Dr. Donald Zink leads the food safety and food processing consulting group at IEH. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics and his M.S. in Microbiology from Texas A&M University, and his B.S. from Abilene Christian University. Prior to working at IEH, Dr. Zink worked for the U.S. FDA as the Chief Scientist for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. At IEH, he is focused on helping clients avoid food contamination from bacterial pathogens. Dr. Zink assists clients with broader issues related to food safety such as: process validation, allergen control, and chemical contamination. He is an expert in the microbiological and chemical safety of processed foods and fresh produce. He has extensive experience on low acid canned food thermal processing, aseptic processing, ice cream production, chocolate and confectionery products, infant formula production, beverage production, fermented and acidified foods, frozen and refrigerated food production, and baked goods production.
Email: don.zink@iehinc.com
We are delighted to announce that Mr. Craig Wilson has recently joined IEH as the Executive Vice President. With a career spanning over four decades, Mr. Wilson’s contributions to the field of food safety and quality assurance are exceptional.
Mr. Wilson spent over two decades at Costco Wholesale Corporation as the Vice President of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Animal Welfare, and Non-Foods Quality Assurance. Costco’s food safety audit systems, Test and Hold Programs (pSTEC, Salmonella, Listeria) for fresh foods, x-ray product inspection, and unique positions on the Global Food Safety Initiative and the global regulatory environment, is well known industry wide. Mr. Wilson was instrumental in enhancing the company’s quality control measures and ensuring the highest food safety standards in the industry.
Prior to joining Costco Wholesale, Mr. Wilson worked as a Special Projects Director for Frigoscandia Equipment Food Safety Systems for over 24 years. During his time there, Craig published numerous research papers in the areas of food safety and food processing and holds many patents, the most notable for steam pasteurization of food, and is the recipient of the Gia/Matek Global Excellence in Food Safety Award.
Mr. Wilson’s involvement extends beyond his roles in various corporations. He has actively engaged with prominent organizations in the food safety sector. He presently serves on the Center for Produce Safety Board, chairs the Center for Food Integrity Board, and contributes to the STOP Food Borne Illness Board, the CGF Food Waste Coalition, and the National Food Safety Consortium Steering Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Camp Korey and formerly co-chaired GFSI.
Email: cw@iehinc.com
Executive Vice President
Dr. Mansour Samadpour received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Washington. After completing his Ph.D and post-doctoral studies, Dr. Samadpour became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health at the University of Washington. In 2001, together with Dalia Alfi, he started the Institute for Environmental Health (IEH) Laboratories and Consulting Group. Dr. Samadpour is an expert in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of foodborne and waterborne pathogens, the transport of microbes in the environment and food production systems, molecular epidemiology, and the design and implementation of proactive food safety systems. As the head of our research and development team at IEH, a senior author on over 75 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and the inventor of over 30 patents, Dr. Samadpour continues to push the field of food safety forward. He has played a leading role in developing pathogen detection programs for food safety management and has been sought out for his expertise in most of the major U.S. outbreaks over the last three decades.
Email: ms@iehinc.com
Ms. Carol Cave joined IEH as the Executive Vice President in 2024, bringing with her extensive expertise in regulatory affairs and consumer protection. She holds a B.S. in Consumer Economics from the University of Maryland.
Before joining IEH, Ms. Cave served as the Acting Associate Commissioner (ACRA) for the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) at the Food and Drug Administration. In this role, she oversaw approximately 5000 ORA employees stationed across the U.S. and around the world.
Prior to her role as Acting ACRA, Ms. Cave served as Deputy Associate Commissioner, where she managed inspections, compliance, enforcement, field laboratory operations, import operations, and strategic planning.
Earlier in her career at the FDA, she served as the Assistant Commissioner of Import Operations, where she led the Office of Enforcement and Import Operations, ensuring FDA-regulated imported products comply with U.S. laws. Ms. Cave also led coordination efforts between the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, developing joint regulations, policies, procedures, and operations.
Before her tenure at the FDA, Ms. Cave was the Deputy Director of the Office of Compliance and Field Operations at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In this role, she collaborated with federal government agencies to identify potentially defective consumer products. With nearly 26 years at the CPSC, Ms. Cave held various leadership positions, including Director of State and Local Programs and Assistant Executive Director for the Office of Import Surveillance, ensuring the safety of consumer products nationwide.
Email: carol.cave@iehinc.com
Executive Vice President
Dr. Suf Alkhaldi joined IEH as the Senior Vice President of Technical Services in 2023. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Cell Molecular Biology from Oklahoma State University. He also conducted a postdoctoral study in Rumen Microbiology in Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia and served as the manager of the DNA Microarray Lab at Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University.
Before joining IEH, Dr. Alkhaldi spent over two decades at FDA which has been characterized by his exceptional contributions to innovation and regulatory excellence. He began as a researcher and food outbreak investigator at the Center for Food and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), focusing on developing cutting-edge methods for identifying pathogenic bacteria in food using molecular techniques. With over 29 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 14 reviewed papers and book chapters, and co-editing “The Bad Bug Book,” he demonstrated a strong commitment to knowledge-sharing and food safety. Dr. Alkhaldi has played an instrumental role in resolving the FDA’s 2008 pepper outbreak investigation.
