North American Food Safety & Quality

Frank Yiannas is a renowned food safety leader and executive, food system futurist, author, professor, past president of the International Association of Food Protection, and advocate for consumers.

Most recently, he served under two different administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a position he held from 2018 to 2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with two industry
giants: Walmart and the Walt Disney Company.

After retiring from the FDA, Yiannas founded Smarter FY Solutions to help organizations address critical food safety and supply chain challenges. He also advises several prestigious companies, offering consultancy services to modernize compliance strategies and ensure clients meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.

Throughout his career, Frank has been recognized for his role in strengthening food safety standards in new and innovative ways, as well as building effective food safety management systems based on modern, science-based, and tech-enabled prevention principles.

Mahir is a Master in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and currently is a Vice President at PepsiCo leading Global FSQA (Food Safety and Quality Assurance) Organization based in New York.

Mahir has four years of work experience in Unilever, India and then 28+ years of experience with PepsiCo. He has worked in Supply chain operations, EHS (Environment , Health and Safety) , R&D, Digitization and most of all in Food Safety and Quality Assurance across three continents – India, Dubai and USA. He is currently responsible for formulating and implementing strategic plans for all Food Safety and Quality initiatives across the entire product portfolio ( Snacks, beverages, Dairy, Bread and meat snacks in over 1300 company-owned and third-party manufacturing sites around the globe.

With deep-rooted knowledge across product categories and differing regulatory and cultural environments, he plays a pivotal role in establishing rigorous standards and systems. He has shared countless lessons learned during his career. His innovative approaches ensure that PepsiCo consistently delivers products that not only meet stringent safety guidelines but also resonate with consumer expectations and satisfaction. Under Mahir’s guidance, the company’s commitment to food safety, quality assurance, compliance, and consumer trust remains unparalleled.

Liz Duffy is a seasoned compliance and food safety leader with more than 20 years of experience leading teams to develop and implement comprehensive compliance programs that prioritize food safety and ethical business practices.

Liz began her career at Walmart in 2006 and now serves as Vice President, Global Food Safety & Compliance for the Fortune 1 retailer. In this role, Liz leads the team that supports Walmart’s approach that enables an end-to-end food safety and compliance program and culture. Liz recently transitioned from her previous role as Vice President, Global Omnichannel and eCommerce Compliance at Walmart, where she was responsible for compliance strategy, controls, and continuous improvement processes for the company’s eCommerce, Walmart Business, and Online Pickup and Delivery business offerings.

Liz’s passion lies with food safety, having started her career at Walmart as a Food Safety Manager for Walmart U.S. Stores and Sam’s Clubs. Throughout her nearly two-decade tenure at Walmart, Liz served in a wide variety of compliance roles supporting food safety program development, recall execution, store operations, eCommerce, and omnichannel compliance program acceleration.

Prior to joining Walmart, Liz worked at Cargill Value Added Meats where she supported role in Quality Assurance at a poultry processing facility in Arkansas.

A graduate from the University of Arkansas, Liz holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA with a focus on Leadership and Ethics. Liz and her family reside in Northwest Arkansas. On the weekends you can find her spending time with her family and her horse.

Jaime Boyes, is a food scientist by training, receiving her BS degree from The Ohio State University. She holds a MS in Animal Sciences, focused on Meat Science, from the University of Kentucky.  As a Mars Associate for 21 years, she has held a variety of roles within research and development, most recently leading Quality and Food Safety for Mars Wrigley North America. With a true passion for digitalization, Jaime drives efficiency within processes while maintain high standards of quality and evolving the function to meet the needs of the future. Jaime is passionate about building high performing teams, believing that the contribution of a great team is much higher than the contribution of any individual. Jaime is a proud wife and mother. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family and make memories, as well as spend time in the gym to maintain her health (and her peace of mind).

Tatiana Rybka is an Influential Executive currently serving as the Interim VP of Quality & Food Safety for Mars Wrigley North America.

Tatiana brings over 20 years of experience working in Food and Beverage CPG companies across a variety of roles within Supply and R&D leading high performing and engaged teams. Tatiana spent her 11 last years in Quality and Food Safety function, she known as a skilled collaborator bringing cross-functional partners together to improve Quality and Food Safety performance enterprise wise. She is known as a dedicated mentor and coach of associates in R&D, Supply and Procurement.

Tatiana is originally from Russia and started her career in Mars in 2008. She lived in 3 countries – Russia, Germany and USA. She considers herself a lifelong learner and has 3 unrelated degrees, one of them is executive coaching.

She is currently residing in the Chicago downtown area and enjoys everything the City has to offer – the Great Michigan Lake, its cultural and dining scene. When not at work Tatiana is an orchid whisperer, loves to cook, travel and spend the time outdoors with her dog Yeti, a former Mars associate.

Jorge Hernandez is the Vice President of Quality Assurance for the Wendy’s Company. As such, he is responsible for the design, implementation and leadership of the Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance Programs that impact suppliers, distribution centers and 7,250 restaurants in 33 Countries.

