of the National Oilseed Producers Association and the Edible Oil Producers Association. Previously, Tkacz Buller served as chief of staff to the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and held numerous leadership roles across the department in the first Trump administration. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Tkacz Buller as the 8th Congressional District Representative of the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Buffalo.
Food Traceability Rule Roundup
Improving the speed and accuracy of product recalls is vital for safeguarding public health, but it’s not always easy connecting the dots. The Partnership for Food Traceability is an independent, sector-neutral nonprofit developing a shared, overarching vision for food traceability with partners across the supply chain. This session will discuss interoperability challenges, technological opportunities, and learnings from traceability pilot trials as industry tries to develop implementable solutions for enhanced traceability in time for rule compliance.
Ben Miller
Legal Roundtable Discussion
Join some of the best human food lawyers as they share insights into the various tools and strategies for making food policy, such as Executive Orders, rulemaking, social media, legislation and lawsuits. These experienced advocates will share their advice on how companies can leverage these tools and ultimately reduce risks to their company and elevate advocacy for the food industry.
Martin Hahn
Using his background in food technology and his comprehensive understanding of the laws governing the food industry, Martin Hahn helps clients navigate through the countless regulatory and business issues impacting the industry from farm to table.
He recognizes the demands clients face and finds innovative and creative solutions, particularly when responding to observations raised by regulators during inspections. Whether the issue involves obtaining the authorization of a new food or dietary ingredient, complying with manufacturing requirements, labeling or advertising, product recalls, or enforcement, Martin serves as an effective advisor and advocate.
Martin has handled almost every issue impacting the food industry. He has a comprehensive understanding of the laws affecting the labeling and advertising of foods, dietary supplements, infant formulas, medical foods, and foods for special dietary use. He helps anticipate new trends and develops the data needed to distinguish a client's products from others on the market. Martin uses his understanding of science and technology in the food industry to provide assistance in obtaining regulatory authorizations to market new food ingredients, food packaging materials, and dietary ingredients. He assists in responding to proposed regulations and draft guidance to keep clients informed on the latest trends in class action law suits to help anticipate new regulatory initiatives.
Martin grew up on a farm and worked in food processing plants before going to law school. His hands-on experience in the field and degree in food technology allow him to better understand the challenges his clients face in complying with the laws impacting food manufacturing.
Sharon Mayl
With more than 25 years of experience as a senior advisor at FDA, Sharon Mayl advises clients in the areas of in the areas of food and ingredient safety, imports, third-party audits, nutrition labelling, dietary supplements, infant formula, and cannabis products. She applies her insider experience to help clients navigate the black box of FDA, finding strategic and practical solutions to complex regulatory and compliance problems.
Sharon provides strategic advice and regulatory counsel to clients in a variety of areas, including the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), ingredient and product development, supplier verification, nutrition labelling and claims, infant formula development, and dietary supplements, she also advises cosmetics clients on compliance with the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), labelling and safety issues. Sharon uses her decades of experience at the agency to assist clients with FDA interactions and meetings, including with respect to policy development and compliance actions such as warning letters and inspection reports.
During her time as a senior advisor in the Commissioner's Office, Sharon advised several deputy commissioners on a wide range of regulatory, legislative and policy issues. Sharon played a leading role in implementing FSMA and developing strategic approaches to imports, the Nutrition Labelling and Education Act, cannabis policy. She regularly represented the agency in meetings with senior administration officials, Congress, federal and state regulatory agencies, foreign governments, industry representatives and consumer and public health groups. In these cross-organizational efforts, she established herself as a top government official in her space and forged close and cooperative relationships to achieve solutions to novel, controversial and complex issues. Sharon has received numerous awards and distinctions for her public service, including the Commissioner's Award of Excellence for her outstanding contributions to food safety and imports.