Throughout his extensive career at FDA, Dr. Alkhaldi held various roles, including Project Manager, Supervisor, and Senior Science Advisor in the Office of the Chief Scientist. He actively participated in influential working groups and the FDA Funded Centers of Excellence, reinforcing his dedication to advancing microbiology and FDA drug policies. Adding to his accomplishments, Dr. Alkhaldi received over 20 FDA awards between 2000 and 2023.
Dr. Alkhaldi was selected to lead the Office of Safety within the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA). His exceptional leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic was evident as he led a team of 24 Industrial Hygienists and safety professionals. Their dedication ensured the safety of 5,000 FDA employees and provided support for 16 FDA laboratories, demonstrating his significant impact in fostering a safe and innovative regulatory environment within the FDA and the broader field of food microbiology.
Email: suf@iehinc.com
Senior Vice President
Technical Services
Dr. Sergio Sanchez is a chemist with 28 years of experience in the areas of laboratory analytical testing, product inspection and audits. Dr. Sanchez received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico. Prior to joining IEH, Dr. Sanchez launched and managed the global food safety business line for Inspectorate. His work included the design, installation, method development, accreditation, technical support and operational management of a global network of food testing laboratories and GFSI audit services. Dr. Sanchez also served as technical liaison to government agencies in charge of food safety regulations in Asia, Latin America, the European Union and the US, including active participation in the FDA’s Shrimp Pilot Program.
Email: ss@iehinc.com
Senior Vice President
Analytical Services
Dr. Koohmaraie joined IEH as the Chief Executive Officer of the Meat Division in 2008. He received his Ph.D. in Meat Science and Muscular Biology from Oregon State University, his M.S. in Meat Science from Texas A&M at Kingsville, and his B.S. in Animal Science from Pahlavi University. Throughout his career, Dr. Koohmaraie has focused his research efforts on the biological mechanisms regulating meat tenderness. Starting with the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in the Northwest, Dr. Koohmaraie has been heavily involved in leading and conducting research projects to help the meat industry eliminate E. coli O157:H7 from the red meat supply. After 24 years as a USDA scientist, Dr. Koohmaraie left the public sector to pursue his passion in the area of beef safety and quality in the private sector. Throughout his impressive career Dr. Koohmaraie has received numerous awards such as the Agricultural Research Service’s Scientist of the Year Award in 1992 and 2001, the Agricultural Research Service’s technology transfer awards in 2004 and 2008, and the USDA Secretary Award in 1995 and 2001. In 2012, Dr. Koohmaraie was inducted of the Meat Industry Hall of Fame. Dr. Koohmaraie has published over 400 scientific publications and has given over 300 invited talks to U.S. and International Organizations. Dr. Koohmaraie is an ISI Highly Cited Scientist.
Email: mk@iehinc.com
Warren Mirtsching joined IEH Consulting Group as a Vice President of Technical Services. He has over four decades of protein processing experience related to Beef, Pork, and Processed Meats. His skillset extends across various areas, including Supply Chain Management, Production, Operations, Food Safety, and Quality Assurance activities.
Over the course of his career, Warren has worked with distinguished names such as Cargill, ConAgra, Swift & Company, Daniele Foods, and Meyer Natural Foods. During his time at Meyer Natural Foods – a leading provider of Natural and Organic Beef in the industry, he oversaw 50 global suppliers of beef, pork, and processed meats. Warren has held significant roles as the Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, Co-Packer Management, and Food Safety at Meyer Natural Foods.
Warren is adept at effectively leveraging, coordinating, and optimizing resources across a wide range of sizes and types. His cross-functional training equips him to pinpoint root causes through comprehensive analysis, resulting in solution-driven outcomes.
Email: wm@iehinc.com
Senior Vice President
Technical Services
Dr. Michael De La Zerda received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Animal Science from Texas A&M University. Dr. De La Zerda has extensive on-site experience at food production facilities.
Examples of his on-site expertise include: broccoli, ready-to-eat, nut production, the processing of nuts, onions, sprouts, chocolate, bread, and fish. Each of these opportunities has provided numerous experiences in consulting, HACCP plan development and revision, personnel training, validation of process control and microbial interventions, and detailed regulatory activity assistance (Noncompliance Records, Notices of Intended Enforcement actions, Notices of Suspension and Verification Plans, and Humane Handling issues).
Prior to joining IEH, Dr. De La Zerda was responsible for the direction and implementation of the food safety programs for a natural and organic meat company, where he oversaw multi-protein slaughter and ready-to-eat processing facilities across the United States.
Email: md@iehinc.com
CEO of IEH Consulting
Technical Services
Heidi Wederquist earned her M.S. and B.S. from Colorado State University in Animal Science and Food Science and Human Nutrition. Her Master’s thesis research included the growth and inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in processed poultry products.
