Committees
Committee members play a critical role in providing FDLI with subject-matter and editorial advisory expertise.
Applications for 2026 Committee Service are now closed. Thank you to everyone who applied! We look forward to reviewing your submissions and will notify applicants of their status by early December.
2026 Committees
Committees
Academic Advisory 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
- Jacquelyn Briggs, Northeastern University
- Leonard A Dwarica, Quinnipiac University School of Law
- Peter Barton Hutt, Retired, Covington & Burling
- Adam L. Muchmore, Penn State Dickinson School of Law
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.
- Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Kelly Belnick, Johnson & Johnson
- Dominick Paul DiSabatino, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
- Julie A. Dohm, Covington & Burling LLP
- Kyle Y. Faget, Foley & Lardner LLP
- Mark Gardner, Gardner Law, PLLC
- Colleen M. Heisey, Jones Day
- Alicia Kantor, Medtronic Vascular
- Jae Kim, DLA Piper LLP (US)
- Cynthia L. Meyer, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
- Alan G. Minsk, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
- Elizabeth Mulkey, Goodwin Procter LLP
- Joshua M. Oyster, Ropes & Gray LLP
- Lauren K. Roth, King & Spalding LLP
- Jonathan Trinh, Arnold & Porter LLP
- Carolina M Wirth, Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman P.C.
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
- Kalah Auchincloss (Co-Chair), Auchincloss Legal
- Sharon Mayl (Co-Chair), DLA Piper LLP (US)
- Anna K. Abram, Akin
- Laura J. Akowuah, Cooley LLP
- John Claud, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
- Andrea G. Ferrenz, The Campbell’s Company
- Eric Fish, ProPharma Group
- Jack C. Garvey, Compliance Architects LLC
- Lewis A. Grossman, American University
- Dorothy K. Hatsukami, University of Minnesota
- Matthew Hegreness, Covington & Burling LLP
- Jeremiah J. Kelly, Venable LLP
- Coleen E. Klasmeier, Roche Diagnostics/BMC
- Paige Magness, Altria Client Services LLC
- Rachael G. Pontikes, Blank Rome, LLP
- Margaret (Mimi) Foster Riley, University of Virginia
- Schevon Salmon, K&L Gates LLP
- Ariel Seeley, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Lance L. Shea, Foley Hoag LLP
- Sarah Sorscher, Center for Science in the Public Interest
- Stuart TenHoor, Stuart TenHoor Legal Search
- Rachel Turow, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
- James Wabby, AbbVie
- Jennifer Zachary, Merck & Co., Inc.
- Jessica Zeller, Edwards Lifesciences LLC
The Austern Writing Awards Committee contributes to fostering the next generation of professionals in the food and drug law field by judging scholarly 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.
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- Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Natalie Crow, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
- Sarah Gaskell, Jones Day
- Victoria Hawekotte, Duane Morris LLP
- Helen Ryan, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
- Cory Trio, Covington & Burling LLP
- Rebecca H. Williams, Ropes & Gray LLP
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.
- Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Hannah R. Bornstein, Nixon Peabody LLP
- Trevor Bridges, JUUL Labs
- Brian Burgess, Goodwin Procter LLP
- Yetunde Fadahunsi, GE Healthcare
- Pamela Forrest, Covington & Burling LLP
- Ryan Gooley, Sedgwick
- Teresa Gorecki, Compliance Architects LLC
- Perham Gorji, DLA Piper LLP (US)
- Monica C. Groat, Latham & Watkins LLP
- Dennis C. Gucciardo, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Samuel Hampsher-Monk, Applied Research and Analysis Company LLC
- Samantha Hong, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
- Danielle C. Humphrey, Becton Dickinson (BD)
- Anne Kanyusik Yoakum, FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation
- Brandon Moss, Wiley LLP
- Clint Narver, McGuireWoods LLP
- Sonia W. Nath, Cooley LLP
- Tina Papagiannopoulos, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
- Arun Rao, Mayer Brown LLP
- James R. Ravitz, McDermott Will & Schulte LLP
- Lisa Re, Arnold & Porter LLP
- Agustin E. Rodriguez, Troutman Pepper Locke
- Gabriel H. Scannapieco, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
- Colin Stabler, Exponent, Inc.