Miriam Guggenheim
Miriam Guggenheim, co-chair of Covington’s Food, Drug and Device Practice Group, assists a broad range of major food and dietary supplement companies in achieving their marketing goals while minimizing regulatory and litigation risks. She also helps clients successfully navigate crises such as recalls and unwanted Congressional or regulatory attention. In addition to her work for individual clients, Miriam serves as outside counsel to a number of key trade associations, helping them accomplish broad industry objectives by engaging with the FDA, FTC, and Congress. Chambers USA notes, Miriam is "incredibly sharp and very responsive" and a client reports, "I rely on Miriam tremendously to help me find ways forward in difficult and novel situations, and she never fails to deliver."
As the food industry faces new challenges – including scrutiny of ingredients and food packaging materials, concerns about heavy metals and other contaminants, attention to “ultra-processed foods,” and increasing consumer fraud litigation and Prop 65 demand letters – Miriam remains at the forefront of legislative and regulatory changes and food policy and litigation trends. She draws on this deep knowledge and insight to advise clients on all aspects of food development and marketing, from product ingredient sourcing and manufacturing considerations to food labeling and marketing. Partnering with Covington colleagues in international offices, Miriam helps clients solve regulatory problems across the globe.
Registration fees are based on your company's IDFA membership status. For more information about membership, please email membership@idfa.org.
Registration Substitutions
Registration is non-transferable from one company to another; however substitutions within companies are welcome at any time. Please email registrar@idfa.org if you would like to make a registration substitution.
Registration Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellations received in writing will be accepted prior to July 13, 2025 for a full refund. Your registration fee is non-refundable after July 13, 2025. Substitutions may be made without penalty. All cancellations and substitutions must be received in writing at registrar@idfa.org.
Questions: If you have questions or need assistance with the registration process, please contact IDFA at (202) 737-4332 or registrar@idfa.org.
Speakers
Veronica Colas
Counsel | Hogan Lovells
Veronica Colas
Veronica Colas counsels clients on the regulations and policy issues affecting food companies from farm to table.
Using her keen awareness of today's class action litigation environment, Veronica helps develop new products, label claims, and advertising materials. She has a deep understanding of both current and forthcoming food labeling and production requirements ranging from nutrition and menu labeling, to the regulatory issues surrounding bioengineered foods and organic food production. As companies seek to communicate about the health, nutrition, or environmental benefits of their products, Veronica helps them navigate the regulatory landscape.
Veronica provides clear advice and practical solutions for compliance with labeling, advertising, and safety regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and states. Veronica is a go-to on state food packaging laws, such as the California "recyclable" requirements and extended producer responsibility. She has significant experience in helping clients navigate regulatory enforcement challenges, such as recalls, Warning Letters, import detentions, and investigations by the Federal Trade Commission. Veronica works closely with trade associations and food companies to craft comments and develop strategies in response to public policy issues such as agency rulemaking and nutrition policy. She represents all segments of the food industry, including manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, and food service companies.
She is a regular speaker and contributor to industry publications, including providing training sessions to corporate clients on Food Law 101, food labeling and marketing, and claim substantiation.
Sandra Eskin
Chief Executive Officer, Stop Foodborne Illness
Sandra Eskin
Eskin most recently served as the USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety from March 2021- January 2025. In this role, Eskin worked with the Under Secretary to lead the Office of Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, overseeing the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which has regulatory oversight for ensuring that meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. At USDA, she helped develop and implement the Salmonella in Poultry initiative and championed a research project to update the Safe Handling Instructions label.
Prior to joining USDA, Eskin was the Director of the Safe Food Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts in from November 2009 – March 2021. While at Pew, she managed a broad multi-stakeholder coalition that was instrumental in the enactment of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). She also served as the Deputy Director of the Produce Safety Project (PSP), a Pew-funded initiative at Georgetown University from 2008-2009, where she worked with the Association of Food and Drug Officials to draft the organization’s Model Produce Safety Code. When she was at the PSP, she was a senior scholar with the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.
Eskin spent nearly 20 years as a public-policy consultant to numerous consumer advocacy and public-interest organizations, providing strategic and policy advice on a broad range of consumer-protection issues, in particular food and drug safety, labeling, and advertising. She has served as a member of multiple federal advisory committees related to consumer information on prescription drugs, meat and poultry safety, and foodborne illness surveillance. During her career, she has written numerous reports and articles on food-safety topics.
