Ann Merchant
Senior Director for Creative Engagement Communications Programs, National Academy of Sciences
Presentation: Overview of the NASEM Nobel Prize Summit: Truth, Trust, and Hope

Ann Merchant is the Senior Director for Creative Engagement Communications Programs at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC where she leads the institution’s innovative portfolio of outreach activities designed to contribute to an increased public understanding of science. Her more than three decades at the NAS have provided her with a variety of unconventional challenges, all of which serve the institution’s mission-driven goals and objectives. With a special interest in promoting science, engineering, and medicine through non-traditional channels, she was instrumental in launching and now overseeing The Science & Entertainment Exchange, the NAS program that connects entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers. She also has responsibility for LabX, another NAS flagship outreach program. Additionally, she produces the institution’s large-scale special events such as the first-ever Nobel Prize Summit, TED@NAS, the USA Science & Engineering Festival, and Family Science Day at the NAS. Her early career was in academic and trade science publishing. When she first joined the Academy, she served as marketing director for the publishing division, where she and her staff promoted and marketed more than 175 new titles every year, and where she managed a thriving foreign rights program.

Kim Mills
Sr. Director, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, American Psychological Association
Presentation: How Misinformation Spreads on the Internet/Social Media

Kim I. Mills is senior director of strategic external communications and public affairs for the American Psychological Association and host of APA’s award-winning flagship podcast, “Speaking of Psychology.” Launched under her direction in 2013, the podcast has been downloaded more than 20 million times since 2018.

Mills has extensive media experience, including being interviewed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and other top-tier print media. She has appeared on CNN, “Good Morning America,” CSPAN and the BBC, to name a few of her broadcast engagements.

Before joining APA in 2007, Mills spent two years as director of communications and public affairs at Whitman-Walker Clinic (now Whitman-Walker Health), then the largest HIV/AIDS service provider in the D.C. metro area. Earlier, Mills spent eight years with the Human Rights Campaign, acting as a key media spokesperson for the organization and building HRC’s highly successful workplace advocacy program and launching its ground- breaking Corporate Equality Index, which rates employers based on their policies that support LGBTQ+ employees and customers. She also oversaw HRC’s website, its magazine (of which she was executive editor) and the National Coming Out Project, among other responsibilities.

Earlier in her career, Mills spent 14 years as a reporter and editor for The Associated Press, based first in New York and later in Washington. She has also written for The Washington Post, Fast Company, the American Journalism Review, The Dallas Morning News, MSNBC.com and the Harvard Business Review, among other publications.

Michelle Amazeen
Associate Dean of Research and Associate Professor of Mass Communication, College of Communication, Boston University
Presentation: Native Advertising: How Mainstream News Outlets Contribute to Disinformation

Dr. Amazeen is Associate Dean of Research and Associate Professor of Mass Communication in the College of Communication at Boston University and directs the Communication Research Center. Dr. Amazeen examines persuasion and misinformation, exploring the nature and persuasive effects of misinformation and efforts to correct it. She employs a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods to yield results with practical applications for journalists, educators, policymakers, and consumers who strive to foster recognition of and resistance to persuasion and misinformation in media. Her work has appeared in publications such as Communication Monographs, Digital Journalism, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Human Communication Research, New Media & Society, and Science Communication. She is one of 22 prominent scholars from around the globe with expertise in misinformation and its debunking who contributed to The Debunking Handbook 2020. She is currently a co-investigator on the Boston University Climate Disinformation Initiative, with a focus on climate issues in native advertising. Her related book, Content Confusion: Navigating News Media, Native Advertising, and Policy in an Era of Disinformation (MIT Press) is due out in 2025.

Bachir Kassas
Assistant Professor, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida
Presentation: Psychological Elements of How Individuals Receive Information – Can You Shift Their Thinking?

Bachir Kassas is an Assistant Professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida. Bachir is a behavioral and experimental economist, focused on investigating the effects of behavioral and psychological factors (e.g., perception, emotions, self-control) on individual and consumer decisions. His main areas of interest include individual health-related decisions, consumer preferences and behavior, and prosocial choices. As part of his research program, Bachir also works on incorporating cutting-edge biometric data – including eye- tracking, facial expression analysis, and electrical brain activity – to develop behavioral models that can improve understanding of the individual decision-making process.