- Jessica Tierney, Jones Day
- James Wabby, AbbVie
- Marc Wagner, BakerHostetler
- Anne K. Walsh, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
- Beth P. Weinman, Ropes & Gray LLP
- Jack Wenik, Epstein Becker & Green, PC
- Benjamin K. Wolf, Alston & Bird LLP
- Ashley Zborowsky, Medtronic
The FDLI at the Forefront Committee supports FDLI staff in identifying and assessing program opportunities related to important developments and emerging issues for all FDA-regulated products. 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.
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- Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Donald D. Ashley, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
- Seun Awotunde, Keller and Heckman LLP
- Nathan A. Beaton, Latham & Watkins LLP
- M. Jason Brooke, Brooke & Associates
- Phillip DeFedele, Arnold & Porter LLP
- Daniela Drago, NDA Partners LLC
- Lisa El-Shall, EAS Consulting Group
- Elizabeth Guo, Covington & Burling LLP
- Ralph F. Hall, University of Minnesota
- Brett Howard, U.S. Pharmacopeia
- Thomas Jaworski, Epstein Becker & Green, PC
- Rebecca Jones McKnight, Reed Smith LLP
- Chad A. Landmon, Polsinelli PC
- Erika F. Lietzan, University of Missouri School of Law
- Katlin McKelvie, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Jessica Ringel, King & Spalding LLP
- Janet Michener Whipple
- Patti J. Zettler, The Ohio State University
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The FDLI Forward Committee supports FDLI staff in promoting and celebrating an inclusive environment in the food and drug law profession. Responsibilities include ensuring the organization’s inclusivity values are reflected in our programs, speakers, and authors as well as assisting in the implementation of FDLI’s initiative to diversify the pipeline of food and drug lawyers.
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- Christine Simmon (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Ashley Grey, Hogan Lovells US LLP
- Sonali Gunawardhana, Becton Dickinson (BD)
- Asha Scielzo, American University Washington College of Law
- Sarah Thompson Schick, Reed Smith LLP
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The Food Advertising, Labeling, and Litigation Conference Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in planning this event, which typically takes place in mid- to 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
- Richard Cleland, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
- Dale Joseph Giali, King & Spalding LLP
- Jason W. Gordon, Reed Smith LLP
- Dr. Sonja Jones, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Maia C. Kats, Just Food Law
- Surya Kundu, Steptoe LLP
- Dan Logan, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
- Abby Meyer, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
- Jessica P. O’Connell, Covington & Burling LLP
- Rick L. Shackelford, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Maged Sharaf, EAS Consulting Group
The Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference Planning Committee supports FDLI staff in planning this event. Responsibilities include identifying key issues and hot topics, evaluating conference submissions, recommending and recruiting speakers (including keynotes), and promoting the program to colleagues. The committee will begin its work in April.