Eskin has been engaged with STOP at multiple times during her career: as primary author of its 10th anniversary report; as a partner in the efforts to enact FSMA; and as a member of its Board of Directors.
Eskin received her J.D. from UC Law-San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law) and her B.A. from Brown University.
Thomas Gremillion
Director of Food Policy, Consumer Federation of America
Thomas Gremillion
Thomas Gremillion is the Director of Food Policy at the Consumer Federation of America. He oversees the research, analysis, advocacy and media outreach for the group’s food policy activities, and monitors food safety activities at USDA, FDA and in Congress, where he advocates for strong food safety protections for consumers. He also coordinates the Safe Food Coalition, a group of consumer, trade union, and foodborne illness victim organizations dedicated to reducing foodborne illness by improving government food inspection programs.
Prior to joining CFA in 2015, Gremillion practiced environmental law at Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Public Representation, where he represented community groups and advocacy organizations in litigation against polluters and government regulators. He also served as an associate attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center in Chapel Hill, NC, where he specialized in transportation and land use issues.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Gremillion is a member of the D.C. and North Carolina bars. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. in mathematics, and served as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Quito, Ecuador, where he received an M.A. in International Relations from La Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar.
Miriam Guggenheim
Partner | Covington LLP
Miriam Guggenheim
Miriam Guggenheim, co-chair of Covington’s Food, Drug and Device Practice Group, assists a broad range of major food and dietary supplement companies in achieving their marketing goals while minimizing regulatory and litigation risks. She also helps clients successfully navigate crises such as recalls and unwanted Congressional or regulatory attention. In addition to her work for individual clients, Miriam serves as outside counsel to a number of key trade associations, helping them accomplish broad industry objectives by engaging with the FDA, FTC, and Congress. Chambers USA notes, Miriam is "incredibly sharp and very responsive" and a client reports, "I rely on Miriam tremendously to help me find ways forward in difficult and novel situations, and she never fails to deliver."
As the food industry faces new challenges – including scrutiny of ingredients and food packaging materials, concerns about heavy metals and other contaminants, attention to “ultra-processed foods,” and increasing consumer fraud litigation and Prop 65 demand letters – Miriam remains at the forefront of legislative and regulatory changes and food policy and litigation trends. She draws on this deep knowledge and insight to advise clients on all aspects of food development and marketing, from product ingredient sourcing and manufacturing considerations to food labeling and marketing. Partnering with Covington colleagues in international offices, Miriam helps clients solve regulatory problems across the globe.
Martin Hahn
Partner | Hogan Lovells
Martin Hahn
Using his background in food technology and his comprehensive understanding of the laws governing the food industry, Martin Hahn helps clients navigate through the countless regulatory and business issues impacting the industry from farm to table.
He recognizes the demands clients face and finds innovative and creative solutions, particularly when responding to observations raised by regulators during inspections. Whether the issue involves obtaining the authorization of a new food or dietary ingredient, complying with manufacturing requirements, labeling or advertising, product recalls, or enforcement, Martin serves as an effective advisor and advocate.
Martin has handled almost every issue impacting the food industry. He has a comprehensive understanding of the laws affecting the labeling and advertising of foods, dietary supplements, infant formulas, medical foods, and foods for special dietary use. He helps anticipate new trends and develops the data needed to distinguish a client's products from others on the market. Martin uses his understanding of science and technology in the food industry to provide assistance in obtaining regulatory authorizations to market new food ingredients, food packaging materials, and dietary ingredients. He assists in responding to proposed regulations and draft guidance to keep clients informed on the latest trends in class action law suits to help anticipate new regulatory initiatives.
Martin grew up on a farm and worked in food processing plants before going to law school. His hands-on experience in the field and degree in food technology allow him to better understand the challenges his clients face in complying with the laws impacting food manufacturing.
