• Alistair is a subject matter expert in the Food Contact Safety Team at Smithers. This involves advising clients on the safety legislation which applies to food packaging in a wide range of different countries throughout the world and coordinating work programmes to ensure that clients' products meet these requirements.
• His expertise spans all the EU countries, USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Israel, Russia and South America.
Laura C. Markley, Ph.D. is a toxicologist in the Division of Food Contact Substances within the Human Foods Program at the US FDA where she reviews premarket notifications and post market safety questions related to food packaging. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, a doctoral degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Maine, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the US FDA in CDRH. Laura remains active in her field by holding positions such as member of the OECD Genotoxicity Expert Group, on the steering committee for the International Workshop on Genotoxicity Testing (IWGT), HESI Genetic Toxicology Technical Committee (GTTC), VP-Elect for the Food Specialty Section of SOT, and Secretary for the Genetic Toxicology Association.
Peter Coneski Ph.D. is a senior scientific advisor in the Health Care and FDA practice at K&L Gates. Peter provides assistance in evaluating the regulatory compliance of food contact materials in the US and other jurisdictions. In addition, Peter advises clients on global sustainability initiatives, EPR schemes, and supports specialty chemicals and manufacturing clients as they navigate risks associated with emerging contaminants and other alleged toxins. Peter has a background in synthetic polymer chemistry and previously worked at the US Naval Research Laboratory developing functional paints, coatings, and fibers.
Mr. Kenny is an experienced regulatory attorney who has worked and consulted for nearly 30 years in the food and consumer products space. A food contact and food additive Subject Matter Expert, Mr. Kenny founded Decernis LLC in 2003, which grew to eventually cover food and consumer products regulations for every country in the world.
Decernis was acquired in June 2019 and Mr. Kenny became a member of the Executive Leadership Team at FoodChain ID in 2020 as SVP Compliance Services. In his final two years, Mr. Kenny worked with industry leaders to build out Packaging Sustainability product- and service offerings for FoodChain ID. He retired from FoodChain ID in April 2024 but continues to consult for them on a part-time basis.
Mr. Kenny recently founded a new online product safety and regulatory training company called Invenimus LLC, which will offer both in person and online global courses on all matters of chemical product safety, food and cosmetics packaging and regulatory compliance.]
Stephanie Raeke is a seasoned sustainability and packaging expert with over a decade of experience driving impactful change across the consumer goods and manufacturing sectors. As the Director of Compliance & Sustainability, Stephanie leads strategy and execution for compliant and sustainable packaging solutions that reduce environmental impact and align with global circularity goals.
With a strong foundation in policy analysis, product stewardship, chemical management and technical packaging, she has spearheaded cross-functional initiatives to integrate recyclable, compostable, and renewable materials into foodservice products. Her leadership has helped deliver tangible results in emissions reductions, material safety, and regulatory compliance.
Stephanie holds a Bachelor’s degree from Loyola University of Chicago in Political Science with a minor in Environmental Action and Leadership as well as Anthropology. In addition, she holds a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs with a concentration in Sustainability and is passionate about advancing industry collaboration, transparency, and innovation in packaging sustainability. She is a frequent contributor to thought leadership forums and brings practical insight into navigating the complex intersection of product performance, consumer needs, and environmental responsibility.
Mike is Senior Counsel in the Dallas office of Clark Hill. Mike formerly and for more than 15 years, led his firm’s Food and Drug Law Industry and Product Liability teams. He devotes his practice to counselling FDA regulated industry on compliance and defending complex enforcement and litigation matters. He has served as national coordinating counsel, regional trial counsel and as Texas counsel in a wide variety of complex litigation and enforcement matters involving medical products, environmental claims and claims against FDA regulated businesses. He Chaired the Drug Device and Biotechnology section for the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC) and is licensed in Texas and New York. Mike has lectured and written extensively on issues involving litigation and enforcement and is the author of a law book entitled The Supply and Distribution of FDA-Regulated Products, and a number of book chapters on FDA law.
Danny Rubenstein provides strategic counseling to industry regarding regulatory compliance requirements for food packaging materials and food ingredients across the globe.
With a technical background in Industrial Engineering, Danny recognizes the importance of providing clients with timely and actionable advice regarding critical regulatory decisions that drive product innovation, marketing, and promotion. Danny leverages this experience to assist companies in proactively establishing compliance for products under the laws and regulations administered by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He also is familiar with food contact material regimes in the European Union (EU) and jurisdictions throughout Asia and South America.
John has over 40 years of experience in various aspects of food production, food safety, quality assurance, sanitation, training, and auditing. He spent 25 years with Trident Seafoods, starting as a crab fisherman and then working in roles as plant manager, corporate HR, regulatory compliance, national account sales, FSQA, and then as the Director of Training and Development for the company. John is now an independent food safety consultant based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He enjoys working with clients to help them ensure food-safe products and he’s an expert partner at Cultivate SA for assessing and changing food safety culture in food businesses.
John is a citizen of both the USA and Canada. He has a broad understanding of the cultures and food companies in this vast region.
Scott Breen is President of Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). CMI represents U.S. metal can manufacturers and their suppliers. His responsibilities include promoting the can as a sustainable/circular package, advocating for federal and state legislation and regulation that reflect the can’s sustainability advantages, and leading the industry’s efforts to build upon the can industry’s leading recycling rates.
Scott’s roles prior to CMI were associate manager of the Sustainability and Circular Economy Program at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and attorney-adviser at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Along with his position at CMI, Scott also explores various aspects of sustainability as creator and co-host of the podcast Sustainability Defined. Sustainability Defined has monthly episodes that reach thousands of listeners across more than 100 countries and all 50 states.
With over 50 years of professional experience as a Chemist, Business Manager and Vice President, Naeem Mady has been the Vice President of Regulatory Market Access at Intertek since 2010, Vice President Regulatory Services at Ciba Expert Services from 1996-2010, and Manager of Analytical regulatory services for Ciba-Geigy from 1983 to 1996. In his early career in the USA, he worked for Booz Allan Hamilton and Philip Morris. As the Vice President of Ciba Expert Services and Intertek, Mr. Mady has been responsible for the FDA and EPA regulatory compliance.
Mr. Mady has published and presented several papers in the field of Analytical Chemistry and Regulatory Compliance. He is the co-author of the Regulatory Aspects Section in the Plastic Additives Handbook and has written numerous articles in Management and Quality Systems newsletters.
On October 19, 2017, Mr. Mady was included in Marquis Who’s Who®, a reference resource for biographical and professional data about individuals of accomplishment. Marquis Who’s Who® June 2018.
Mr. Mady is a 50-year member of the American Chemical Society and served on the Board of Directors of Decernis, a company that offers a comprehensive regulatory management system. He has been the president of the Ocean Club Board of Directors in Boca Raton, FL since 2013.
Hélène has been working for over 20 years for the Finnish forest industry company, Metsä Board. She has held various positions within the R&D, product development as well as in the production unit.
Currently she works as a Barrier Development Director in Metsä Board’s Development function. Her main focus is the development of dispersion barrier coated boards and their applications. Previously, she worked closely in the customer interface where she entered deeply into customers’ requirements in order to find solutions for their packaging challenges.
