Food as Medicine Summit

Food as Medicine Summit

May 10-11, 2023 | Chicago, IL

Moving from research to action: partnerships and scaling Food as Medicine

Registration Agenda

2023 Partners

Knowledge Partner
Knowledge Partner

Sifter SP, Inc. technology makes delivery of healthy eating programs easy by matching evidence-based dietary guidance to products that match personalized needs. Sifter’s Nutrition as a Service™ includes an API toolbox that allows retailers, CPGs and health/fitness/recipe providers to offer their customers a product discovery experience that delivers on the growing food as medicine trend.

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Knowledge Partner

Payments should be digital. Digital meets people where they are: on their phones. Digital is instant. It’s efficient. It’s convenient. It can be filtered to specific products and services. Digital engages. Digital matches individuals with their transactions and behaviors.

IQPay is leading the digital payment future with digital payments unlike anything you’ve seen.

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Knowledge Partners

When it comes to chronic diseases, the nutrition aspect of care couldn’t be more impactful. At Umoja Food For Health, we specialize in medically tailored nutrition programs delivering quality foods and educational tools to improve health, address social determinants of health, reduce healthcare costs, and support the prevention or management of chronic conditions. Developed by registered dietitians, our menus are customized to meet specific dietary standards for whole health. When paired with powerful education and lifestyle tools, our programs are designed to provide a comprehensive approach to nutrition as an intervention. Food For Health is a division of Umoja Supply Chain Solutions. At Umoja, we apply our proven expertise in food and logistics to provide customizable solutions backed by our commitment to equity and access to quality food and healthcare for all.

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Unite Us is the unifying infrastructure that connects health and social care. Our end-to-end solution establishes a new standard of care that identifies and predicts social care needs in communities, helps enroll people in services, and leverages meaningful outcomes data to further drive community investment. This infrastructure is powered by our commitment to privacy, security, and interoperability.

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Investment Partner
Investment Partner

KEEN Growth Capital identifies food, beverage and wellness companies with great potential started by revolutionary-thinking, passionate entrepreneurs. We apply our trusted skill and passion to develop them into highly successful and respected companies.

Infusion of intellectual and financial capital delivers positive outcomes for stakeholders – and ultimately the consumer. Our investors benefit from outstanding returns and society is enriched by healthier products.

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Summit Partners
Summit Partners

Dedicated to improving lives through the power of nutrition? We are too.

Enrich creates the branding and marketing strategy that’s advancing the Food as Medicine movement.

Whether you’re a practitioner who wants to raise awareness of your unique approach to health, a leader in food ingredients seeking to drive consumer demand, or an entrepreneur ready to gain market share, we create the tools that inspire behavior change and impel action.

Let’s talk.

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Summit Partner

Established in 2000, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) USHBC is a federal agriculture research and promotion program with independent oversight from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USHBC represents the collective voice of blueberry growers and packers in North and South America. The council strives to be the global leader in knowledge, programs and resources used and shared by the blueberry industry.

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Summit Partner

Hungry Harvest delivers fresh, healthy, home-delivered food to patients & clients of healthcare providers, aging in place services, and community organizations. Our program HarvestRx™ is the leading service provider of Produce and Healthy Grocery “Prescriptions” in the Mid-Atlantic. HarvestRx ™ is designed to encourage a greater sense of independence & reach desired health outcomes for participants.

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Expert Speaker Faculty

The Food as Medicine Summit provides a platform for senior executives driving innovation from across healthcare and the food and beverage industry to share their insights and experience. This industry-led conference provides an opportunity for you to learn from and connect with advocates and experts to catalyze your own Food as Medicine journey.

Action Focused Discussions

Blending multi-stakeholder, action-focused panel discussions and case studies on stage with focused breakout sessions with the audience and speaker faculty, this Summit will dive into what actions we can take individually and collectively to accelerate Food as Medicine.

Multi-Industry Audience

This Summit brings together a focused, senior audience in an intimate setting to foster high value collaborations and discussions. Convening retail, CPGs, payers, providers and more in interactive sessions and dedicated networking breaks, this Summit will harness the power of multi stakeholder collaboration both on- and off-stage.

“These forums are vital. We have very big challenges to address and overcome, and I am looking forward to a robust, respectful exchange of ideas.”

Antonio Tataranni, CMO, PepsiCo

“I am looking forward to participating and hearing how companies and organizations are addressing this critical topic. No one organization can act alone, but rather with our collective efforts we can start to create real change for the improvement of public health.”

