Committees

Committee members play a critical role in providing FDLI with subject-matter and editorial advisory expertise.

2025 Committees

Program Committees

The Advertising and Promotion for Medical Products Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in planning this event, which typically takes place in October. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, evaluating conference submissions, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the program to colleagues.

  • Lauren Caroline Tadros Potter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Carolina M. Wirth (Co-Chair), Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman P.C.
  • Olubukola Adeyemi, FDA
  • Sonia S. Chen Arnold, Eli Lilly and Company
  • Kelly Belnick, Johnson & Johnson
  • Hannah R. Bornstein, Nixon Peabody LLP
  • Dale Cooke, PhillyCooke Consulting
  • Dominick Paul DiSabatino, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
  • Yetunde Fadahunsi, GE Healthcare
  • Mark Gardner, Gardner Law, PLLC
  • David R. Joy, Keller and Heckman LLP
  • Wyatt Kernell, Cooley LLP
  • Jae Kim, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • Allyson Maur, McGuireWoods LLP
  • Alan G. Minsk, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
  • Joshua M. Oyster, Ropes & Gray LLP
  • Nancy E. Taylor, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
  • Rebecca Williams, Ropes & Gray LLP

Annual Conference Planning Committee helps plan and implement FDLI’s Annual Conference, the premier event of the food and drug law community. This conference is typically held in the spring.

  • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Stacy Cline Amin (Co-Chair), Oracle  
  • Lowell Zeta (Co-Chair), FDA
  • Laura Akowuah, FDA—CFSAN
  • Kalah Auchincloss, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
  • Jennifer Bragg, Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Shelby Buettner, Becton Dickinson (BD)
  • Andrea Ferrenz, Campbell Soup Company
  • Lewis Grossman, American University
  • Dorothy Hatsukami, University of Minnesota
  • Jeremiah Kelly, Venable LLP
  • Winston Kirton, BakerHostetler
  • Paige Magness, Altria Client Services LLC
  • Sharon Mayl, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • James Myers, CBER, FDA
  • Rachael Pontikes, Blank Rome LLP
  • Mimi Riley, University of Virginia
  • Schevon Salmon, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
  • Sarah Sorscher, Center for Science in the Public Interest
  • Sarah Stec, Johnson & Johnson
  • Stuart TenHoor, Stuart TenHoor Legal Search
  • Rachel Turow, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
  • Jennifer Zachary, Merck & Co., Inc.
  • Jessica Zeller, Edwards Lifesciences LLC

The Digital Health Committee supports FDLI staff in planning and implementing the Digital Health Conference, taking place in the first quarter of the year. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing the conference agenda, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the conference to colleagues.

  • Lauren Caroline Tadros Potter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Son Nguyen (Co-Chair), Cooley LLP
  • Elizabeth Richards (Co-Chair), Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Wade Ackerman, Covington & Burling LLP
  • Jason Brooke, Brooke & Associates
  • Shelby Buettner, Becton Dickinson (BD)
  • Lisa Dwyer, King & Spalding LLP
  • William Garvin, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
  • Bethany J. Hills, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • Arthur Kim, Medtronic
  • Marian Lee, McKesson Corporation
  • Mark Marciante, Leavitt Partners, LLC
  • James Wabby, AbbVie

The Enforcement, Litigation, and Compliance Conference Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in planning this event, which typically takes place in early to mid-December.  Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, evaluating conference submissions, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the program to colleagues.

  • Khara Minter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Cathy L. Burgess , Alston & Bird LLP
  • John Claud, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Jason Drori, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
  • Lynne Ensor, NSF International
  • Maya P. Florence, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
  • Teresa Gorecki, Compliance Architects LLC
  • Perham Gorji, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • Monica Groat, Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Dennis C. Gucciardo, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • Steven A. Johnson, FDACOUNSELS.COM
  • Mark Carlisle Levy, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC
  • Clint Narver, McGuireWoods LLP
  • Arun G. Rao, Mayer Brown LLP
  • Bob Rhoades, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
  • Lee Rosebush, BakerHostetler
  • Colin Stabler, Exponent, Inc.
  • Xin Tao, Baker McKenzie
  • Eva A. Temkin, Arnold & Porter LLP
  • Jessica Tierney, Jones Day
  • George Toscano, Toscano Consulting Group (TCG)
  • Christopher Van Gundy, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
  • Jack Wenik, Epstein Becker & Green, PC

The FDLI at the Forefront Committee supports FDLI staff on identifying and assessing programing opportunities related to important developments and emerging issues for all FDA-regulated products, with particular emphasis on food, drugs, biologics, and devices. These programs may occur throughout the year and will typically be in the form of a webinar, but also includes half-day programs and conferences. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, advising on program format, evaluating webinar proposals, recommending and recruiting speakers, and promoting programs to colleagues.

