Symposium on Cadmium in the Food Supply: Exploring Health Risks, Regulatory Frameworks, Collaborative Approaches with Industry and Science for a Safe & Abundant Food Supply | November 14, 2024

Keith T. Ayoob, Ed.D., is a pediatric nutritionist and clinical practitioner. He is director of the nutrition clinic at the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Einstein and the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. Dr. Ayoob’s work focuses on obesity in children. His clinical approach considers the immediate social context of a child’s obesity problems.  His research interests are treating and preventing obesity; preventing type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular health; feeding problems; and the nutritional effects of drugs commonly prescribed to children for behavioral issues. 

Rufus L. Chaney obtained a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Purdue University in 1969. He worked with USDA-Agricultural Research Service for 46 years, retiring in 2016. He did research in lab, greenhouse and field on fate of metals in biosolids, soils, crops, and the food-chain transfer and bioavailability of soil and crop metals to animals. Dr. Chaney contributed to US-EPA rules on land application of biosolids to protect food safety and crop yields. He invented the concept of soil metal phytoextraction and led a Cooperative Research and Development Research Program to develop a patented complete commercial phytoextraction technology. His work on bioavailability of soil Pb and treating soils with Fe-rich biosolids has contributed significantly to acceptance of in situ remediation of metal contaminated soils and using mixtures of biosolids and byproducts to restore ecosystems.

De Ann Davis, PhD, joined Western Growers in June 2020 as Senior Vice President, Science. Davis has over 25 years of experience in the development and execution of technical global programs, including food safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. 

Danyelle is a dedicated researcher committed to advancing the agricultural and food industries. With a passion for plant breeding, she seeks solutions to the challenges of food production. She focuses on identifying optimal traits in plants and developing new varieties that exemplify productivity, nutritional quality, flavor, and resilience in a changing climate. 

Stephanie Hodges (MS, MPH, RDN) is a public health dietitian and food policy professional with over a decade of experience working to increase access to healthy food through food systems, public health nutrition programs, and policy change. She is the founder and owner of The Nourished Principles, a public health and nutrition consulting firm where she works with clients to implement strong public health nutrition programs and policies, write and implement grants, and strengthen nutrition and wellness within school districts. Prior to >span class="NormalTextRun SCXW77318039 BCX0"> she worked in state government overseeing demonstration grants from USDA and working with non-profit organizations and school districts.

Dr. Trenton Roberts is a Professor and Interim Department Head in the Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Roberts received his B.S. in Plant Science at Oklahoma State University, his M.S. in Soil Science at the University of Arizona, and his Ph.D. in Soil Science at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Roberts’ expertise includes optimizing the efficiency with which crops use essential nutrients through the development of soil and tissue tests as well as management practices such as time, rate, source and placement.

Dr. Carolyn G. Scrafford is a Principal Scientist at Exponent, specializing in chemical regulations and food safety. With 20 years of experience, she applies epidemiological methods, statistics, and risk assessment to evaluate health effects related to food contaminants, additives, and environmental compounds globally. Dr. Scrafford has expertise in clinical trials, dietary risk assessments, and exposure assessments for contaminants like heavy metals and food toxins. She has supported regulatory submissions, including developing GRAS notifications and Food Additive Petitions (FAPs), using data from large international databases. 

Dr. Angelia Seyfferth is a Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, one of the founding Directors of the Center for Food Systems and Sustainability (CENFOODS), and the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware. Seyfferth’s research is rooted in soil biogeochemistry to develop sustainable ways to lower human exposure to harmful contaminants from food. She uses laboratory and field experiments as well as conventional and advanced spectroscopic techniques to understand the dynamic chemistry of the rhizosphere and localization of contaminants and nutrients in soils and plants.