Joy Dubost, Head of Nutrition & Health, North America, Unilever

“At Kroger, we believe what we eat can have a positive impact on our health. The question is — how can we make the healthful choice the simple and convenient choice, with taste at the forefront? How can we scale these solutions to help all people of all backgrounds live healthier lives? I’m looking forward to discussing these topics and more at the Food as Medicine Summit.”

Taylor Newman, Director of Nutrition, Kroger

Speakers

Merrill Friedman
Merrill Friedman
RVP, Inclusive Policy & Advocacy
Elevance Health
Merrill Friedman
RVP, Inclusive Policy & Advocacy
Elevance Health

Merrill leads inclusive policy and advocacy for Elevance Health. She works collaboratively with consumers, advocates and stakeholders to ensure the interests and preferences of our diverse communities and membership inform Elevance’s health benefits approaches and healthcare programs. Ms. Friedman advances the integration of the independent living philosophy and the National Advisory Board (NAB) on Improving Healthcare Services for Older Adults and People with Disabilities six foundational principles throughout policy, programs, individual interactions, and business practices. In addition, she leads strategic partnerships with national and local organizations to advance access, health equity, and inclusive public policy.  

Previously, Ms. Friedman was interim director at a nonprofit foster care agency serving children and adolescents who experienced severe neglect and abuse. She also served as president and chief executive officer of a private organization that owned and operated residential treatment facilities, group homes and home and community-based services in several states for adolescents with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Ms. Friedman has served on numerous national boards and commissions.  She was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and by Governor Jennifer Granholm to the MI Statewide Independent Living Council where she served as Board Chair.  Currently, Ms. Friedman serves on the board of directors for the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI), the Institute for Exceptional Care (IEC), and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), and is an Advisory Board member for Uplift and ADvancing States’ MLTSS Institute.  

Taylor Newman
Taylor Newman
Nutrition Program Development Manager
Kroger
Taylor Newman
Nutrition Program Development Manager
Kroger

Taylor Newman, PhD, RDN, LD strives towards a world where everyone has access to adequate, nutritious foods. Taylor’s doctoral research at the University of Georgia focused on produce prescription programs across the U.S. She now helps people nationwide live healthier lives as a Nutrition Program Development Manager with the Kroger Co., where she serves as a subject matter expert for Kroger’s Food as Medicine strategy.

Amy Lazarus Yaroch
Amy Lazarus Yaroch
Executive Director
Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition
Amy Lazarus Yaroch
Executive Director
Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition

Amy Yaroch, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition (GSCN). She also holds a Special Dean’s appointment as Professor in the Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, as well as an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Yaroch has over 20 years of experience in leading implementation of public health nutrition programs and evaluation efforts. Prior to joining GSCN, Dr. Yaroch was a Program Director and Behavioral Scientist at the National Cancer Institute where she worked across the areas of nutrition, dietary assessment, survey development, obesity prevention, and skin cancer prevention. Since joining GSCN in 2009, Dr. Yaroch has been leading efforts in childhood obesity prevention, food insecurity, food systems, and program and process evaluation. She is currently the Project Director on a 4-year cooperative agreement with USDA NIFA to lead the GusNIP National Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE). Dr. Yaroch has authored more than 170 papers, four book chapters, and has been awarded grants and contracts from federal and non-federal sources across a broad range of areas.

Dondeena Bradley
Dondeena Bradley
VP, Health & Wellness Strategy and Innovation
Mars
Dondeena Bradley
VP, Health & Wellness Strategy and Innovation
Mars

Dondeena Bradley leads the Wellbeing Center of Expertise for Mars Snacking based in Chicago, IL where she serves as the global lead for health & wellbeing portfolio strategic initiatives.  In 2019, Tiller/Simon & Schuster published her book Living Full Circle: Simple Ancient Rituals for Modern Life that identifies the benefits of wellbeing practices and translates them into practical ways that people can adopt into their daily lives.

She has spent thousands of hours challenging teams to deliver breakthroughs in areas focused upon human health and wellbeing with consistent success in diverse cultures at several companies including Campbell Soup, McNeil/Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and Barilla.

Dondeena is at her best when bringing people together with diverse perspectives to identify common ground that creates traction toward a better outcome.  She is trained in developing new products, services, and processes designed for transformation and business growth.  She is passionate about human-centered leadership and building effective relationships with cross-functional leaders to achieve superior results. 