With over 30 years of food industry experience, her areas of focus include powdered infant formula and spray dried foods, fresh and frozen produce, cooked meats, and refrigerated prepared foods. Her areas of expertise include risk assessments and root cause analysis, conducting operational GMP reviews, and development of finished product testing and environmental monitoring programs. She also assists food companies with preparation for regulatory inspections, as well as working with companies on crisis response and corrective actions for regulatory findings.
Prior to joining IEH, Heidi worked for Chipotle, Inc. for ten years as the Director of Food Safety & Quality Assurance in the Purchasing and Supply Chain department where she helped oversee quality and food safety programs for all purchased foods. While at Chipotle, she also developed an online supply chain management system and whole-chain traceability program.
Email: heidi.wederquist@iehinc.com
Vice President
Technical Services
Thomas Hammack joined IEH as Vice President of Technical Services in 2024. He has over 30 years of experience in the field of food microbiology, working at the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). Starting in 1990, he began his tenure at the FDA as a research microbiologist until he became the Chief of the Microbial Methods Development Branch (MMDB) in 2009. In this role, he led a team of 25 microbiologists in developing and validating methods for the detection and characterization of bacterial pathogens and toxins in foods and on environmental surfaces. After a decade as Chief of MMDB, he concluded his tenure as a Senior Policy Analyst for Microbiology in CFSAN’s Office of Regulatory Science.
He is a co-author of FDA’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual’s (BAM) Salmonella, Cronobacter, and Food Sampling and Preparation of Sample Homogenate chapters. During his career, he Chaired the FDA’s Microbiology Methods Validation Subcommittee (MMVS) from 2017 to 2021, which oversees the validation of the microbiological methods used in the FDA’s Foods Program. He also chaired the FDA’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Council from 2009 to 2016. He remained a member of both the BAM Council and MMVS until his retirement at the end of 2023.
Thomas Hammack’s expertise extends beyond his roles at the FDA. He currently serves as an Expert Review Panel member for AOAC International, overseeing the validation of numerous methods for bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli O157:H7. Since 2014, he has been a dedicated member of the MicroVal Technical Review Committee. Notably, he served as the Chair of the US Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC 34/SC 9 from 2011 to 2023, the committee responsible for the development of all ISO food microbiological methods.
Email: thomas.hammack@iehinc.com
Dr. George Baker joined IEH in 2020 as Vice President, Technical Services. He received both his B.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Food Science. His graduate studies included storage water activity in low moisture foods, flavor compound formation during peanut roasting, sensory analysis (consumer and trained quantitative descriptive analysis panels), and instrumental analysis of fats and oils. Dr. Baker researched edible fat and oils, off-flavor formation in foods, and sensory evaluation techniques for over 20 years as a university faculty member and in his previous roles as CEO of ABC Research Corporation. He continues to research these topics in his current role at IEH.
Dr. Baker was an Assistant Professor and Florida Sea Grant’s Seafood Specialist for several years and is certified to teach Seafood HACCP and Sanitation Control Procedures courses. Recently, he became the Division Chair for the Institute of Food Technologist’s Aquatic Food Products.
Dr. Baker also worked in food manufacturing as the Director of New Product Development and Director of Food Safety & Quality, with roles as the SQF Practitioner and PCQI for two food production facilities with multiple production lines. He was further involved in snack food stability evaluation related to moisture uptake, fat rancidity due to autooxidation, problems solving in production, and various updates to food safety programs.
Email: george.baker@iehinc.com
Dr. Gene Bartholomew joined IEH as Vice President of Technical Services in 2019. He earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in microbiology from Cornell University and a B.S. in biology from Bucknell University. Dr. Bartholomew began his professional career at International Paper in 1983 as a research scientist. During his 15 years there, he commercialized and validated an aseptic packaging system, managed a beverage pilot plant and its laboratory, started taste panel testing for the company, and advanced to manage several product development groups. Dr. Bartholomew then joined Smithfield Foods Packaged Meats. He started in the John Morrell Group as the corporate director of food safety for 7 meat processing and slaughter facilities and 1 spice plant. He later took on the role of Senior Director of Corporate Food Safety, during which he was responsible for 14 meat processing plants and several FDA-regulated plants. Throughout his 20-year career at Smithfield, he led HACCP plan design and validation, thermal processing, regulatory compliance, sanitation, allergen control and environmental pathogen monitoring. He also managed a corporate microbiology laboratory and its accreditation, and has certifications in HACCP training, BRC and SQF schemes, and is a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual. Dr. Bartholomew was a founding member of the North American Meat Institute Listeria Control Workshop and has taught numerous courses to members of the food industry.
Email: gene.bartholomew@iehinc.com
Dr. Peyman Fatemi joined IEH as the Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Services in 2019. He received his Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from Penn State University, and his MS in Food Science and BS in Microbiology from the University of Georgia. Dr. Fatemi has helped develop food safety programs and held leading roles within multiple food categories.