Previously, Jorge was the Chief Food Safety Officer at Wholesome International; he also served as the Sr. VP of Food Safety and Quality Assurance at US Foods Foodservice Distributor; and the VP of Food Safety and Risk Management at the National Restaurant Association.

Jorge has Degrees in Biology from Rockford University, Microbiology from the Centro de Estudios Medico-Biologicos in Mexico City, Mexico, Languages and Literature from la Universite de la Sorbonne, Paris, France and Executive Leadership from the Said School of Business at Oxford University in Oxford, England.

Mark Moorman is the Senior Science Advisor to Human Foods Program leadership at the Food and Drug Administration. In this role Mark drives prevention efforts with stakeholders to assure the safety of our food supply. Mark previously was the Office Director for the Office of Food Safety and prior to joining the FDA, Mark was the Senior Director of Global Scientific & Regulatory Affairs for the Kellogg Company. Prior to joining the Kellogg Company in 1998, Mark spent 10 years with Silliker Laboratories as the Technical Director of Microbiology. Mark has his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees from Michigan State University in Microbiology and Food Science

Sara Mortimore is the former Vice President and Global Subject Matter Expert for Food Safety at Walmart Inc. In this role, Sara was responsible for the global development and oversight of all Food Safety programs and initiatives for the company’s more than 10,500 stores, manufacturing facilities, distribution, and fulfilment centers. A proud accomplishment was leading the team to be awarded the IAFP Black Pearl Award in 2024.

Prior to joining Walmart in May 2019, Sara held the position of Vice President of Product Safety, Quality and Regulatory Affairs with enterprise-wide responsibility at Land O’Lakes, Inc. In this capacity, she covered both human and animal foods and supported non-profit international development work.

Sara began her career with Glaxo SmithKline as a Research Technologist in Research & Development. In 1989, she joined Grand Metropolitan Foods, which later became Pillsbury and was subsequently incorporated by General Mills Inc. Here she led food safety, quality, and regulatory teams throughout international markets, including support of brands such as Haagen Dazs, Wanchai Ferry, Old El Paso, and Green Giant.

She is the co-author of several successful books, chapters and papers on HACCP and food safety management. Sara has served on the board of trustees for the Royal Society of Public Health, for the BRC International Advisory Board, and is a past member of the Global Food Safety Initiative Steering Committee.

Heidi Saunders, a seasoned leader in global Quality and Food Safety, currently serves as the Vice President at Schwan’s Company. With a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology from The Manchester Metropolitan University, she brings over two decades of experience in the food industry. Heidi’s journey includes pivotal roles at esteemed companies like C.H. Guenther & Son, Mondelēz International, and Kellogg Company, where she spearheaded quality initiatives across various regions. Her expertise spans from operational management to global quality strategy development. Recognized for her adeptness in driving compliance and fostering a culture of quality, Heidi is a catalyst for organizational excellence. She continues to shape the industry landscape through her unwavering commitment to food safety and consumer satisfaction.

Passionate about helping global food businesses understand, manage and mitigate the risks to their products and brands; Kimberly’s reputation as a thought leader in food safety/supply chain risk and deep domain food sector expertise has been built through +30 years working for and with leading global food companies and associated service organizations across major world markets.

Kimberly has extensive experience as a technical professional specializing in design, development, implementation, assessment and training within the arena of retail agrifood risk management systems specifically relating to auditing principles and more broadly the control of food safety, product quality, authenticity and legality.

Chester Boyt, Chief of Revenue at Amerisan, has worked in food safety for over 15 years. Chester began his professional career in the family business, where he gained hands-on experience and expertise in the food industry. His dedication and keen understanding of industry regulations and practices helped lead to the development of innovative products focused on hygiene, traceability, and standardization. These products not only meet consumer demands but also adhere to the highest standards of food safety.  

Under Chester’s leadership, Amerisan has experienced significant growth, expanding its reach and reputation in the market. By taking a consultative approach to food safety and staying updated with the latest advancements in food safety technologies and practices, Chester has been able to form lasting partnerships and drive the family business to success. 

Rishi Banerjee is senior director of SmartLabel at Consumer Brands Association. The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day, representing nearly 2,000 iconic brands. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs. In his role, he serves as head of the SmartLabel program. SmartLabel is the leading digital disclosure and consumer transparency platform which connects consumers to product data that goes beyond the packaging label. SmartLabel has gained significant industry adoption including 100,000 products from over 1,000 brands participating.

Rishi’s career spans across multiple sectors including government, non-profit, consulting and retail. He began his career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) where he conducted research on foodborne pathogens. After USDA, Rishi served as Director of Regulatory and Technical Affairs for the American Frozen Food Institute. Rishi went on to lead the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) for the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) in U.S. and Canada. Following GFSI, Rishi led Regulatory and Industry Affairs at Amazon where he represented Amazon’s interests for human food, pet food, baby food and dietary supplements.