Sharon Mayl
Partner | DLA Piper
Sharon Mayl
With more than 25 years of experience as a senior advisor at FDA, Sharon Mayl advises clients in the areas of in the areas of food and ingredient safety, imports, third-party audits, nutrition labelling, dietary supplements, infant formula, and cannabis products. She applies her insider experience to help clients navigate the black box of FDA, finding strategic and practical solutions to complex regulatory and compliance problems.
Sharon provides strategic advice and regulatory counsel to clients in a variety of areas, including the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), ingredient and product development, supplier verification, nutrition labelling and claims, infant formula development, and dietary supplements, she also advises cosmetics clients on compliance with the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), labelling and safety issues. Sharon uses her decades of experience at the agency to assist clients with FDA interactions and meetings, including with respect to policy development and compliance actions such as warning letters and inspection reports.
During her time as a senior advisor in the Commissioner's Office, Sharon advised several deputy commissioners on a wide range of regulatory, legislative and policy issues. Sharon played a leading role in implementing FSMA and developing strategic approaches to imports, the Nutrition Labelling and Education Act, cannabis policy. She regularly represented the agency in meetings with senior administration officials, Congress, federal and state regulatory agencies, foreign governments, industry representatives and consumer and public health groups. In these cross-organizational efforts, she established herself as a top government official in her space and forged close and cooperative relationships to achieve solutions to novel, controversial and complex issues. Sharon has received numerous awards and distinctions for her public service, including the Commissioner's Award of Excellence for her outstanding contributions to food safety and imports.
Ben Miller
Executive Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, The Acheson Group
Ben Miller
Tony Pavel
Partner, Keller Heckman
Tony Pavel
Anthony (Tony) Pavel is a partner at Keller and Heckman LLP, in Washington, DC. Tony guides clients through a comprehensive array of food and drug regulatory matters with his extensive knowledge of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations related to food, food additives and ingredients, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. In addition to FDA matters, Tony assists clients with issues related to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other regulatory bodies around the world. Prior to joining Keller and Heckman, Tony was in private practice at a major international law firm, followed by in-house positions leading a global food law team at a major food, agricultural, and industrial products producer and Deputy General Counsel, Global Food Law for a consumer biology startup. Tony’s in-house corporate experience helped shape his approach to practical, actionable advice and effective solutions for clients. Tony is frequently invited to speak at domestic and global conferences on food ingredients, food additives, and related policy matters.
Brian Ronholm
Director of Food Policy, Consumer Reports
Brian Ronholm
Brian Ronholm is the Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports. He leads CR's advocacy efforts to advance a safe and healthy food system. Brian brings deep legislative and regulatory experience in food policy to CR. He also writes and speaks extensively on food policy issues, with a particular emphasis on emerging technologies, food safety modernization, and pending regulatory policies facing the food industry.
During his tenure as Deputy Under Secretary, Food Safety, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brian provided leadership, management, and oversight of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the public health agency with more than 9,000 employees responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, catfish, and processed egg products.
In addition to overseeing FSIS, he chaired the U.S. Codex Policy Steering Committee, an interagency partnership that engages stakeholders in the advancement of science-based international food safety standards to facilitate fair trade, and served as Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF), which provides impartial scientific advice to federal agencies for use in developing integrated food safety systems.
He also served as Agriculture Appropriations Associate in the office of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, where he managed and coordinated activities involving key legislative initiatives for food and nutrition issues.
Prior to joining CR, Brian most recently served as Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, and he served in the same senior position at Arent Fox LLP.
He serves as a part-time lecturer at Northeastern University in the College of Professional Studies, and he also sits on the board for the SBLA, a non-profit charitable organization for professionals working in sports whose goal is to provide children with the resources necessary to engage in unique sports experiences.
Kailee Tkacz Buller
Chief of Staff, USDA
Kailee Tkacz Buller
Kailee Tkacz Buller serves as chief of staff of USDA. Most recently, Tkacz Buller served as the president and CEO of the National Oilseed Producers Association and the Edible Oil Producers Association. Previously, Tkacz Buller served as chief of staff to the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and held numerous leadership roles across the department in the first Trump administration. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Tkacz Buller as the 8th Congressional District Representative of the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Buffalo.