Her formal education includes a Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Nutrition from Purdue University.  She believes in the broader view that our wellbeing fuels welldoing, is an avid reader, a big systems thinker, and as a former competitive athlete, she loves being a sport spectator while spending time with family and friends.

Susan Mayne
Susan Mayne
Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Susan Mayne
Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Susan Mayne is the Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Mayne leads the Center in developing and implementing policies, programs, and initiatives to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe and healthy for consumers, and that food, dietary supplements and cosmetics sold in the U.S. are safe and properly labeled. Under Dr. Mayne’s leadership, CFSAN works to reduce foodborne illness, protect consumers from harmful products, ensure that chemicals in food (if present) are found at levels that are not harmful, conduct and advance scientific research in support of the safety of foods, cosmetics and dietary supplements, and much more.

An internationally recognized public health leader and scientist, Dr. Mayne received a B.A. in chemistry from the University of Colorado. She earned a Ph.D. in nutritional sciences, with minors in biochemistry and toxicology, from Cornell University.

Prior to joining the FDA in January 2015, she spent nearly three decades at Yale University, where she held an endowed chair as the C.-E.A. Winslow Professor of Epidemiology. Her distinguished career there included two leadership positions: Chair of the Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Associate Director of the Yale Cancer Center.

Dr. Mayne has conducted extensive research on food, nutrition, and health. She is author or coauthor of nearly 250 scientific publications and her work has been cited more than 17,000 times.

She completed two consecutive terms on the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, and a five-year term on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Mayne has overseen and implemented several landmark public health policies and initiatives since taking the helm in 2015, including issuing 8 foundational rules and more than 50 guidances to implement the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Under her leadership, CFSAN has released an updated Nutrition Facts label which included added sugars for the first time, determined that industrially produced trans fats are not generally recognized as safe and thus cannot be added to foods, implemented menu labeling requirements, and issued sodium reduction targets for industry to improve the healthfulness of the U.S. food supply. CFSAN continues to support innovation in the food supply while assuring products are safe and properly labeled; in 2022, CFSAN completed the first pre-market consultation of a human food made from cultured animal cells.

Sarah Ludmer
Sarah Ludmer
Senior Director, Wellbeing and Regulatory
Kellogg Company
Sarah Ludmer
Senior Director, Wellbeing and Regulatory
Kellogg Company

In both her professional and personal life, she has a passion for finding positive ways to make a difference, which is at the heart of everything she does. Sarah graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and completed her dietetic internship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.  She then built a strong foundation in nutrition and public health before moving to Del Monte Foods where she supported nutrition and regulatory for consumer and pet foods.  

In 2014, she joined Kellogg Company, supporting the Kashi and Morningstar Farms brands. Today, she serves as Senior Director, Wellbeing and Regulatory where she combines her passion for public health and love of consumers to unlock growth. In this capacity, she ensures strategic outcomes and helps brands positively impact both people and the planet while meeting the needs of their diverse range of consumers.  

She has been appointed to the future leadership team of North America Cereal Co. to serve as the Chief Wellbeing and ESG Officer when the company spins off in January 2024 and looks forward to furthering the impact the new company will have.  

Sarah also volunteers her time with Kellogg’s Business Employee Resource Groups focused on veterans.  She enjoys spending time with her family and enjoying the outdoors.  

James Gillespie
James Gillespie
Chief Health Officer
Umoja Food For Health
James Gillespie
Chief Health Officer
Umoja Food For Health

Dr. Gillespie is Chief Health Officer at Umoja Supply Chain Solutions, where he co-leads the Umoja Food for Health division. He is also a Senior Advisor at the Stanford University School of Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Research Center and a Research Affiliate at the Yale University School of Medicine’s Center for Digital Health Innovation.

Dr. Gillespie is lead author of the book “Patient-Centric Analytics in Health Care: Driving Value in Clinical Settings and Psychological Practice”, and his research has appeared in numerous academic journals and industry periodicals, including Academy of Management Review, American Behavioral Scientist, European Journal of Social Psychology, Harvard Business Review, International Journal of Healthcare Management, and Strategic Management Journal. Dr. Gillespie’s education includes Northwestern University, MS, PhD; Harvard University, JD; Princeton University, MPA; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, BS; Carnegie Mellon University; and Rand Graduate School. He is fortunate and honored to have served his country in the United States Army Reserves.

