Experience

Ready, Set, Food!

• United States
• Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director Of Product Development

  • Aug 2022 - Present



Reckitt

• United Kingdom
• Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Manager - Food Safety

  • Dec 2020 - Jul 2022

  * Be the overall guardian of food safety for all sites in the Americas region. This includes 5 internal manufacturing sites and 3+ co-manufacturing sites. * Lead the development of global Food Safety by Design standards for innovation and non-innovation projects. * Support the development of chemical contaminant monitoring programs and development of strategies to reduce chemical contaminant hazards in raw materials and finished products. * Understand, interpret, and inform the business on food safety regulations, activities, and emerging risks that impact the business by scanning the regulatory and industry as well as NGO horizon. * Utilize food safety monitoring data to provide risk-based recommendations for raw material and finished product specifications. * Provide support to regional Quality Assurance with product / process related topics by giving clear scientific position from a food safety perspective for consideration of operational decisions. * Provide support to procurement and operations with food safety evaluations for new suppliers / projects / processes.



Nestlé Nutrition North America (Gerber)

• Quality by Design Manager

  • May 2019 - Dec 2020

  Responsible for managing programs and procedures related to ingredient approval and recipe design to ensure compliance to strict baby food standards. Manage team of three ingredient specialists and one recipe and compliance specialist.Lead training and support for recipe and specification management software including SAP, Power BI, Intelex, and several internal software programs. Develop quality risk assessments and corrective action plans for innovation and renovation projects.Act as management of change (MOC) coordinator for all co-manufacturing sites. Support the assessment and qualification of new co-manufacturing sites. Work closely with procurement and the Gerber agriculture team to develop and improve the supply of infant grade ingredients. Responsible for administration of technical support for inter-market supply projects, including assessment of compliance to international standards.

• Senior Food Technologist

  • Dec 2014 - May 2019

  Leading product development activities for line extensions and providing factory technical support for infant and toddler foods (Gerber). * Lead bench-top to commercialization of projects across multiple categories including aseptic purees, extruded snacks, and retort processed shelf stable meals. * Act as both project manager and product developer for line extension projects including 2 new puree varieties for toddlers and 2 new flavors of Organic Puffs. * Lead technical service steering committee to assign technical resources to support operations. * Work with co-manufacturers to develop and commercialize new products, and provide problem solving support for existing products.* Work closely with procurement and quality assurance to qualify new infant-grade ingredients to meet strict Nestle Nutrition requirements.



Nestlé

• Switzerland
• Food and Beverage Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Food Technologist

  • Jun 2013 - Dec 2014

  Supported product development activities for line extensions and provided factory technical support for frozen prepared meals (Lean Cuisine). * Lead bench-top to commercialization of 6 new recipes for Lean Cuisine Marketplace, including the first to use organic ingredients. * Worked with co-manufacturers to develop and commercialize new products.* Developed finished product sensory specifications. * Provided technical support to factory and co-manufacturers. Supported product development activities for line extensions and provided factory technical support for frozen prepared meals (Lean Cuisine). * Lead bench-top to commercialization of 6 new recipes for Lean Cuisine Marketplace, including the first to use organic ingredients. * Worked with co-manufacturers to develop and commercialize new products.* Developed finished product sensory specifications. * Provided technical support to factory and co-manufacturers.



Meijer

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• Associate Foods Product Development Manager

  • Mar 2010 - May 2013

  Lead product development work for deli salads, par-baked breads, frozen cookie dough from bench top to scale up and commercialization. Worked with culinary team to develop proprietary recipes with co-manufacturers.Provided technical support to bakery and deli salad manufacturing facilities. Developed finished product specifications and training materials for in-store bakery and deli staff. Utilized nutritional database software (Genesis) to create nutrition facts and ingredient legends for labels.

• Quality Assurance Food Scientist

  • Sep 2007 - Mar 2010

  Worked on a cross-functional team to develop best practices for quality assurance and new product development for products produced by Meijer manufacturing. Implemented sensory testing program for evaluation of new products and for comparison against national brand foods. Supported the opening of new central bakery facility through development of product specifications, baking instructions, and providing training to store bakery specialists. Supported the renovation of 17+ deli salads through sensory studies, shelf life analysis, and improved product specifications. Worked with external regulatory consultants to develop ingredient and nutrition statements.



Gray & Company

• United States
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Quality Assurance Supervisor

  • Jun 2005 - Sep 2007

  Responsible for quality assurance programs including HACCP team, microbiological testing, food defense, allergen control, vendor approval, and complaint response and investigation for a plant producing private label maraschino cherries, glace fruit, and Queen Anne Cordial Cherries. Provided technical support for new product development activities including scale up trials and development of product specifications. Lead and trained internal sensory panel. Supervised and trained team of 5-6 hourly quality assurance technicians to ensure plant quality goals were consistently met. Conducted regular internal food safety inspections and audits in preparation for third party audits.Provided Certificates of Analysis for customers and prepared sales samples of new products for customers.