Prior to joining IEH, he was the Vice President of Scientific Affairs at The Acheson Group, where he was responsible for their strategic growth and development and provided nuanced expertise to the company’s clients on key food safety and testing topics. From 2004 to 2008, as a Senior Microbiologist at Unilever Foods NA, he supported food safety programs for multiple product categories such as Peanut Butter, beverages, sauces, snack bars, frozen and refrigerated foods.
Dr. Fatemi has served as the head of the corporate laboratory group at Smithfield Foods and as director of food safety at Earthbound Farms. Within the biotech sector, he helped Life Technologies launch their food safety testing platforms to meet the specific needs of food testing customers. He also served as the Technical Director of AEMTEK, Inc.
Dr. Fatemi is also an active member of multiple industry groups and serves on the Expert Review Panel for the AOAC Official Methods Board and on the editorial board of Food Protection Trends and Journal of AOAC International. He is the past Chair of Pre-harvest PDG at the IAFP and has been an invited speaker within a number of national and international groups such as the FDA, USDA/FSIS, IFT, IAFP and multiple industry groups
Email: peyman.fatemi@iehinc.com
Vice President
Tech & Regulatory Services
Dr. Ramon Aboytes joined IEH in 2006. He holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the National University of Mexico and both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Microbiology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Aboytes specializes in molecular epidemiological mapping of microbial contaminants that are necessary for trace back analysis of outbreaks of zoonotic and anthroponotic diseases caused by infectious microorganisms that are linked to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Before moving to the United States, Dr. Aboytes was a senior research leader for the Institute of Veterinary Research, Department of Agriculture in Mexico. Dr. Aboytes has over 35 years of experience in the practical applications of GMP, food safety, microbial quality control, quality assurance, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance in the US and Latin America. Through his extensive background in veterinary medicine, microbiology and applied research to contribute to the advancement of food safety.
Email: aboytesr@iehinc.com
Dea Lievano Woolrich started at IEH in 2016 as the Associate Director of Technical Services. Ms. Woolrich earned her B.S. in Food Science from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. Dea has 20 years of experience in food processing facilities, where she worked multiple positions in the Production, R&D and Quality Assurance Departments. Ms. Woolrich has some dairy experience, and nearly 15 years of experience overseeing multi-facility operations with refrigerated and frozen prepared foods under FDA and USDA jurisdiction, where she developed Food Safety Systems and Programs from scratch -including multiple HACCP Plans- as well as established a team of 19 employees in the QA Department. Since joining IEH, she has focused on performing facility assessments, developing EMPs and pre-requisite programs, and training client employees on proper aseptic technique, basic cGMPs, Sanitation procedures, root cause analysis and corrective actions.
She is fully bilingual in Spanish and very comfortable working in processing environments. Prior to IEH, Woolrich worked at Chipotle as the supplier-facing Quality Assurance Manager. At Chipotle, Woolrich was responsible for assessing new and current suppliers, enforcing company quality standards through continuous improvement programs working with vendors, Operations, Training and Supply Chain teams, investigating and resolving food quality issues by working with restaurants and suppliers, supporting the Crisis Management Team, as well as the Culinary Development Team by setting and documenting processing and quality standards for new and improved items. Woolrich is highly skilled at ensuring food quality standards, documentation, training, and operations.
Email: dea.woolrich@iehinc.com
Vice President
Technical Services
Randy Porter joined IEH in 2019 as Vice President of Technical Services after working for food processing companies such as Campbell Soup, Post Holdings, ConAgra Brands, Kraft/Nabisco and Dannon over his career.
Mr. Porter has a wealth of expertise in Operations, Engineering and Hygienic Design, Sanitation, Quality and Food Safety, both in plant and corporate environments. He has been in charge of domestic and international food processing facilities across multiple food categories, including dairy, bakery, meat, edible oils, eggs, snacks, agricultural, flour, frozen meals, chocolate confectionary, powdered beverages, fruit juice and more.
Most recently, Mr. Porter has held leadership roles as Senior Director of Food Safety, Hygienic Design & Sanitation at ConAgra Brands, Vice President of Quality & Product Safety at Post Holdings, Director of North America Quality at Campbell Soup and Senior Director of Food Safety at The Acheson Group.
Mr. Porter has authored and published multiple articles on Hygienic Design and has trained and presented at numerous food industry events and seminars across the globe. He is also a lead trainer for Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQI), and Human Food Rule.
Email: randy.porter@iehinc.com
Senior Vice President
Technical Services
Dr. Sam Myoda joined IEH in 2007. He earned his Ph.D. in Civil & Environmental Engineering and his B.S. in Environmental Science/Biology from the University of Delaware. He was the recipient of the Wesley W. Horner Award presented by the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Prior to joining IEH, Dr. Myoda worked at the State of Delaware, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), and the Division of Water Resources (DWS). There, he set up and directed the Molecular Biology Laboratory and was also involved in many projects including microbial source tracking, research, method development, computer modeling for water quality and hydrodynamics, risk assessments, water and wastewater treatment, environmental monitoring, and regulatory and compliance issues.
