Tuesday, October 6th, 2020 9:00 AM (EDT)
This session will review new and ongoing challenges related to packaging for food aid products, including efforts to make packaging more environmentally sustainable and packaging solutions for extending the shelf life and for reducing infestation and waste of food aid products.
Dr. Rufino Perez, Moderator/Speaker
Senior Food Technology Advisor, USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance
Rufino Perez (Ruffo) is a food scientist. Ruffo is the main food technology, biotechnology and food safety resource within USAID/DHA Office, supporting country missions, local suppliers and assisting throughout the USAID food aid supply chain. He holds a PhD from Michigan State University, Michigan USA. Dr. Perez joined USAID from the private sector with experience both on corporate nutrition and ingredient research as well as food safety and quality. Patented research work includes micro encapsulation technologies in flavor delivery and food safety ingredients.
Carole Manceau, Moderator/Speaker
Packaging Specialist, World Food Programme
Carole Manceau is the packaging specialist working for the United Nations World Food Programme. WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Her role in this agency is to ensure that suitable packaging are used to distribute food to people in need in terms of food safety and quality, mechanical performances to withstand humanitarian supply chain and regulatory compliance while considering people’s needs and convenience, cost and environmental sustainability. A close collaboration with food manufacturers, WFP’s supply chain and other humanitarian agencies is key for her to address packaging challenges and reduce food losses.Carole is a French packaging engineer by training who has previously worked for international food and pharmaceutical companies as packaging project manager. “Things move fast in the packaging world – new materials new technologies, – and it is a privilege to put this innovation at the service of humanity,” says Carole.
Rachel Goldstein, Speaker
Global Sustainability Director for Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Mars, Incorporated
Rachel is the Global Packaging Sustainability Senior Manager at Mars, Incorporated. She leads a cross segment packaging sustainability team and Mars’ external engagement in key partnerships, such as the New Plastics Economy, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and the Sustainability Consortium. Rachel is on the Board of Directors for Green Blue.She has technical advisory roles in two emerging market based systems to address plastic leakage and increase recycling, the 3R Initiative and the Green Blue Recycled Material Standard.
Rachel leads the implementation of the Mars sustainability claims policy, advising the business on communicating complex sustainability topics to consumers. She has experience with external sustainability reporting work across a range of platforms and disclosures such as DJSI, CDP, customer scorecards, and the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.
Prior to Mars, Rachel was the Team Leader of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), a voluntary climate change program that encourages methane emissions reductions through the capture and beneficial use of landfill gas. She was also the lead for this work in India, China and Southeast Asia under the Global Methane Initiative. Rachel was in the health, safety and environmental field before joining EPA.
Rachel has an MBA with an Environmental Management Concentration from The George Washington University, and a B.S. Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University.
Dr. Rafael Auras, Speaker
Professor, Michigan State University School of Packaging
Rafael Auras is Professor with the School of Packaging at Michigan State University (MSU). He leads a research group of graduate and undergraduate students interested in mass transfer in polymers, biodegradable polymers, life cycle assessment, and sustainable packaging systems. He has conducted research projects for Fortune 500 companies and government sponsored research projects. He is a regular speaker at national and international conferences. He has coauthored more than 150 publications. Rafael graduated with a B.Sc. in chemical engineering from the FCEQyN, Misiones, Argentina, an M.Sc. in Materials Science and Technology from the UNSAM, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a Ph.D. in packaging from MSU, East Lansing, MI, U.S.
Dr. Greg Rulifson, Speaker
Sustainability Advisor and 2019/20 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance
Michael Brady, Speaker
Business Development Manager, ProAmpac
Jennifer Esterle, Q&A Discussion Leader
Sales Operations Planning Manager at Edesia Nutrition
Jennifer Esterle just sent her bio (the headshot is the same one you already found): Jennifer is the Sales & Operations Planning Manager at Edesia (manufacturer of Ready-to-use Foods). She is well versed in the production and distribution of ready-to use foods, drawing on nearly 10 years of experience, both at a U.S. based manufacturer of RUFs and a local manufacturer of RUFs in Haiti. Jennifer holds a BS in Business Administration with a specialization in Logistics and a MSc in Supply Chain Management with a specialization in Humanitarian Development. She works in close collaboration with UN agencies including USAID, UNICEF, and The World Food Programme to design, improve, and implement solutions that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of supply chains.
The Future of Food Assistance for Nutrition: Evidence Summit II 