Doug Powell

Dr. Douglas Powell is a professor of food safety at Kansas State University. Trained in molecular biology, and employed as a journalist, Dr. Powell found that food safety was a discipline where he could meld his interests in science, society and policy -- more formally known as risk analysis. So he got a PhD in food science from the University of Guelph in 1996. His laboratory seeks innovative ways to compel everyone in the farm-to-fork food safety system -- individual producers, retail employees, and consumers, among others -- to acknowledge and adopt best practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. He has published 42 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, 10 peer-reviewed book chapters and the 1997 book, Mad Cows and Mother’s Milk. He publishes the electronic newsletter bites.ksu.edu, barfblog.com, and hosts donteatpoop.com. Powell and barfblog.com are a primary source for food safety information during outbreaks and are often quoted in mainstream media reports. He teaches courses in food safety risk analysis, policy, communications and culture, has served on national and international food safety advisory boards, and works with a lot of graduate students. A native of Brantford, Ontario, Doug is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey.

Geoff Spriegel

Dr Trish Desmarchelier, Chairperson

Jerry Coleby-Williams

Jerry Coleby-Williams: copyright Kylie Hood

Jerry Coleby-Williams is a ‘TV gardening guru’ (QWeekend), a popular public speaker and a successful writer. He has starred on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia for twelve years, presenting almost 500 stories on organic, low budget, practical gardening. He’s a ‘high profile nature lover who’s not afraid to break the mould’ (Home magazine) and his audience loves him. They are passionate, committed and they want to learn from him. He ‘lives the green good life - and everyday Aussies want to know how’ (Sun-Herald). Jerry’s television celebrity is at the heart of an active public life. As a ‘popular gardening guru’ (Spring Home Show) he regularly speak to crowds of over 500 people, from Cairns to Melbourne, at Home and Garden Expos, conferences, corporate and public events and after-dinner speeches. The response to these events is always outstanding: ‘gardeners everywhere are celebrating his remarkable career’ (Newcastle Region Art Gallery). His website www.bellis.info receives almost 1000 unique hits every week. Jerry is also a successful writer. He’s written for the Sydney Morning Herald, DNA magazine, Organic Gardener, Wellbeing, ReNew, Australian Horticulture, Danthonia, Spinifex and wrote a regular gardening column for the Sun-Herald. He’s currently working on his first book, The Healthy Garden. There’s a serious horticultural scientist beneath this television celebrity. Jerry was trained at Kew Gardens in London and ran the Sydney Botanic Gardens. His work is ‘a breath of fresh air for those wanting inspiration’ (CSIRO). The Australian Institute of Horticulture award-winner discovered new plant species, including the endangered Darwinia polychroma, and won the Save Water awards, 2009. Perhaps his proudest moment was planting the first Wollemi pine, introducing Australian gardeners to the mangel-wurzel, or founding ‘Bellis’, a Queensland government experiment. In this world of climate change and environmental uncertainty, Jerry’s message of sustainable, organic, practical gardening is only going to become more relevant and more popular."

Dr Ben Evans

John Spragg

David Parsons

David is the Manager of Sydney Water’s Emergency Management and Security Unit. Within this portfolio David has responsibility for Emergency Management, Operational Continuity and Security. Prior to commencing at Sydney Water David served as the District Emergency Management Officer for Central West NSW where he was awarded a Ministerial Commendation for his efforts. Following September 11 David established the Water Services Group within the Australian Government’s Trusted Information Sharing Network. He has held the position of chair since inception and is a member of the national Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council. David is also a member of the Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council’s Organisational Resilience Expert Advisory Group, and Standard Australia’s Committee MB-021 on Societal Resilience. David holds a number of advisory positions including Advisory Board Member to the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness and editorial committee of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management. David is a Visiting Fellow at the Australian Emergency Management Institute. David has presented at more than twenty international conferences in the areas of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Business Continuity Management, Crisis Management and Organisational Resilience. For the past thirty four years David has been an active member of the Blue Mountains State Emergency Service. David is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Emergency Services and a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers. David holds degrees in Social Science (Emergency Management) and Education. Currently he is completing an Emergency Management Fellowship with the Emergency Management Academy in New York.

Russell Callaghan

Bachelor of Science - Microbiology / Biologial Sciences
Grad Dip - Clinical Biochemistry

Been with Heinz Australian for 9 years in supply chain venors assurance and field safety risk management. Risk Management for the Heinz buisness as a regional sitting member. Once got bagged during an audit due to heavy rains and had to push the car out getting covered in mud, arriving at the audit was there by set on by the farmers rottweller who took a real fancy to me.