Jackie Schulz
Jackie Schulz
Director of Global Nutrition
Griffith Food
Jackie Schulz
Director of Global Nutrition
Griffith Food

Jackie Schulz is the Global Nutrition Director for Griffith Foods. Prior to her role at Griffith Foods, Jackie held roles in nutrition science, marketing, and regulatory affairs at Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, The Kellogg Company and Barilla. Jackie started her career as a clinical dietitian with a focus on pediatrics and received a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois and a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of California at Davis.

Claire Babineaux-Fontenot
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot
CEO
Feeding America
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot
CEO
Feeding America

Claire is chief executive officer of Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,00 food pantries and meal programs. Prior, she was executive vice president and global treasurer at Walmart, partner-in-charge of the Baton Rouge office and tax practice leader for Adams and Reese LLP, dispute resolution practice leader for the southwest region at PwC, and assistant secretary for the Office of Legal Affairs for the State of Louisiana.   

Claire has served on boards such as Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, National Urban League and National Association of Black Accountants. She currently serves on the board of New York Life and Abbott Laboratories.

Claire was named among TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2020. She holds a Master of Laws in Taxation from Southern Methodist University and a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge.

Holly Freishtat
Holly Freishtat
Senior Director of Feeding Change
Milken Institute
Holly Freishtat
Senior Director of Feeding Change
Milken Institute

Ms. Freishtat is the Senior Director of Feeding Change with the Milken Institute. She is an experienced director, transformative leader and strategist with a 20-year track record developing and implementing food system policies and programs. Holly served as Baltimore City’s first Food Policy Director and Chief of Food Policy & Planning where she founded and directed the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative. Holly spent over a decade building an equitable and resilient food environment by creating policies and programs that directly impact health & economic disparities. As a result, Baltimore City has become internationally renowned for innovative food governance and leadership. Holly has received national and international recognition for her public speaking skills and food systems expertise. She has presented at 125 international and national speaking engagements and has been interviewed by CNN, NBC, Huffington Post, Politico and the Associated Press. In addition, Holly has been awarded numerous accolades for her contributions to food systems, including the Mayors Medallion for Meritorious Service Award, Maryland Daily Record’s Top 100 women, and the 2016 Milan Urban Food Policy Pact Award. Freishtat has served as a food systems strategist, agricultural marketing director, nutrition educator, and grower. She holds an M.S. in Agriculture, Food, and Environment from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, a B.S. in Nutrition from the University of Vermont, and an executive certificate from Carey Business School.

Dexter Shurney
Dexter Shurney
Chief Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer; President
Adventist Health; Blue Zones Wellbeing Institute
Dexter Shurney
Chief Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer; President
Adventist Health; Blue Zones Wellbeing Institute

Dexter Shurney, MD, MBA, MPH, FACLM, is Chief Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer at Adventist Health. He is also President of the Blue Zones Well-Being Institute, a 501(c)3 research subsidiary of Adventist Health that focuses on applied population health research, including social determinants, payment reform, and lifestyle medicine. The institute also advises healthcare executives on value-based strategies and operations.

Previously, Dr. Shurney held the position of Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Clinical Affairs at Foodsmart by Zipongo, where he led a national food as medicine strategy employing tele-nutrition solutions to address poor nutrition and food insecurity. A licensed physician, Dr. Shurney is board-certified in both preventive medicine and lifestyle medicine, and is a highly regarded national authority on the healthcare industry with significant expertise in health insurance, employee health, and well-being.

His unique business expertise comes from various roles he has performed during his career as a senior healthcare executive. Former leadership positions have included Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Chief Medical Officer and Executive Director of Globlal Employee  Benefits at  Cummins, Inc.; Chief Medical Director of the Employee Health Plan at Vanderbilt University and Medical Center; Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Healthways; and Senior Advisor of Managed Care Strategy at Amgen.

He also previously held dual faculity appointments at Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center and Owens Graduate School of Business. Dr. Shurney shares some of his expertise and thought leadership in his book, Integrating Wellness into Your Disease Management Programs, which he coauthored with John Harris. The publication is a how-to strategic guide for employers that want to innovate their approaches to chronic condition management.

Dr. Shurney’s career achievements and interest in employer wellness programs, innovation in payment models, and disease management led to his involvement in the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), which represents 100-plus large-employer group members. In addition to serving as vice-chair of the HERO Board of Directors, Dr. Shurney is immediate past-president and a Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) and still serves as ACLM representative to the American Medical Association House of Delegates. He also serves as an independent director on several other boards: the National Association of Managed Care Physicians, Bon Secour Mercy Health Foundation, and Population Health Alliance. A well-regarded keynote speaker and facilitator at industry conferences and corporate meetings, he has appeared on NBC Today and in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and numerous trade, professional, and consumer publications.

