ILSI 2024 Opening Plenary and Keynote Presentation

Opening of the Symposium

Monday, January 22, 2024 | 9:00 – 10:10 a.m.

Symposium Co-Chairs: Louise Dye, PhD, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom and Todd Abraham, PhD, MBA, Senior Vice-President at Mondelēz (Retired), USA

Featuring the following presentation:

USDA Science and Research Strategy – Cultivating Scientific Innovation – Deirdra N. Chester, PhD, RDN, Director, Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS/OSEC) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

This opening plenary will conclude with the keynote presentation:

Role of Technologies in Improving Nutrition, Food Safety and Food Systems – John G. Keogh, M.B.A., M.Sc., Shantalla Insight Partners LLC, Canada

Deirdra Chester John Keogh Louise Dye Todd Abraham

Deirdra Chester

Deirdra N. Chester, PhD, RDN, Director, Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS/OSEC) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Dr. Deirdra Chester serves as the Director of the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS). In this role, she leads OCS in delivering science and research that undergirds the policies and practices of USDA and its customers and stakeholders. Additionally, she steers collaboration activities for USDA science programs that support scientific excellence, innovation, and capacity to achieve the Department’s mission. Prior to this role, Dr. Chester was with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) were she served as the Division Director for the Division of Nutrition. In this role, she provided leadership and oversight for the Division’s research, education, and Extension activities across the nation through competitive grant programs.

Previously, Dr. Chester was the agency Science Advisor for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Before APHIS, she served as the National Program Leader for NIFA’s Applied Nutrition Research in the Division of Nutrition. Prior to joining NIFA, Dr. Chester was a scientist at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.

Additionally, Dr. Chester is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She has spoken both nationally and internationally on nutrition topics and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Obesity and Chronic Disease.

Dr. Chester is an American University Key Executive Leadership program graduate and is SES certified through the USDA Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program. Dr. Chester holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Florida International University, where she was awarded the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship and was in the inaugural class of the Gates Millennial Scholars. She also holds a master’s degree in food and nutrition science and a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from Florida State University.

Dr. Chester is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. The American Public Health Association Food and Nutrition Section awarded her the Mary C. Egan Award and she was recognized by Florida State University’s College of Human Science with the Circle of Excellence Alumni Award.

John Keogh

Keynote Presenter: John G. Keogh, M.B.A., M.Sc., Shantalla Insight Partners LLC, Canada

John G. Keogh has more than 30 years of experience in executive leadership roles in industry, specializing in supply chain management, IT and consulting. He engages with governments, inter-governmental agencies, NGOs and businesses globally and is a frequent keynote speaker, moderator and media analyst. As founder and CEO of Shantalla Insight Partners LLC, based in Toronto and Los Angeles, he leads a niche firm focused on strategy, advising and research. John is currently a Professor of Practice at the McGill Center for the Convergence of Health and Economics (MCCHE), where his research centers on digital ecosystems in the global agri-food sector. He serves on the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) board, demonstrating his dedication to the industry. His current academic research delves into the digital transformation of agri-food supply chains, emphasizing traceability, transparency, trust and opportunism. John co-facilitates a German government-led initiative, engaging over 350 stakeholders, focusing on capacity building and compliance for the Germany Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Louise Dye

Louise Dye, PhD, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

Louise Dye is a Chartered Health Psychologist and Co-Director of the Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield. Her research focuses on the effects of nutrition on cognitive function, health and wellbeing and in how to encourage and sustain dietary behaviour change at individual, organisational and societal levels. Her work on breakfast and cognition has highlighted the importance of diet in vulnerable groups e.g. children, in food insecurity. Louise chairs the BBSRC Strategic Advisory Panel for Biosciences for an Integrated Understanding of Health, is past President of ILSI Europe, current Co-Chair of ILSI Global and Associate Editor of Nutritional Neuroscience. She leads a work package on increasing dietary fibre intake in low-income consumers in the UKRI funded H3 project (www.h3.ac.uk) and is co-Chair of the health and wellbeing pillar of the Leeds Food Strategy for Leeds City Council. She also co-leads the SFI/DAERA/UKRI funded Co-Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems on the Island of Ireland.

Todd Abraham

Todd K. Abraham, PhD – Mondelēz International (retired), USA

Dr. Todd K. Abraham was Senior Vice President of Research and Nutrition for Mondelēz International (formally Kraft Foods), a $35B multinational food company with internationally known brands such as Oreo, Trident, Cadbury, Milka and Sour Patch Kids. He was responsible for worldwide technology development and strategy, long term cross category Research Programs, Analytical Sciences, Open Innovation, Consumer Sciences and Knowledge Management across the enterprise as well as having accountability for the Reading Scientific Services LTD business in Reading, UK. Before moving to Mondelēz International as Sr. Vice President, Product Development, Nabisco Foods Company, he held previous leadership positions in Marketing, General Management and R&D at Pillsbury and Procter and Gamble with both North American and International experience. Todd completed his Sc.B. in Chemistry at Brown University in Providence, RI. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1981 and his M.B.A. in Strategic Planning from The Wharton School also in May, 1981.

Todd is a multifunctional consumer products executive with experience in R&D, Marketing and General Management. He has a successful track record of developing strategies to drive business growth and profitability. Todd developed and executed the strategy to redefine Pillsbury’s brownie business leading to a 5% share growth in less than 12 months. He has developed R&D programs targeted at capitalizing on long term consumer trends through technology initiatives ensuring Mondelez delivers its public wellbeing commitments around healthier snacking.

Todd has extensive experience integrating acquisitions and preparing for divestitures. He integrated the Nabisco Research, Development and Quality groups into Kraft in 2001, as well as Danone and Cadbury’s technology groups as those businesses were acquired and developed the framework for splitting the Kraft and Mondelez technology efforts when Kraft Foods Group was spun off. Additionally, Todd is a mentor and champion of talent having 6 of his direct reports promoted to Vice President during his tenure at Kraft / Mondelez.

Todd is known externally for his work on innovation culture, technology partnerships and Open Innovation. He has been an invited speaker at the Institute of Food Technology, Product Development Management Association, International Union of Food Science and Technology, and Israeli Food Technology annual meetings. Todd has been a mentor and counselor to start-up companies and a venture fund liaison.