During his time with DNREC, Dr. Myoda collaborated with IEH on numerous microbial source tracking and water quality projects. In 2006, he was the recipient of the DNREC/DWR “Employee of the Year” award. As a result of his accomplishments at DNREC, he was invited to participate at the 2007 Experts Scientific Workshop on Critical Research Needs for the Development of New or Revised Recreational Water Quality Criteria.
At IEH, Dr. Myoda’s primary focus is related to food safety. He is well versed in all aspects of food production, including GAPs, GMPs, HACCP, FSMA, water quality, treatment processes, environmental monitoring, root cause analysis, sanitation, facility design, and data analysis. He focuses on supporting the produce industry, outbreak and regulatory support, bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing (WGS and metagenomics), method development, process optimization, and program innovation.
Dr. Myoda has served as a consulting and testifying expert in various legal cases, including but not limited to the 2006 spinach E. coli O157 outbreak, Tyson et al. vs. Oklahoma (2007), and Plaintiffs vs. Climb Works (2019). In addition to legal cases, he regularly consults with food companies on risk assessments, program development and implementation, product testing, and regulatory issues.
Email: sam@iehinc.com
Dr. Robert Miksch is one of the most senior members at IEH, starting with the company in 2001. Dr. Miksch received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Washington and his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. He has authored, audited, validated and verified HACCP plans, and assisted clients in responding to regulatory notifications. These include: Noncompliance Records, Notices of Intended Enforcement (NOIE) actions, and Notices of Suspension (NOS). Dr. Miksch also designed and implemented microbial intervention validation studies. Prior to joining IEH, he practiced as a Certified Industrial Hygienist, with more than 20 years of experience in a broad range of private, government, and academic environments. He founded and ran a successful practice covering chemical and biological hazards in a wide range of settings. A key practice area was authoring pragmatic enterprise scale OSHA Process Safety Management/EPA Risk Management plans for food processor ammonia refrigeration systems.
Email: bobm@iehinc.com
Mike Gollinger joined IEH as the Vice President of Technical Services in 2023, following a distinguished career in the food and beverage processing industry. With significant tenures at Heinz Foods, Bay Valley Foods, Trident Seafoods, ConAgra Brands, and Smithfield Foods, Mr. Gollinger brings over three decades of expertise, most recently serving as the Director of Product Integrity at E.& J. Gallo Winery.
Throughout his professional career, Mr. Gollinger’s experience included Operations, Engineering, Hygienic Design, Sanitation, Quality, Food Safety, Potable/Wastewater Systems, Integrated Pest Management, and Retail/Restaurant Food Compliance in both plant and corporate environments. He has successfully overseen a wide array of domestic and international processing facilities, encompassing diverse food and beverage categories such as wine, spirits, juice, frozen foods, peanut butter/nut processing, RTE/fresh meat, canning, spices, fish/seafood, organic, Kosher, Halal, and more.
In addition to his private sector experience, Mr. Gollinger served as a Preventive Medicine Technician in the United States Navy and as a Public Health Inspector with the Skagit Valley and Whatcom County Health Departments in Washington State. His responsibilities included a range of functions, including retail, restaurant, and operational food inspections, as well as environmental health and epidemiological investigations, and pest control and entomological services.
Beyond his operational roles, Mr. Gollinger served as a correspondent on the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) Commercial Committee, where he contributed a food and beverage industry perspective to shape the NPMA Standards for Food Processing & Handling Facilities Manual.
Email: Mike.Gollinger@iehinc.com
Vice President
Technical Services
Dr. Arias has worked as a research associate at IEH since 2017. She received her Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology focused in Food Safety at Texas A&M University, her Masters in Food Science and Technology from the University Autonomous of Queretaro, and her Bachelors in Biochemical Engineering from the Regional Technological Institute of Colima.
After joining IEH, Dr. Arias became the technical area lead in the department of Reference Materials. She has been involved in validation experiments for our IEH-media formulation as well as performing special client projects. For special projects, Dr. Arias writes research proposals, performs experiments, analyzes data and submits reports to clients.
Email: vr@iehinc.com
Director
Technical Services
Dr. Fereidoun Forghani received his B.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and M.S in Microbiology from Azad University, Iran, and earned his Ph.D. in Food Science and Biotechnology from Kangwon National University in South Korea.
Prior to joining IEH in 2020, he gained further training through three postdoctoral fellowships from 2015 to 2020. During his post-doctoral training he developed rapid detection methods for identification of foodborne pathogens. He also performed research on the molecular detection of plant parasitic nematodes, through which he gained firsthand experience on the post-harvest processing of fresh produce and row crop agriculture. Dr. Forghani’s work developing patented detection methods for foodborne pathogens and hurdle technologies for microbial decontamination, and his experience working on antimicrobial treatments, dry foods, lactic acid bacteria, organic foods, microbial modelling and HACCP has provided him with a strong understanding of food microbiology and safety.