Dr. Shurney received his B.S. from Loma Linda University and his M.D. from Howard University College of Medicine. He also earned an MBA and MPH from the University of Detroit/Mercy and the Medical College of Wisconsin, respectively.

George "G.B." Pratt
George "G.B." Pratt
Founder & CEO
ModifyHealth LLC
George "G.B." Pratt
Founder & CEO
ModifyHealth LLC

G.B. Pratt has a passion for healthcare innovation and delivering services that exceed expectations.

With a history of GI issues and a desire to help patients take control of their health, he started ModifyHealth in 2018 to bring relief to those suffering from chronic conditions where dietary modification is a recommended treatment. ModifyHealth is on a mission to change lives by making food as medicine simple and sustainable.

Prior to ModifyHealth, G.B. helped launch EndoChoice, a developer of innovative healthcare products and services for the GI space. EndoChoice grew from a startup in 2008 to public offering in 2015 (NYSE: GI) and final sale to Boston Scientific in 2016 (NYSE: BSX).

G.B. has served in a variety of management positions for healthcare organizations.  He was the co-founder and CEO of VLink, an  integration platform that was ultimately sold to Portico Systems, a partner company of Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: SFE).  From 2002 to 2006 he held several roles, including Vice President of Sales for Eko Systems, a provider of hospital-based EMR’s for the perioperative space.

When not in the office, G.B. enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing golf and rooting for Philly sports.

Ellis Singer McCue
Ellis Singer McCue
CEO
Territory Foods
Ellis Singer McCue
CEO
Territory Foods
Jaime Dircksen
Jaime Dircksen
Vice President, Community Health & Well-Being
Trinity Health
Jaime Dircksen
Vice President, Community Health & Well-Being
Trinity Health

Jaime Dircksen serves as the Vice President, Community Health & Well-Being at Trinity Health leading initiatives to optimize health for people experiencing poverty and other vulnerabilities across the 25-state system. She oversees all CHWB operations, including: advancing policies and programs that promote health equity and dismantle racism; investing in our communities through community benefit compliance, grantmaking and community investing; and advancing social care through collaborating with care teams to expand access to healthcare and address patient social needs. Jaime joined Trinity Health in July 2016, with over 20 years of public health experience leading large-scale planning, program and policy design efforts through public and private partnerships. She earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Chicago at the School of Social Service Administration.

Allison Hess
Allison Hess
Vice President, Health Services
Gesinger
Allison Hess
Vice President, Health Services
Gesinger
Lauren Scott
Lauren Scott
Chief Strategy Officer
International Fresh Produce Association
Lauren Scott
Chief Strategy Officer
International Fresh Produce Association

Lauren M. Scott is Chief Strategy Officer of the International Fresh Produce Association, the largest and most diverse trade association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain. A believer in continuous education and development, Lauren held a variety of leadership roles at PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive and Diageo. Lauren’s civic passions include combating food insecurities and perpetuating arts and culture.

Faith Weiner
Faith Weiner
Executive Director CSR & Philanthropy,
CVS Health
Faith Weiner
Executive Director CSR & Philanthropy,
CVS Health
Seth Staton
Seth Staton
Head of Clinical Programs and Innovation
Walgreens
Seth Staton
Head of Clinical Programs and Innovation
Walgreens
Judy Seybold
Judy Seybold
Chief Nutrition Officer
Sifter SP, Inc.
Judy Seybold
Chief Nutrition Officer
Sifter SP, Inc.
Akua Woolbright
Akua Woolbright
Global Nutrition Program Director
Whole Foods Market
Akua Woolbright
Global Nutrition Program Director
Whole Foods Market
Emily Hochman
Emily Hochman
CEO & Co Founder
Wellory
Emily Hochman
CEO & Co Founder
Wellory

Emily Hochman is the CEO+ Co-Founder of Wellory, a virtual care company tackling chronic conditions by connecting individuals with in-network nutrition providers for little-to-no cost. Their mission is to support 100 million Americans with life-changing 1:1 nutrition counseling by 2030.

Emily is also an impact scout investor at Story Ventures,  Board Advisor at Wellfare, and early stage startup advisor for founders who hustle. She is an active member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, an advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals supporting women and wellbeing, and a certified health coach.   

Emily has been named Forbes 30 Under 30, Most Inspirational Female Entrepreneur, featured in TechCrunch, Business Insider, Well+Good, and Thrive Global, and a recognized leader by the White House. 