- Kelsey Kerr (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Jessica Tierney (Chair), Jones Day
- Tennille Blair, Pharmavite Corporation
- Kris DeAngelo, Institute for Food Laws and Regulations, Michigan State University
- John F. Johnson III, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP
- Tim Lombardo, EAS Consulting Group
- Lisa Navarro, Ramboll US
- Megan Olsen, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)
- Stuart M. Pape, Polsinelli
- Christopher Van Gundy, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
- Gerie Voss, FDA – ODSP
- Jack Wenik, Epstein Becker & Green, PC
- Diana R. H. Winters, UCLA School of Law
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 of their career). 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
- Leah Berhane, FDA – OND
- Mara M. Burr, Georgetown University
- John Daley, Saluda Medical
- Claire Dennis, Arnold & Porter LLP
- Laura S. Dona, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
- Jaclyn Fonteyne, Sidley Austin LLP
- Sally Gu, Hogan Lovells US LLP
- Heather Johnson, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
- Michael B. Jordan, Troutman Pepper Locke
- Anton Lesaca, Latham & Watkins LLP
- Oluwaremilekun O. Mehner, Akin
- Catherine A. Melfi, Omeros Corporation
- Sydney Menack, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Tariq Naeem, Tucker Ellis LLP
- Laura Schwendeman, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, 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
- David Weiss, Rutgers University and Cognivia
- Sarah Wicks, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
The Tobacco and Nicotine Programs 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 S. Ahluwalia, Brown University
- Maham Akbar, Truth Initiative
- Shelly Blackwell, EAS Consulting Group
- Melis Coraggio, King & Spalding LLP
- Kenneth Michael Cummings, Medical University of South Carolina
- Jonathan Foulds, Penn State University
- Joe G. Gitchell, Pinney Associates, Inc.
- Bryan M. Haynes, Troutman Pepper Locke
- Eshael M. Johnson, FDA-CTP
- Eric Linbolm, O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown Law
- John L Marshall, Altria Client Services LLC
- Elliott McDowell, Philip Morris International
- Willie Mckinney, McKinney Specialty Labs LLC
- Robin J. Mermelstein, University of Illinois-Chicago
- Brian J Miller, Johns Hopkins University
- Jason Robinson, JUUL Labs
- Barry Schaevitz, Fox Rothschild LLP
- Valerie Briggs Solomon, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
- Andrew Tardiff, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
- Mark J. Vaders, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
- LieAnn T. Van-Tull, Keller and Heckman LLP
- Jeffrey Weiss, DF Medical Ventures
- Jessica Zdinak, 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 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
- Michelle Divelbiss, Covington & Burling LLP
- Guilherme Ferrari Faviero, University of Miami
- Coleen Hill, Duane Morris LLP
- Chris M. Mickson, DLA Piper US LLP
- Mike Ryan, ELIQUENT Life Sciences
- Tyler Morgan Scandalios, Arnold & Porter LLP
- Eric Solowey, Parexel International Corporation
- Mark Tobolowsky, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, PC
- Deborah Tolomeo, County of Santa Clara – Office of County Counsel
- Philip Won, Alston & Bird LLP
- Matthew Zapadka, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Task Forces
The Cannabis-Derived Products Task Force 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
- Kirsten E. Byerts, FDA
- Melis Coraggio, King & Spalding LLP
- Guilherme Ferrari Faviero, University of Miami
- Daniel McGee, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
- Tariq Naeem, Tucker Ellis LLP
- Agustin E. Rodriguez, Troutman Pepper Locke
- Helen Ryan, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
- Alyssa Samuel, Husch Blackwell LLP
- Frederick A. Stearns, Keller and Heckman LLP
- Thomas Tobin, Perkins Coie LLP
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
- Jay M. Ansell, Bellevue Toxicology
- José Alberto Campos Vargas, Garrigues
- Rebecca L. Dandeker, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Samantha Hong, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP
- Auguste Humphries, Cooley LLP
- Chad Jennings, Latham & Watkins LLP
- Surya Kundu, Steptoe LLP
- Laurie Lenkel, FDA – OC
- Lisa Navarro, Ramboll US
- Jessica P. O’Connell, Covington & Burling LLP
- Frederick A. Stearns, Keller and Heckman LLP
- Veniqua Stewart
- Thomas Tobin, Perkins Coie LLP
- Rebecca H. 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.
- Paige Samson (Staff Liaison), FDLI
- Elizabeth Butterworth-Stutts, Elizabeth Butterworth Stutts, Esq, PLLC
- Grant Dixon, Covington & Burling LLP
- Laura R. Epstein, FDA – CVM
- Patrick C. Gallagher, PC Gallagher Law P.A.
- Grace Gowda, University of Georgia
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