Dr. Forghani helps IEH clients improve the microbial safety of their products and is involved in designing and execution of special projects including shelf-life studies, process validations, method development and interdisciplinary research that address client needs.
Director
Technical Services
Rafal Knap is the Director of Aseptic and Thermal Processing at IEH. Mr. Knap earned his M.S. in Food Science and his B.S. in Microbiology from the University of British Columbia. Knap uses his extensive experience in microbiology, and conventional thermal and aseptic processing to design and manage complex validation projects of aseptic processing and packing equipment. In addition, he provides technical assistance to food producers in areas of thermal food processing (as a “Process Authority”) and food safety (low/high-acid foods, aseptic food products, food microbiology, risk assessment, GMPs, QC/QA issues and re-call assistance). Prior to working at IEH, Mr. Knap worked for the National Food Processors Association and the National Food Laboratory. His roles included providing consulting services to clients in the areas of thermal processing, food safety, new technologies and on issues pertaining to food microbiology, food safety, risk assessment, food processing equipment and process design.
Email: rknap@iehinc.com
Vice President
Aseptic & Thermal Processing
Dr. Richard D. Miller received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Pennsylvania State University, where his research was in the field of food microbiology. His postdoctoral research at Oregon Health Sciences University was in microbial pathogenesis. Since 1977, he served as a faculty member in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Louisville, where he is now an Emeritus Professor. Dr. Miller taught courses on infectious diseases to medical and dental students for over 4 decades; and mentored graduate student research on the Legionnaires’ disease bacterium, Legionella pneumophila.
Dr. Miller has performed Legionella environmental testing and risk assessments as part of public health efforts to prevent transmission of Legionnaires’ disease from building water systems. In 1993, he co-founded Environmental Safety Technologies, Inc. to provide water testing services, environmental testing (validation) and risk assessments for Legionella in cooling towers and potable water systems nationwide, with a focus on healthcare settings (hospitals and nursing homes).
Dr. Miller has extensive knowledge of other important healthcare-associated waterborne microbial pathogens. He also served on the ASHRAE committees that wrote and published the Legionella Guideline 12:2000 document, as well as the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.
Email: rmiller@estechlab.com
President of Environmental Safety Technologies, Inc
George Young has extensive experience in Legionella consulting, microbiological testing and indoor air quality. He served three years in the U.S. Navy, as an emergency medical technician, holding certifications in all areas of advanced life support and providing training for emergency medical technicians. Upon completing his military service, he earned a B.A. from the University of Louisville and continued to work in healthcare before joining Environment Safety Technologies in 2000 and transitioning to the field of industrial hygiene.
George Young has led industrial hygiene teams to collect water and air samples for a variety of industries including healthcare, assisted living, education, manufacturing and food production. He was awarded the title of Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC) through the American Hospital Association and holds a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) designation through the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA). Recently, he completed a Legionella Water Safety and Management certification from the American Society of Sanitary Engineers (ASSE).
Email: gyoung@estechlab.com
Vice President,
Technical Services
Mike Jackson is the President of JLA International. He has over 30 years of experience in the peanut and tree nut industry with a focus on food quality and safety systems, product development and research on peanuts, tree nuts and nut butter products.Mike joined JLA in 2000, prior to which he worked for PERT® Laboratories for 14 years. During that time, his roles included Manager of Product Development, Manager of Analytical Services and Director of Operations.Mike is currently a board member of the Peanut Standards Board appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He received his B.S. degree in Food Science from North Carolina State University in 1986 and his MBA from East Carolina University in 1995.
Email: mikejackson@jlaglobal.com
President of JLA International
Dr. Foy D. Mills, Jr. is Vice-President of Ag Systems for JLA International (JLA). Dr. Mills has served the US and international peanut industry for over three decades, first as an Assistant Professor and Extension Ag Economist at the University of Georgia (UGA) from 1987-1989, and since 1991, in various research, education, and leadership roles within JLA including writing for and editing, In a Nutshell, the JLA crop newsletter.
Dr. Mills now provides full-time support to the peanut industry after concluding a 41-year career in US higher education in 2022. He began his work as a professional educator as an instructor of agriculture at Lubbock Christian University (LCU), followed by stints at Texas Tech University as a USDA-ARS National Needs Fellow, UGA as previously noted, Abilene Christian University where he rose to Professor of Agribusiness and Department Chair, Sam Houston State University where he served as Professor and Agribusiness Program Leader, and finally as Provost and Chief Academic Officer at LCU. During his professional career, he was able to establish a seamless relationship between industry and academics, thereby enhancing student engagement. His work with students was recognized with five different national excellence in teaching awards and two distinguished educator awards.
Dr. Mills was raised in the small farming community of Anton, Texas, where his family were cotton farmers. He earned a B.S. in Agribusiness with honors from LCU in 1980. He completed the M.S. in 1983 and the Ph.D. in 1987 in Agricultural Economics at Texas Tech University.