Maycie Elchoufi
Maycie Elchoufi
Medical Director
Humana
Maycie Elchoufi
Medical Director
Humana

Dr. Maycie Elchoufi is board-certified in Internal Medicine and is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.  She has an extensive and diverse background in clinical practice that ranges from outpatient to hospital settings. Dr. Elchoufi is a physician entrepreneur and founded a successful medical practice specializing in obesity treatment and rooted in lifestyle medicine principles. She is passionate about food and nutrition, and she has completed the Culinary Medicine Certification program at Tulane University. She is continuing her journey by earning additional certification through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. 

Dr. Elchoufi currently works as a medical director at Humana, a managed healthcare organization, where she has served as a subject matter expert on obesity and nutrition. She is dedicated to leveraging lifestyle medicine principles as a foundational tool to support individuals in achieving their best health. 

Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi
Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi
Senior Director, Lifestyle Medicine
Blue Shield California
Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi
Senior Director, Lifestyle Medicine
Blue Shield California

Angie Kalousek Ebrahimi oversees the operations and growth of a suite of clinically proven lifestyle medicine programs for Blue Shield of California’s members.  Kalousek-Ebrahimi and her team work to drive seamless operations, as well as enrollment and engagement in the lifestyle medicine interventions under the Wellvolution brand.  She strongly believes that lifestyle medicine can transform the current health care model by introducing clinically effective, cost effective, and non-invasive lifestyle approaches into the care continuum. She, herself, has incorporated lifestyle medicine into her own life to prevent disease and live in optimal health.  Kalousek-Ebrahimi is strategically working to promote Blue Shield of California’s philosophy that lifestyle is medicine.

Prior to joining Blue Shield in 2010, Kalousek-Ebrahimi worked as the Wellness Program Manager at Visa, Inc. where she created and implemented a new suite of global wellness programs for Visa employees.  Part of her role at Visa was to incorporate Visa wellness programming with health plan offerings so that employees had a seamless experience.  Prior to her time at Visa, Kalousek-Ebrahimi served as the Fitness Director at the Sports Club LA in San Francisco where she oversaw a staff of 60 trainers, nutritionists, and sports coordinators.  In her role there, she also managed new-member fitness programs, trainer education, and direct private training sales.  She has also worked in marketing, business planning, and accounting.

Kalousek-Ebrahimi holds an M.B.A. degree from Golden Gate University, a B.S. degree in Business from the University of California, Haas School of Business, Berkeley, and is a Certified Holistic Lifestyle Coach.

Sarah Mastrorocco
Sarah Mastrorocco
Vice President and General Manager of Health
Instacart
Sarah Mastrorocco
Vice President and General Manager of Health
Instacart

Sarah Mastrorocco is Vice President and General Manager of Health for Instacart. A longtime Instacart veteran and leader, Sarah today oversees Instacart Health, designed to support businesses, nonprofits and consumers across three key areas: Nutrition Security, Making Healthier Choices Easier, and Food as Medicine. Sarah has played an integral role at Instacart since joining as the first member of the company’s business development team in 2014. During her tenure at Instacart, she’s taken on various leadership positions across Business Development, Account Management, and Catalog. Prior to this current role, Sarah oversaw and scaled Instacart’s Pickup business.

Leslie Jefferson
Leslie Jefferson
Community Health Program Manager
Giant Food
Leslie Jefferson
Community Health Program Manager
Giant Food

Leslie Jefferson is a Certified Nutrition Specialist with a master’s degree in Nutrition and Integrative Health and an MBA in Information Security.  As the Community Health Manager for Giant Food, she cultivates innovative food as medicine programing and coordinates solutions for community partner Nutrition Incentive Programs. She enjoys motivating others to find their way to optimum health using a holistic and personalized nutrition approach. As the Co-Chair Prince George’s County Healthy Eating, Active Living Food as Medicine Committee, she used her experience in project management and retail nutrition to create Prince George’s Fresh –  a county based food as medicine program. When it’s time to relax she hangs out with an audio book, works on making the perfect pizza dough, or works out with a good ‘HIIT’ video.