• Currently Lead Food Safety Auditor for 11 years
• Ability to leap small buildings in a single bound
• Owns a 50kg dog called elvis who is a rock star
• Has a passion for food safety and going the right thing

Glen Neal

Jo Brookes

Jo Brookes is a long term employee of the Australian Dairy Cooperative, Murray Goulburn Co Op Co Ltd. With a career that has stretched more than 23 years, first starting in the manufacturing area of the business, to her current role of Field Services Manager – Compliance, Jo has contributed to the shaping of the dairy farm Food Safety Audit system. In 2001, Jo joined an existing Murray Goulburn team who were dedicated to the implementation of one of the first dairy farm Quality and Food Safety Programs – MG Milkcare. Today, Jo leads the team who maintain, implement and audit and the MG Milkcare and MG Farmc@re Food Safety programs. Working closely with state regulatory bodies in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, as well as Dairy Australia, Department of Primary Industries Victoria, Dairy Industry groups and Milk Companies, Jo provides valuable advisory support and guidance to industry bodies on practical solutions to farm compliance issues. In June 2011, Jo will form part of a study mission travelling overseas to develop a better understanding of the supply chain requirements for Australian dairy products in the export market.

Steven Thygesen

Steven is the Quality Assurance Manager at Snap Fresh managing the food safety and environmental management systems. Steven has a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and a Graduate Diploma in Microbiology from Griffith University.  He has worked in the Food Industry for over 15 years and has gained experience in several food manufacturing businesses, including Beef, Poultry, Smallgoods and currently in Ready to eat meals.
His career started as a laboratory technician in a small microbiology laboratory at Foodpartners before working as a production supervisor and then QA supervisor for Chisholm manufacturing (part of Woolworths).  5 years at Bartter Enterprises (better known as Steggles Chickens) included time as the Technical Services Manager looking after the QLD operations facilities, feedmill, hatchery and farms as part of a vertically integrated company. He now works at Snap Fresh, an ISO 22000 & ISO 14001 accredited organisation within the QANTAS Catering Group, leading the Quality Assurance department which includes an on-site laboratory. Steven plays sports as much as possible, including triathlons, and competed in his first marathon on the Gold Coast this year.

Lisa McKenzie

Senior Commodity Officer (Dairy, Eggs and Fish) in the Food Exports Branch of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) responsible for the verification and approval of the documented food safety systems required by the export seafood industry.

Prior to working for AQIS – Senior Food Industry Consultant with Innovative Food Technologies, QLD Department of Primary Industries delivering HACCP Training and providing consultation to the seafood / food industry in the development and implementation of Food Safety and Quality Assurance Programs

Pre-public service – 14 years working in the seafood industry in a variety of roles including factory manager, at-sea quality control officer, Mate and deckhand.

Blas Borde Lekona

Chris Preston

René Crevel works as a Science Leader at Unilever’s Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, based at Colworth House, Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom.  He qualified initially in mammalian physiology and has postgraduate qualifications in Immunology and Toxicology.  His principal responsibilities include providing scientific advice and guidance on possible adverse effects of materials and their use, arising from their interaction with, or modulated through the immune system.  In particular, he is responsible for advice and guidance on food allergy and allergen management to Unilever Companies, and for leading Unilever’s food allergy research programme.  As part of this role, he is closely involved in major EU projects in the area of food allergy, and has interactions with other stakeholders in the food allergy area, including patient associations, clinicians and regulatory authorities.  Other aspects of his work include immunomodulation by different agents, and the effects of diet and other agents on immune responses, including allergy.  Past work has included investigating predictive testing for the ability of xenobiotics to alter immune status, as well as the effects of dietary fats on immune competence.   He has published papers on various aspects of food allergy, including determination of the allergenicity of novel proteins, post-launch monitoring and risk assessment and management of food allergens.

Nerolie Dever

Roy Leisk

After immigrating to Australia 24 years ago, Roy joined one of the major chains as the Grocery Manager. Quickly promoted to Store Manager, Area Supervisor and then National Fresh Food Manager, Roy joined Metcash 9 years ago and has progressed to the position he now hold as State Operations Manager.

Roy is a key member of the Executive Management Group and works closely with over 280 independently owned IGA stores across Queensland and Northern NSW. Earlier this year Roy headed up the State Natural Disaster Relief Committee that ensured stores across the State received stock and other essentials and were able to continue serving their local community.

Ian J. Lean

BVSc (Syd), PhD (Calif), MACVSc

Ian’s general interests are in improving the profitability of ruminant production. Ian graduated from the University of Sydney (1979), spent time in veterinary practice and is a past president of the Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians and the Cattle Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. He has been on faculty at Universities of California and the University of Sydney. Ian completed his PhD in 1990 at University of California in Davis with majors in Nutrition and Epidemiology. Professor Lean is a registered specialist in Medicine and Management of Cattle.  He has over 200 scientific articles in international scientific journals. Ian was awarded the Gilruth Prize, the Australian Veterinary professions highest honour and in 2010 the Australian Dairy Science Award. Ian has been the keynote speaker at numerous international conferences in the USA, EU, South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, presenting on nutrition, reproduction, health, meta-analysis and study design. Since 1990, Ian has been active in discussing the implications of increasing population on food availability and the roles of technology and activism in these.

Mark O'Connor