2025 Spring Committee Meetings

When

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Where

The Westin Arlington
Arlington, VA
United States

Registration

FEMA Member Registration Fee
Committee Meeting	$250
Committee Meeting and Flavor Labeling Workshop	$350

For registration, please contact Rebecca Soloway.

Meeting Location

Westin Arlington
801 N Glebe Road
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 717-6200

Hotel and Travel Information

The group room rate is $259 per night, plus destination fee and taxes. The group room rate is available until Monday, February 3, 2025, based on availability. FEMA recommends you make your room reservations as early as possible to ensure rooms are available.

Cancellation Policy

Only written requests received by FEMA by February 3, 2025, will receive a refund, less a $50 administrative fee. No refunds will be granted for requests made after that date, and no refunds will be given for no-shows.

Substitutions

Attendee substitutions may be made at any time, provided that the substitute is from the same organization.

Photo Policy

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA), its affiliates or agents, may take photographs during or film portions of FEMA events. By registering for this FEMA event, you authorize FEMA, without limitation or expectation of compensation, the right to use your image and likeness in its publications, advertising or other media activities (including the internet), and waive all rights or claims you may have against the FEMA and/or any of its affiliates, agents, subsidiaries, or assignees.

Questions?

If you have any registration questions or would like to add additional registrants and/or make changes to your registration, please contact Rebecca Soloway at (202) 293-5800 or rsoloway@femaflavor.org.

FEMA 2025 Flavor Labeling Workshop

FEMA Member Registration Fee
Workshop	$250

Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in FEMA’s Flavor Labeling Workshop, a session designed to take your knowledge of flavor labeling to the next level.  This workshop goes beyond the basics, providing a deeper dive into the intricacies of flavor labeling.  Ideal for professionals with a basic understanding of flavor labeling, this session will explore more nuanced topics such as USDA regulated products, and flavors with modifying properties and provide attendees with the opportunity to apply their knowledge with scenarios.

Schedule at a Glance

Wednesday, February 26, 2025
9:00am - 5:00pm	Registration
10:30am - 11:00am	Consumer Product Companies Committee This committee meeting is open only to consumer product company representatives and committee chairs.
11:15am - 12:00pm	Speaker Presentation: IFT Convening Food Science Research, Discussions & Resources \| Processing, Ultra Processed Foods & Additives Anna Rosales Institute for Food Technology (IFT) This speaker presentation is open to all and brought to you by the Consumer Product Companies Committee
12:00pm - 1:30pm	Lunch Presentation: The Evolving World of FDA and Food Allergens Steven Gendel, Ph.D. Gendel Food Safety LLC
1:30pm - 5:00pm	Regulatory Affairs Committee
5:30pm - 7:30pm	Networking Reception

Thursday, February 27, 2025
7:30am - 1:00pm	Registration
7:30am - 8:30am	Breakfast
8:30am - 10:00am	Regulatory Affairs Committee
10:30am - 3:00pm	2025 Flavor Labeling Workshop with Lunch

SPEAKERS

Flavor Labeling Workshop Speakers

Christie Harman
Scientific Director, FEMA

Christie Harman currently serves as FEMA’s Scientific Director as well as Policy Advisor to the FEMA Expert Panel. Christie has over 20 years of experience overseeing FEMA’s various science programs and ensuring the successful operation of the FEMA GRAS program. She has authored or co-authored numerous scientific publications on subjects including the proper use and labeling of flavorings, sensory testing guidance on flavorings with modifying properties, and the safety assessment of flavoring ingredients. Christie received her B.S. in Biochemistry from Virginia Tech and a Masters of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

John B. Hallagan, J.D.
General Counsel, FEMA

John Hallagan serves as FEMA’s General Counsel and Senior Advisor and Legal Advisor to the FEMA Expert Panel. In his current roles, he provides legal, regulatory, and scientific services to the association and its members. John has served FEMA in a variety of capacities during his forty-five years of service, including as a Staff Scientist, an Associate Attorney, and as Scientific Director for FEMA during which time the flavor industry initiated several major scientific programs to work towards a global open positive list of flavoring substances. He has published extensively on the topics of flavor safety and regulation, the FEMA GRAS program, and flavor and food labeling.

Lynn Warner
Head of NOAM Regulatory, Taste & Wellbeing, Givaudan

Lynn Warner is the Head of Regulatory for Givaudan’s North American region with over 20 years of regulatory experience in consumer-packaged goods and the food ingredient business. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Herbal Products Association. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a B.S. in Biology from Western Kentucky University.