Allison Delaney
Allison Delaney
Director of Health & Wellness
Stop & Shop
Allison Delaney
Director of Health & Wellness
Stop & Shop

Allison Delaney is the Director of Health & Wellness at Stop & Shop. She is the founder and leader of the Stop & Shop Retail Dietitian Program, Nutrition Partners. In her role, she oversees the Nutrition Partners program and Stop & Shop’s team of registered dietitians. She also leads the development and execution of Stop & Shop’s health & wellness strategy. Prior to building the Nutrition Partners program, Allison held various roles within the Ahold Delhaize organization over the past 9 years, including time in regulatory, sustainability and most recently working as a Private Brands Category Manager. Allison has been a registered dietitian for over a decade and is passionate about making healthy food and nutrition education easily accessible to everyone. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 little boys!

Shideh Majidi
Shideh Majidi
Associate Director of the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program
Children’s National Hospital
Shideh Majidi
Associate Director of the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program
Children’s National Hospital

Dr. Shideh Majidi is the Associate Director of the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. Her primary clinical and research interests are in behavioral and psychosocial aspects of care in youth and young adults with diabetes. She also has a strong interest in building and improving diabetes clinical programs to ensure all diabetes patients receive complete and individualized diabetes care.

Emiliano Rial Verde
Emiliano Rial Verde
VP of Corporate Development
Bunge
Emiliano Rial Verde
VP of Corporate Development
Bunge

Emiliano joined Bunge in 2015. As Bunge’s VP of Corporate Development he co-led the acquisition of Loders Croklaan and the creation of Bunge’s Global B2B Oils segment, Bunge Loders Croklaan. He created the Nutrition business unit to serve customers in the infant, sports, and medical nutrition industries, and to develop nutritional ingredients with health outcomes in mind.

Prior to joining Bunge, he spent 7 years at McKinsey & Company serving clients in the food, agriculture, and healthcare industries.

Emiliano holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires. 

Susan Topping
Susan Topping
Sr. Director of Food, Policy & Impact
Capital Area Food Bank
Susan Topping
Sr. Director of Food, Policy & Impact
Capital Area Food Bank

Susan Topping is the Sr. Director of Food, Policy & Impact at the Capital Area Food Bank. In her current role, Susan focuses on developing strategic partnerships with healthcare and workforce development institutions to help address food insecurity’s root causes. She also oversees the CAFB’s Nutrition Education team. In previous roles spanning 18 years, Susan has overseen sustainable food growing projects, nutrition and food systems education, and, most recently, the management of the CAFB’s relationships with its 450+ nonprofit partners, creating critical capacity building initiatives to enable targeted food distribution in areas of greatest need.

Geeta Maker-Clark
Geeta Maker-Clark
Director of Integrative Nutrition and Advocacy
NorthShore University Health System
Geeta Maker-Clark
Director of Integrative Nutrition and Advocacy
NorthShore University Health System

Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark is the Director of Integrative Nutrition and Advocacy at NorthShore University Health System and Clinical Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Culinary Medicine program at the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine. Geeta has spent two decades studying integrative medicine, nutritional science, botanical medicine, mind-body medicine, and natural childbirth in health clinics all over the world. She has lectured nationally and internationally on food as medicine and culinary medicine. Dr. Maker-Clark started the Food is Power program on the South Side of Chicago to empower youth to make healthier choices, with a curriculum that focuses on decolonized, holistic food education. Geeta was recognized as a national leader in food justice activism with a Castanea Fellowship from 2019-2022 and the Mesa Refuge Michael Pollan Fellowship in Food Journalism in 2021. Since 2016 she has founded and led the annual Food as Medicine CME Symposium at the Chicago Botanic Garden- bringing the leading voices in nutrition, cooking, and food justice to educate health care professionals and the public. 

Dr. Maker-Clark believes in transforming the way we think about medicine and looks to ancient wisdom and modern struggles as opportunities to heal with the medicines that are all around us.

Stacy Bates
Stacy Bates
Director Wellness Nutrition Services
H-E-B
Stacy Bates
Director Wellness Nutrition Services
H-E-B
Christina Khoo
Christina Khoo
Director, Emerging Science, Nutrition and Reg Affairs
Ocean Spray Cranberries
Christina Khoo
Director, Emerging Science, Nutrition and Reg Affairs
Ocean Spray Cranberries

Christina is the Director of Emerging Science, Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs, Ocean Spray Cranberries. She leads a team responsible for providing scientific substantiation for the development of functional health products and regulatory guidance for messaging and claims.

During her tenure, Christina successfully obtained the first FDA qualified health claim for a food (cranberry) to help reduce an acute urinary tract infection, as well as novel foods and GRAS approvals. Christina also leads the emerging science team, spearheading several projects with start-up companies, evaluating technologies from farm to fork to help accelerate innovation and sustainability initiatives.