Email: foymills@jlaglobal.com
Dr. Jack Davis started at JLA in 2014. Dr. Davis received his Ph.D and M.S. in Food Science from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and his B.S. in Food Science from the University of Georgia. He has worked extensively on many aspects of pre-harvest and post-harvest peanut safety and quality. These include optimization of processing technologies and agronomic strategies to improve finished product quality, advanced nutritional analyses, oil stability, sensory analyses, aflatoxin mitigation, and byproduct utilization. Before joining JLA, Dr. Davis spent ten years with a dual appointment as a research scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service and as a faculty member at NCSU in the department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences.
Email: jackdavis@jlaglobal.com
Director
Technical Services
David DeShazo is the Director of Agricultural Services for JLA International (JLA). David joined JLA International over eleven years ago and currently works in Texas servicing JLA labs in Brownfield, TX and DeLeon, TX after starting out his JLA career in the Albany, Georgia facility, headquarters for JLA International. David graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2003 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with an emphasis in plant biology and botany. After graduation, David began his career working for a high-end landscape company. After this eight-year career in landscaping, David decided to return to his home in South Georgia and roots in agriculture. David grew up working a family farm in Worth County, Georgia, where he learned many sectors of agriculture and agribusiness first hand. His combined efforts in agriculture and studies in plant biology have allowed him to grow within the peanut industry.
Email: DavidDeShazo@jlaglobal.com
Dr. Dilip Chandarana joined IEH in 2005. Dr. Chandarana earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Food Engineering from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology. He specializes in food engineering, heat transfer, thermal and aseptic processing, aseptic packaging, regulatory compliance, and microbial spoilage diagnosis. At the National Food Processors Association (NFPA), Dr. Chandarana developed research programs in the area of aseptic processing and packaging of foods containing particles and was instrumental in developing the first successful process filing for such foods. He was the NFPA’s leader for high temperature rheology research where he developed the NFPA’s New Technologies research program. Chandarana also has extensive experience in testing a variety of aseptic processing and packaging systems, process designs, deviation handling, and spoilage investigations and diagnosis. Finally, Chandarana taught several better process controls schools, thermal processing and deviation workshops and aseptic processing and packaging workshops while at NFPA.
Email: dchandarana@iehinc.com
Mark Deniston has worked with IEH since 2005. He earned his M.S. in Food Engineering from UC Davis and his B.S. from Cal Poly. He has published papers on heat transfer to foods with particles, heat transfer to food products heated in steam/air retorts, and hyperfiltration technology for protein recovery. Deniston also was co-author of a National Food Processors Association (NFPA) book on automated control system validation. Deniston has taught numerous workshops and courses such as the FDA Advanced Low Acid Canned Foods Workshops, NFPA and IEH Thermal Processing, Aseptic Processing and Process Deviation Workshops, and Better Process Control Schools.
At IEH, Deniston conducts evaluation studies on automated control systems, 21 CFR Part 11 electronic record keeping systems, retort systems, and aseptic processing and packaging systems. He also recommends LACF and acidified thermal processes and evaluates LACF and acidified thermal process deviations. Deniston has held a part-time UC Davis position for 39 years, and before working at IEH, he worked at the NFPA Western Research Laboratory for 19 years in thermal processing and environmental engineering.
Email: mdeniston@iehinc.com
Vice President
Process Engineering
Merle Jacobs is the Vice President of Agricultural Products at IEH. He earned his B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Stanislaus. Mr. Jacobs has over 40 years of experience in agriculture including food safety, quality control, operations, regulatory compliance, research, sales, service, and industry relations. Prior to joining IEH, Mr. Jacobs consulted on food safety in the nut industry and held the position of President and CEO of the American Council for Food Safety and the Specialty Crop Trade Council. Mr. Jacobs was with the Almond Board of California for 20 years. His responsibilities included food safety research and education, developing industry wide food safety programs, industry relations and ensuring marketing order compliance. He was instrumental in developing and implementing the voluntary aflatoxin testing and mandatory pasteurization programs for the almond industry.
Email: merle.jacobs@iehinc.com
Dr. Peter Ferstl joined IEH as the Vice President of Technical Services in 2023. He earned his Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics and Food Engineering and an M.S. in Brewing and Beverage Engineering from the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining IEH, Dr. Ferstl was employed for over 15 years in various positions in the food industry, including Director of Food Safety and Process Authority with Niagara Bottling, Director of Technology Transfer and Process Authority with Ripple Foods, and Process Engineer at the National Food Laboratory.
Dr. Ferstl consults clients in the areas of food processing and food safety. As a Process Authority, he designs, validates, and files processing equipment for FDA-regulated food categories, including low-acid and acidified foods. Dr. Ferstl also conducts assessments for thermal process deviations and provides support to investigate and troubleshoot spoilage issues. His expertise covers a range of processing methods, including the development of retort, HTST and UHT pasteurization, high pressure, and aseptic processes that adhere to quality and safety requirements.