Bachir earned an M.S. in Economics in 2014 and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics in 2018 from Texas A&M University. He established, and serves as director of, the Economic Experiment Laboratory (EEL) at the University of Florida (UF), which is fully furnished with computer and biometric equipment that has the capability of collecting a wide range of behavioral and neurophysiological data to support survey and experimental research studies. This lab is intended to serve as a platform for interdisciplinary research collaboration on topics related to individual and consumer decision-making.

Cynthia Baur
Director, Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, University of Maryland
Discussion Topic: Experiences from Communications Support to Health Departments

Dr. Baur is a health literacy and health communication expert focused on improving health literacy at the individual, family, community and organizational levels. She directs the University of Maryland Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, the nation's first academic health literacy center, and is a professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. In 2022, Dr. Baur and other advocates worked with Maryland Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, who sponsored Maryland HB1082,  to designate the Horowitz Center as the state's consumer health information hub.  Dr. Baur is the Principal Investigator on multiple federal and state funded projects on health literacy, clear communication, digital health, diabetes prevention and organizational health literacy improvement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center provided communications support to Maryland local health departments and coalitions, and pre and post-pandemic, the Center supports the Maryland Department of Health and local health departments on the state's diabetes action plan.  Dr. Baur provides training and expert advice to local, state and national committees and initiatives. Before coming to UMD, she served for almost 20 years in the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  She was CDC's Plain Language and Health Literacy Lead from 2011 to 2016.

Christopher Voegeli
Health Information Integrity Team Lead, Office of Director’s Internal Office of Communication, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Discussion Topic: How Infodemics Threaten Public Health

Dr. Voegeli is the Health Information Integrity Team Lead in the Office of Director’s Internal Office of Communication at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this role, he is tasked with developing, implementing, and evaluating CDC’s strategic plan to address inaccurate health information. Before this role, Chris was the Acting Vaccine Confidence and Demand lead in the Immunization Services Division of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases where he coordinated CDC’s domestic portfolio of work to build the public’s confidence and demand for all vaccines.

Kris Sollid
Senior Director Nutrition Communicational, International Food Information Council
Discussion Topic: Consumer Understanding, Perception and Sentiment

Mr. Sollid, RD is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for improving nutrition science communications. With IFIC since 2009, Kris now leads IFIC’s consumer research endeavors on food perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors, both through its annual Food and Health Survey and other topic-specific consumer research projects, which he regularly shares with food and nutrition professionals on national and global platforms. In addition to invited presentations, Kris has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications of IFIC’s consumer research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Cereal Foods World, and Nutrition Today.

Kris has earned degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder (BA in Geography) and the University of Maryland, College Park (BS in Dietetics). He is an active member of multiple food-focused professional societies, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Society for Nutrition, and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Alvin Lee
Director, Center foe Processing Innovation, Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology
Discussion Topic: The Role and Purpose of Processing in Food Production

Dr. Alvin Lee is a microbiologist and virologist with more than 20 years research experience with a doctorate from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia. He leads Illinois Tech's Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) Center for Processing Innovation and co-leads the joint IFSH/FDA Microbiology Research Platform on food safety and defense and processing related projects. He is a member of the Executive Board of NoroCORE, a USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative and leads the Prevention and Control CORE. Current research support includes funding from USDA, US FDA and various industry contracts that evaluate and validate preventive controls for bacterial and viral pathogens. Dr. Lee is a scientific reviewer on a number of scientific journals and publications and journal management member of Journal of Food Protection and Foods.

Joanne Slavin
Professor, College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota
Discussion Topic: Ultra Processed Foods and Nutrition Research: What Do We Know?

Dr. Slavin is a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. She teaches Advanced Human Nutrition, a writing intensive course twice yearly. With the help of current and former graduate students (n=90), she has authored more than 350 scientific articles on dietary fiber, carbohydrates, whole grains, protein, snacking, gut health, brain health, and sustainable agriculture.