As an influencer, she has taken on roles in cross sector initiatives. She is Chair of the IAFNS Bioactives committee and the Cognitive Health working group. She serves as Treasurer of the National Berry Crops Alliance board and Vice Chair of the Juice Products Assn Board. Christina participates actively in the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine Food Forum as well as the Tufts Friedman School Food and Nutrition Innovation Institute as the co-chair of the Food is Medicine working group, where she collaborates with cross sector partners to work on  important food and nutrition issues.

Christina received her doctorate at the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard School of Public Health.

Nadja Pinnavaia
Nadja Pinnavaia
CEO
Plantable
Nadja Pinnavaia
CEO
Plantable

Nadja has an undergraduate degree in chemistry from King’s College, London, and a Ph.D. in quantum chemistry from St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge. With yet another diagnosis of cancer in the family, Nadja founded Plantable as a turnkey solution to effectively change dietary habits to reverse diet-related chronic disease. Prior to founding Plantable, Nadja was a managing director at Goldman Sachs in London. She holds the Certificate in Culinary Nutrition from the Natural Gourmet Institute. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

Lance Chrisman
Lance Chrisman
President
Elevance Health
Lance Chrisman
President
Elevance Health

Since 2007, Lance Chrisman has served as executive director of the Elevance Health Foundation, overseeing the company’s social responsibility strategy.

In this role, Lance leads the Foundation’s mission to advance health equity by improving the health of the socially vulnerable through strategic partnerships with programs in our communities that focus on maternal child health, food as medicine, and substance use disorder. In addition, he oversees Foundation grants and the company’s associate community engagement programs, and chairs the board of Elevance Health CARES, Inc., the organization’s 501(c)(3) public charity.

Lance has more than 20 years of experience working with corporate foundations. Prior to joining the Elevance Health Foundation, he served as a director with Verizon Corporation in Dallas, Texas. He developed Verizon’s signature cause marketing effort, which strategically aligned all philanthropic activities with the company’s financial and operational objectives. He also managed Verizon’s contribution process, executive and employee volunteer efforts, constituency relations, and community activities at the national, regional, and local levels.

Lance received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Huntington University in Indiana.
Jonathan Smiga
Jonathan Smiga
CEO
Advanced Micronutrition, LLC.
Jonathan Smiga
CEO
Advanced Micronutrition, LLC.

With more than 30 years of experience in the food and wellness, Jonathan has a track record for building businesses that make a difference. These include the first course in culinary nutrition and a nutritional restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America, development work on nutritionally-focused Seasons 52 at Darden Restaurants, numerous farm-to-table food ventures, and most recently co-founding Keen Growth Capital, an Impact Fund investing in Food as Medicine, Functional Foods and related technologies.

As co-founder and CEO at Advanced Micronutrition, he and the team provide evidence-based chronic disease solutions affecting over 100 million Americans – Obesity, Diabetes and Heart Health.  Keen’s commitment to Full Circle Impact™, furthers the fund’s mission by providing support for emerging food entrepreneurs, food technologies and the food insecure by donating 5% of fund profits to related not-for-profit entitiies.

Jonathan graduated from New College of Florida and has earned Masters’ degrees from Cornell University and the New York University Stern School of Business. 

 

Our Mission

The Food as Medicine Summit is designed to bring together key senior stakeholders from the food and beverage and healthcare industry to discuss the key challenges we still need to overcome.

Focusing on moving from research to action, these discussions will deep dive into how we can move from research to action, scale Food as Medicine through partnerships, and advance Food as Medicine approaches and programs. 

The Food as Medicine Summit provides a meeting point for leaders from CPGs, retail, payers and providers from across the US, plus innovative food companies, investors, and nonprofits to collaborate and tackle these issues together.

Agenda +
Our Mission

Partnerships

With an event designed to answer the most significant questions in Food as Medicine, it is essential that we provide our audience with the leading experts and best solutions to help progress this fascinating industry forward. With an audience made up of senior-level executives from across top CPGs, large and small brands, payers, and providers, The 2023 Food as Medicine Summit offers a fantastic opportunity to showcase your capabilities and position your company as the partner of choice with the leading thinkers within both Food & Beverage and Healthcare.

If you are interested in exploring commercial partnerships at this year’s event, please contact our commercial manager, Tom Wells (tom@greygreenmedia.com) to discuss how we can best position your business or solution at the Summit.

Contact Us +
Partnerships

Register for the Event

For pricing and booking options please click the button to go to the registration page.

Registration