Kathleen Crossman
Sr. Director of Global Processes & Standards, ADM

From FEMA chairing committees to presenting before a host of professional organizations, Kathleen Crossman is a trusted authority on regulatory matters in the flavor industry. She has more than 30 years of relevant experience and currently leads a segment of ADM’s Regulatory Team to ensure global systems, data, processes are in place. Before joining ADM in 2019, Kathleen led FONA’s Regulatory team and served as Head of Global Policy & Process Management Head of North American Regulatory Affairs at Givaudan. Kathleen has chaired FEMA’s Regulatory Affairs Committee, contributing to many initiatives, such as a supply chain task force, intellectual property webinars and served as Flavor Labeling Committee Chair.

Lorna Hopkinson
Sr. Director, Strategic Regulatory Affairs & International Compliance, ADM

Lorna Hopkinson has several decades of experience and expertise in the food industry which she brings to her current role as Senior Director of Strategic Regulatory Affairs and International Compliance at ADM. She entered the flavor, seasoning and colors Industries almost 29 years’ ago when she joined Bush Boake Allen Ltd (BBA), later joining International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) following the companies’ merger. She later joined ADM in 2016, focusing primarily on supporting its Nutrition Division’s clients and product portfolios. Lorna has served as Chair & Vice-chair of various technical committees over the years, including FEMA’s Regulatory Committee, and still advocates for common-sense and scientific-based regulations in the word of Flavors, as well as Colors and Specialty Ingredients. She continues to serve on industry regulatory & advocacy committees such as the International Organization of the Flavor Industry (IOFI)’s RAAC. Lorna graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a B.Sc. in Food Science.

Corinne Agins
Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs – Taste, Texture & Health, dsm-firmenich

Corinne Agins currently serves as the FEMA Organic Task Force chairperson and has 25 years of Regulatory experience and expertise in the Food and Beverage Industry. She currently leads a team at dsm-firmenich and is responsible to ensure flavors compliance, provide exceptional customer regulatory service, and continuously monitor the Regulatory Landscape and participate in Advocacy activities. Prior to returning to Firmenich in 2018, she was the Senior Regulatory Director at Bai Brands where she led regulatory initiatives, implemented a product lifecycle management program, and developed supporting processes. She is also the Principal Regulatory Advisor of the North American Organic Program and currently leads continuous improvement efforts to create sustainable solutions for the management of the program. She also represents dsm-firmenich as a member of the Organic Trade Association.

Victoria Alvarez-Saavedra
Vice President of Quality Management, Food Safety, and Regulatory Affairs, Virginia Dare

Victoria Alvarez-Saavedra is the Vice President of Quality Management, Food Safety, and Regulatory Affairs at Virginia Dare, where she has been since 2000. She brings over 20 years of experience to the field and is actively involved in key industry organizations. Victoria currently serves as the Chair of the FEMA Regulatory Affairs Committee and has been the Vice Chair of the IOFI RAAC since 2016. Her extensive leadership includes roles in FEMA's International Regulatory Affairs Committee and Food Labeling Committee, and she has held various leadership positions in regulatory advocacy and education.

Spring Committee Meeting Speakers

Steven Gendel, Ph.D.
Gendel Food Safety LLC

Steven Gendel is an internationally recognized expert in allergen control, labeling, and risk assessment, who currently works as an independent consultant at Gendel Food Safety LLC. He has more than 30 years of experience working at the interface between science and regulation, including over twenty years at the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition where he supported FDA inspection and enforcement programs. He was the first FDA Food Allergen Coordinator and contributed to the Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule, the Gluten-Free Labeling Rule, various agency documents, and scientific publications. Steven has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from UC Irvine.

Anna Rosales
Institute for Food Technology (IFT)

Anna is the Senior Director of Government Affairs and Nutrition at IFT and specializes in regulatory affairs, food law, and nutrition communications. Previously, she was the Director of Nutrition and Science Communications for Barilla, and the corporate dietitian for Yakult. Early in her career, she was a chef instructor and consulting dietitian at the California Health & Longevity Institute, and a food writer and cooking guide for About.com. Her diverse background allows her to work seamlessly on any food or nutrition-related project. Anna is a registered dietitian and has a master’s in international food law from Michigan State University and a B.S. in Nutrition & Food Studies from New York University.