Presenters

Bob Baron, PhD 
Vice President of Business Development, Sensory Spectrum

Bob Baron, PhD is the Vice President of Business Development at Sensory Spectrum. In this role he works closely with clients to create tailored research solution for their product challenges.  He also works very closely with the consultant teams to broaden and promote the company’s diverse capabilities. Prior to joining Sensory Spectrum, Dr. Baron spent 15 years at Mars Chocolate North America, where he led Sensory and Consumer Insights, Product Development, and Innovation teams. 

Gordon Smith, PhD, CFS

Gordon Smith, PhD, CFS heads the Department of Grain Science and Industry at Kansas State University. Prior to his transition to academia in 2015, Gordon acquired more than 20 years of industry experience working for the Sara Lee Corporation and ConAgra Foods. He has been a leader at Kansas State in bridging the industry academic gap through engaged research, teaching and outreach.  In the private sector he has been recognized for business-critical patents, consumer and business impact, product development, innovation and leadership excellence.

Marie Wright
President, Creation, Design & Development and Chief Global Flavorist, ADM

Marie Wright is President, Creation, Design & Development and Chief Global Flavorist at ADM. She is deeply rooted in her belief that original flavor creation is artistry rather than science, and perfection in art is often elusive. After graduating from Kings’s College, London, Marie trained as a Flavorist with Bush Boake Allen, London, advancing to Senior Flavorist targeting key accounts in Europe and Asia. She then moved to the United States as the Flavor Creation Manager for Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Mario Ferruzzi, PhD 
Director at Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center; Professor and Chief of the Section of Developmental Nutrition; and Arkansas Children’s Endowed Chair in Digestive Disease & Nutrition Research

Mario Ferruzzi, PhD is the Director at Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center; Professor and Chief of the Section of Developmental Nutrition; and Arkansas Children’s Endowed Chair in Digestive Disease & Nutrition Research.  Previously, Dr. Ferruzzi most recently served as a Professor in the Plants for Human Health Institute and the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science at North Carolina State University. Prior to that he was Professor in the Department of Food Science at Purdue University and as a Research Scientist with Nestlé Research & Development.   

Kantha Shelke, PhD, CFS
Principal, Corvus Blue LLC

Kantha Shelke, PhD, CFS is a principal at Corvus Blue LLC, a contract food science and nutrition research firm specializing in competitive intelligence research and rapid commercialization of new ingredients and technologies that are honestly healthful.  She holds master’s degrees in Organic Chemistry and in Food Science and Nutrition and a doctorate in Cereal Chemistry and Technology.  Kantha is a senior lecturer at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, USA), a visiting professor at MCI Management Center (Innsbruck, Austria), and a member of the faculty advisory board at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, and McGill University, in Montreal.