      • Khara Minter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
      • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
      • Kaitlin Alexander, Exponent, Inc.
      • Donald Ashley, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
      • Diluks De Silva, Compliance Architects LLC
      • Lisa El-Shall, EAS Consulting Group
      • Maarika Kimbrell, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
      • Sara Wexler Koblitz, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
      • Janet L. Michener Whipple, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
      • Liane Peterson, Foley & Lardner LLP

The Food Advertising, Labeling, and Litigation Conference Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in planning this event, which typically takes place in late September. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, evaluating conference submissions, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the program to colleagues.

  • Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Ronald Y. Rothstein (Chair), Winston & Strawn LLP
  • Matthew G. Ball, K&L Gates LLP
  • Jose Alberto Campos, Garrigues
  • Thayer Ellis, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
  • Stefanie J. Fogel, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • Dale Joseph Giali, King & Spalding LLP
  • Jason W. Gordon, Reed Smith LLP
  • Maia C. Kats, Just Food Law
  • Abby Meyer, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
  • Laura A. Rich, Venable LLP
  • Rick L. Shackelford, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
  • Maged Sharaf, EAS Consulting Group
  • David Tonucci, Ramboll US

The Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in planning this event, which typically takes place in late March or early April. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, evaluating conference submissions, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the program to colleagues.

  • Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Laura Rich (Chair), Venable LLP
  • Tennille Blair, Pharmavite Corporation
  • Kris DeAngelo, Institute for Food Laws and Regulations, Michigan State University
  • Lisa Navarro, Ramboll US
  • Stuart M. Pape, Polsinelli
  • Brian P. Sylvester, Perkins Coie LLP
  • Jessica Tierney, Jones Day
  • Christopher Van Gundy, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
  • Gerie Voss, FDA – ODSP
  • Jack Wenik, Epstein Becker & Green, PC

The New to FDA Law and Regulation Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in developing programming for those new to FDA regulated fields (generally within the first seven years). Programming covers a wide range of topics, including recent regulatory developments, career building, and interacting with government agencies, plus networking opportunities for in-person events. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing in-person and virtual programs, recommending and recruiting speakers, and promoting programs to colleagues.

  • Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Seun Awotunde, Keller and Heckman LLP
  • Laura S. Dona, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
  • Jaclyn Fonteyne, Sidley Austin LLP
  • Jeb Hunter, EAS Consulting Group
  • Michael Jordan, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP
  • Elisabeth Lewis, K&L Gates LLP
  • Nicholas Markel, Toscano Consulting Group (TCG)
  • Rihana Miller, FDA – CDER
  • Lauren Petrin, Husch Blackwell LLP
  • Angela Silva, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • Philip Won, Alston & Bird LLP
  • Krupa Zachariah, Alston & Bird LLP

The Patient Organization Engagement Committee supports FDLI staff in planning its training course that assists patient organizations in understanding FDA regulations and interacting with the agency. This training course is virtual and typically takes place in February. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing the agenda, recommending and recruiting speakers, and identifying patient organization partners.

  • Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Mitchell Berger, FDA – CBER
  • Ryan Matthew Hohman, Friends of Cancer Research
  • Barbara Jones-Binns, Alston & Bird LLP
  • Natalie Oehlers, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
  • Kathleen Retterson, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
  • Cara Tenenbaum, Strathmore Health Strategy
  • Sarah Wicks, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC

Publications Committees

The Austern Writing Awards Committee contributes to fostering the next generation of professionals in the food and drug law field by judging submissions from JD students. Papers to be judged cover all areas of law affecting FDA-regulated industries. The judging period takes place from June through October, after which the committee meets virtually to discuss and determine the winners of the competition.

    • Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
    • Anneke Baran Altieri, Hogan Lovells US LLP
    • Sophie Castillo, Keller Heckman LLP
    • Cathie Chen, Perkins Coie LLP
    • Natalie P. Crow, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
    • Jennifer Kang, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
    • Jonathan Trinh, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

The Food and Drug Law Journal Editorial Advisory Board (FDLJ EAB) reviews and evaluates submitted articles, providing substantive feedback in a blinded peer review process for the scholarly legal journal. The articles to be reviewed include analyses of federal legislation, regulations, court decisions, and public policies affected industries regulated by FDA and related agencies and authorities. Members of the FDLJ EAB may also participate in planning the annual Food and Drug Law Journal Symposium, including identifying the theme of the year’s program and recommending moderators and discussants.

  • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Meryl E. Bartlett, Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Nathan A. Brown, Akin
  • Jessica A. DeLalio, Ropes & Gray LLP
  • Nick Diamond, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
  • Michelle Divelbiss, Covington & Burling LLP
  • Bridget C.E. Dooling, The Ohio State University
  • Jamie W. Gamerman, FDA – CDER
  • Coleen W. Hill, Duane Morris LLP
  • William Holtz, FDA – CDER
  • Peter Barton Hutt , Covington & Burling LLP
  • John F. Johnson, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP
  • Markham C. Luke, FDA–CDER
  • Catherine A. Melfi, Omeros Corporation
  • Cynthia L. Meyer, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
  • Christopher Mikson, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • Adam I. Muchmore, Penn State Law
  • Daniel Orr, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
  • Keronica Richardson
  • Tyler Morgan Scandalios, Arnold & Porter LLP
  • Shy Shorer, NIH, NCI, CCR
  • Zasim Azhar Siddiqui, Medtronic
  • Eric Solowey, Parexel International Corporation
  • Emily Spiegel, Vermont Law and Graduate School
  • Keerthika Subramanian, Winston & Strawn LLP
  • Dorcas Ann Taylor, FDA – CDER
  • Thomas Tobin, Perkins Coie LLP
  • Mark Tobolowsky, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Andrew Wasson, Haug Partners LLP
  • Matthew Zapadka, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP

The Publications and Academic Programs Committee advises FDLI staff on how to best attract and engage our academic members and their programs with FDLI; identifies areas for scholarly programming; and provides high-level recommendations for all of FDLI’s publications, including updating essential references and generating content for new book resources. The committee meets approximately quarterly.

  • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Barbara A. Binzak Blumenfeld, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
  • Phillip DeFedele, Arnold & Porter LLP
  • Ralph F. Hall, University of Minnesota
  • Erika Lietzan, University of Missouri School of Law
  • Kiri Stauch, Applied Research and Analysis Company LLC

The Update Magazine Peer Review Committee provides manuscript review and editorial feedback of articles submitted for consideration in Update magazine, a virtual, quarterly magazine that reports on analysis and trends in food and drug law. The committee works independently to provide substantive feedback and publication recommendation on the articles.

  • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Sarah Gaskell, Jones Day
  • Rouget Frederic Henschel, Potomac Law Group
  • Ryan Knox, DePaul University
  • Carleigh Lenz, Haynes and Boone LLP
  • Eva Schifini, Hogan Lovells LLP

Product Area Committees

The Cannabis-Derived Products Committee supports FDLI staff in developing programming in this space. This includes cannabis-specific events, which may occur throughout the year in the form of a webinar, half-day program, or conference, and cannabis-focused content for events covering broader product areas. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing conference agendas, recommending and recruiting speakers, and promoting programs to colleagues.

  • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Lauren Caroline Tadros Potter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • William Garvin , Jazz Pharmaceuticals
  • Larry K. Houck, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Andrew J. Kline, State of Colorado
  • Agustin E. Rodriguez, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
  • Daniel Charles Rubenstein, Steptoe LLP
  • Frederick A. Stearns, Keller and Heckman LLP

The Medical Products Committee supports FDLI staff in developing programming in the medical products space (drugs, devices, and biologics). This includes medical product-specific events, which may occur throughout the year in the form of a webinar, half-day program, or conference, and medical product-focused content for events covering broader product areas. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing conference agendas, recommending and recruiting speakers, and promoting programs to colleagues.

  • Lauren Caroline Tadros Potter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Michele L. Buenafe, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • Ricki A. Chase, Compliance Architects LLC
  • Daniela Drago, NDA Partners LLC
  • Steven Gonzalez, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Elizabeth Guo, FDA – OC
  • Coleen Klasmeier, Roche Diagnostics/BMC
  • Anisa Mohanty, DLA Piper LLP (US)
  • Bill A. McConagha, Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Son Nguyen, Cooley LLP
  • George O’Brien, Mayer Brown LLP
  • Elizabeth Richards, Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Jessica Ringel, King & Spalding LLP
  • Lance L. Shea, Foley Hoag LLP
  • James P. Wabby, Abbvie
  • Benjamin K. Wolf, Alston & Bird LLP

The Tobacco and Nicotine Products Committee supports FDLI staff in developing programming in this space. This includes both the Tobacco and Nicotine Products Regulation and Policy Conference and Regulatory Science Symposium, both of which typically take place in late October. It also includes any additional tobacco and nicotine product-focused programming, including webinars and panels at events covering broader product areas. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, evaluating conference submissions, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the program to colleagues.

  • Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Tony Abboud, Vapor Technology Association
  • Jasjit Ahluwalia, Brown University
  • Shelly Blackwell, EAS Consulting Group
  • Michael Cummings, Medical University of South Carolina
  • Brittani Cushman, Turning Point Brands, Inc.
  • Cliff Douglas, Global Action to End Smoking
  • Joe G. Gitchell, Pinney Associates, Inc.
  • Bryan M. Haynes, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
  • Chris Howard, Swisher International, Inc.
  • Eshael Johnson, CTP-FDA
  • Eric N. Lindblom, O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown Law
  • John L. Marshall, Altria Client Services LLC
  • Daniel McGee, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
  • Robin J. Mermelstein, University of Illinois-Chicago
  • Brian J. Miller, Johns Hopkins University
  • John O’Brien, RAI Services Company
  • Elizabeth Oestreich, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
  • Jason Robinson, JUUL Labs
  • Barry S. Schaevitz, Fox Rothschild LLP
  • Mark J. Vaders, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
  • LieAnn Van-Tull, Keller and Heckman LLP
  • Erin Warren, Philip Morris International
  • Jeffrey Weiss, Flagstaff Ventures

Task Forces

The Cosmetics Task Force supports FDLI staff in developing programming in this space. This includes cosmetics-specific events, which may occur throughout the year in the form of a webinar, half-day program, or conference, and cosmetics-focused content for events covering broader product areas. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing conference agendas, recommending and recruiting speakers, and promoting programs to colleagues. Note that task force members are allowed to simultaneously serve on an FDLI committee.

  • Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • John Bailey, EAS Consulting Group
  • Kelly Bonner, Capri Holdings Limited
  • Jose Alberto Campos, Garrigues
  • Kayla Cristales, Haynes and Boone LLP
  • Rebecca L. Dandeker, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • Daniel R. Dwyer, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
  • Jack C. Garvey, Compliance Architects LLC
  • Sophia Gaulkin, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Shlomit Halachmi, FDA – CDRH
  • Auguste Humphries, Cooley LLP
  • Linda Katz, Former FDA – HFP
  • Laurie Lenkel, FDA – OC
  • Lisa Navarro, Ramboll US
  • Jessica P. O’Connell, Covington & Burling LLP
  • Laura A. Rich, Venable LLP
  • Frederick A. Stearns, Keller and Heckman LLP
  • Rebecca Williams, Ropes & Gray LLP

The Veterinary Products Task Force supports FDLI staff in developing programming in this space. This includes veterinary product-specific events, which may occur throughout the year in the form of a webinar, half-day program, or conference, and veterinary product-focused content for events covering broader product areas. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, developing conference agendas, recommending and recruiting speakers, and promoting programs to colleagues. Note that task force members are allowed to simultaneously serve on an FDLI committee.

  • Lauren Caroline Tadros Potter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Grant Dixon, Covington & Burling LLP
  • Laura R. Epstein, FDA – CVM
  • Patrick C. Gallagher, PC Gallagher Law P.A.
  • Grace Gowda, Merial, Inc.
  • Kathleen M. Sanzo, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
  • Elizabeth Butterworth Stutts, Elizabeth Butterworth Stutts, Esq, PLLC
  • Marc Wagner, BakerHostetler

Governance Committees

Audit Committee oversees and evaluates the management’s control over financial reporting. This committee is led by and reports to the FDLI Board of Directors.

  • Hayley Carpenter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Ricardo Carvajal (Chair), Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Cathy L. Burgess, Alston & Bird LLP
  • Joanne Hawana, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
  • Michael Werner, Holland & Knight LLP

Finance Committee oversees FDLI’s financial affairs, including budget formulation and execution, and investment portfolio management. This committee is led by and reports to the FDLI Board of Directors.

  • Hayley Carpenter (Staff Liaison), FDLI
  • Melanie Gross (Chair), Genentech
  • Christina Anderson Mooney, Medtronic
  • Frederick R. Ball, Duane Morris LLP
  • Jeffrey N. Gibbs, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
  • Elizabeth Oestreich, ELIQUENT Life Sciences

Questions?

[email protected]
202-222-0910