Joanne was a member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) and is a a member of numerous scientific societies, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Dr. Slavin has given more than 400 scientific presentations around the world. She grew up on a 119 acre farm in Walworth, Wisconsin which she owns and manages. She has BS, MS, and PhD degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a Registered Dietitian (RDN).

Carrie McMahon
Biotechnology Team Lead, Office of Food Additive Safety, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Discussion Topic: State and Region Differences Regarding GMOs and Managing Communications and Perception

Dr. McMahon is a Lead Biologist in FDA’s Office of Food Additive Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. She currently leads the team responsible for FDA’s Plant Biotechnology Consultation Program, the purpose of which is to ensure the safety of food from genetically engineered plants (commonly called GMOs or genetically modified organisms). Over the course of her FDA career, Dr. McMahon has also served as a Subject Matter Expert on the safety and regulation of food ingredients for numerous communication-related projects; one such project was the development of FDA’s supplementary curriculum for middle and high school teachers “Science and our Food Supply: Exploring Food Agriculture and Biotechnology.”

Before discovering her passion for food and public health, Dr. McMahon earned her doctorate in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the biology of cancer. In 2014, she received the Achievement Award in the Sciences from her undergraduate alma mater, Drew University.

George Gray
Professor, School of Public Health, George Washington University
Discussion Topic: TiO₂ Case Example of Country Differences

Helena Bottenmiller Evich
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Food Fix
Discussion Topic: State Food Additive Bans and Impact on Trust in the Safety of the U.S. Food Supply

Jessica (Jess) Steier
CEO, Vital Statistics Consulting, Founder & Host, Unbiased Science
Presentation: How to Address/Tackle Disinformation on the Internet/Social Media: Use of AI, Lessons Learned, Recommendations etc.

Dr. Steier is a public health scientist and health services researcher with expertise in health policy evaluation. She is the CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting, a data science consultancy, and founder and host of Unbiased Science, a science communication brand. She is also the executive director of The Science Literacy Lab, a non-profit organization aimed at improving health and science literacy and empowering people to make informed decisions that impact their well-being.

 Dr. Steier received her Master of Public Health (Evaluative Sciences) at SUNY-Stony Brook University and her Doctor of Public Health degree from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (CUNY). She holds a Certificate in Patient Safety, as well as a Certificate in COVID-19 Contact Tracing from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Panelists

Kristine (Kris) Butler
Director of the Division of Web, Visual, and Virtual Communications, Human Foods Program, US FDA

Kristine (Kris) Butler is the Director of the Division of Web, Visual, and Virtual Communications in FDA’s Human Foods Program. Previously, she was the Deputy Director of the Communications and Public Engagement Staff in the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, served as a Senior Advisor for Risk Communication in the FDA’s Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine, and was the Deputy Director for Health Communication in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Before joining the FDA in 2005, Kris worked in the non-profit community designing communications strategies for a wide range of social and policy initiatives. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Spanish from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.

Elisabeth Anderson
Director of Science Communication, Center for Research on Ingredient Safety, Michigan State University

Elisabeth Anderson is the Director of Science Communication for the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety at Michigan State University.

She focuses on demystifying dense subjects using a human-based storytelling approach that meets individuals where they are, not where experts assume they should be. She specializes in digital media and digital tools.

She has worked in various communication capacities, including at Michigan State University Information Technology, The Ohio State University Provost’s Office, and the State of Michigan Governor’s Executive Office.

Carla Saunders
Executive Director, International Food Additives Council (IFAC)

Carla Saunders joined the International Food Additives Council (IFAC) in 2024 as Executive Director. She brings a diverse background with over 20+ years across multiple industries as a general manager and skilled marketing leader. Throughout her career, she has focused on building brands and leading teams for major multinational companies across multiple industries and categories.

At IFAC, Carla draws on her broad experience with food and food ingredient industries to further strategic objectives for IFAC.

Carla earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary, Bismarck and her MBA from Carlson School of Management at the University of MN. As a native Minnesotan, she roots for the Vikings and enjoys the outdoors even in the coldest conditions.