His consultation services extend to plant inspections for FDA compliance, encompassing processing equipment and critical processing parameters documentation, as well as advising on sanitation and sanitary design. Dr. Ferstl also assists clients in commercializing products by offering risk assessment support and implementing risk mitigation strategies for various food commodities, including low-moisture and retail foods. Additionally, he provides training on FDA regulations, food processing, packaging, and food safety.
Email: ferstl@iehinc.com
Vice President
Technical Services
Alton Bradshaw joined IEH as Vice President of Technical Services in 2022. He holds a B.A. in Biology and a B.S. in Zoology from The University of Texas at Austin, along with B.S. degrees in Microbiology and Economics from The University of Texas at Arlington. Mr. Bradshaw also earned an M.S. in Food Safety, an M.J. in Global Food Law, and a Graduate Certificate in International Food Law from Michigan State University. Mr. Bradshaw’s MBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington further adds to these achievements.
With over three decades of experience in the food industry, Mr. Bradshaw’s focus lies in food processing, including packaging of baby foods, powdered infant formula, bottled water, carbonated beverages, cereal, condiments, cookies, dairy, frozen fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, juices, RTE salads and RTC meals, spices, and seasoning blends. His skillset encompasses a range of thermal processing techniques, from pasteurized and ultra-pasteurized to aseptic and retorted finished products, with successful regulatory resolutions with the FDA and USDA.
Mr. Bradshaw holds five professional course certifications in HACCP, Advanced HACCP, and the IDFA HACCP Individual Certification Program. He has completed Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) and Lead Instructor Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) training, in addition to training from Better Process Control School (BPCS) and the GMA Thermal Processing Professional Training Program (TPPTP). His vast experience includes extensive plant auditing, and he’s recognized as a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) expert, completing SQF Practitioner and Auditor training.
Mr. Bradshaw is a food labeling subject matter expert with training from ESHA Research, covering Genesis R&D Software, GMA Food Labeling, Michigan State University U.S. Food Labeling, and Leatherhead Essential Guide to U.K. Food Labeling.
Over the past two decades, Mr. Bradshaw has held leadership positions at B&G Foods, Dean Foods, Hans Kissle, and Weetabix North America, overseeing food safety, quality, regulatory affairs, R&D product development, and commercialization.
Email: alton@iehinc.com
Vice President
Technical Services
Ruth Pierson joined IEH as Vice President of Technical Services in 2024. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and an M.S. in Systems Engineering from Southern Methodist University. Her academic achievements complement her extensive practical experience in operations, engineering, food and beverage equipment, quality, sanitation, optimization, and operational excellence, gained through positions at notable food processing companies such as Niagara Bottling and Tetra Pak, as well as other FDA-regulated firms.
Previously, she served as the Senior Manager of Technical Operations at Niagara Bottling, supporting both low and high-acid aseptic beverage plants. Prior to this role, she managed issue resolution at Tetra Pak for dairy, low-acid, high-acid, cheese, and ice cream customers. Ms. Pierson achieved expert-level proficiency in Tetra Pak’s root cause analysis process and shared her knowledge with specialists and field service engineers.
In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, Ms. Pierson is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt from ASQ and has extensive experience in failure analysis, process improvement, and troubleshooting. She is also a Licensed Professional Engineer and has contributed to academia as an Adjunct Professor in Mechanical and Energy Engineering at the University of North Texas.
Email: ruth.pierson@iehinc.com
Vice President
Technical Services
Dr. Bassam Annous joined IEH as a Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Services in 2022. Dr. Annous earned his Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Illinois, an M.S. in Food Science and Agricultural Engineering, and a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from the American University of Beirut. His professional career spans over four decades in the fields of food science, food technology, and microbiology.
At IEH, Dr. Annous serves as a trusted consultant, specializing in overseeing industrial validation studies for the inactivation of select microorganisms. His extensive expertise in these fields brings valuable contributions to our operations.
Before joining IEH, Dr. Annous dedicated over twenty years as a Research Microbiologist at USDA-ARS-ERRC. During this tenure, he was instrumental in developing and validating innovative technologies for pathogen reduction for sprouts, fresh produce, and water. His contributions span thermal and non-thermal surface pasteurization techniques and the development of chlorine dioxide gas in food packaging systems.
Dr. Annous has conducted extensive research on the stress physiology of human pathogens and surrogates, particularly their mode of infiltration into fresh produce. He was one of the early researchers to identify the challenges posed by biofilm formation and attachment to inaccessible sites on fresh produce, emphasizing the importance of these factors in reducing the effectiveness of aqueous decontamination treatments.
Dr. Annous’s remarkable career has encompassed a diverse range of responsibilities and accomplishments, from studying anaerobic chemosynthetic bacteria to designing innovative commercial technologies for the microbial safety of fresh produce. His active involvement in shaping food safety guidelines, serving on international committees as an expert panelist, and being certified as a trainer and foreign supplier verification agent demonstrate the depth of his expertise.
Email: bassam.annous@iehinc.com
Vice President
Tech & Regulatory Services
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