International Association for Food Protection Holds 2016-2017 Secretary Election

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Des Moines, Iowa (January 21, 2016) - The International Association for Food Protection is proud to announce Dr. Kali Kniel and Dr. Randall Phebus as candidates for the 2016–2017 Secretary. The elected Secretary will assume his/her position following IAFP 2016 in St. Louis, Missouri in August and will serve a five-year term of successive positions. Electronic ballots will be provided to all Association Members, and the election will remain open through March 8, 2016. Election results will be announced in April on the IAFP Web site and the April IAFP Report, and in the May/June issue of Food Protection Trends.

Dr. Kali Kniel is a Professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Delaware, Newark. In this role since 2004, she leads an active research lab exploring aspects of microbial food safety. Her research addresses issues relevant to industry and policy. Dr. Kniel teaches courses which she has developed on epidemiology of foodborne disease, contemporary food science culture, and food safety policy. Her current research focuses on produce safety, specifically the persistence of viral and bacterial pathogens in pre-harvest environments.

Dr. Kniel received her B.S. in Biology, M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology, and Ph.D. in Food Science, from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. From 2002–2004, she served as a postdoctoral research microbiologist with the Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service, with a focus on development of mitigation efforts for foodborne protozoa. Following that, she joined the University of Delaware as an Assistant Professor.

Throughout her academic career, Dr. Kniel has served on more than a dozen graduate committees and is currently a member of the Undergraduate Board of Thesis Directors. In 2015, she received the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Excellence in Teaching and Advising Award.

As a 16-year Member of IAFP, Dr. Kniel has organized and convened a myriad of IAFP symposia, presented at several IAFP Annual Meetings, and served a three-year term on the Program Committee. She has also served on numerous Professional Development Groups, chairing two of these. Dr. Kniel is a current Editorial Board Member for both the Journal of Food Protection and Food Protection Trends. In 2015, Dr. Kniel received the prestigious Elmer Marth Educator Award through IAFP.

Dr. Randall Phebus is Professor of Food Safety and Defense at Kansas State University (K-State) in Manhattan and a core faculty member of the interdepartmental food science degree program coordinated by the University’s Food Science Institute. Dr. Phebus has a 70 percent research and 30 percent teaching appointment in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. He is also an adjunct food safety faculty member in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Dr. Phebus received his B.S. in Animal Science, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Food Science and Technology – Food Microbiology from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. He joined K-State in 1992 as an Assistant Professor where, for more than a decade, the majority of his research addressed meat safety issues as a collaborator in the USDA-funded Food Safety Consortium, involving the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University and K-State.

Dr. Phebus is an active leader in K-State’s Global Food Systems Initiative, whereby virtually all elements of the integrated food system – pre-harvest to consumption – are addressed through teaching, research and outreach efforts to promote food security and sustainability, food safety and defense, and a host of ancillary contributors. He works closely with the food industry to validate antimicrobial technologies and processes for bakery products, extruded pet foods, fresh and processed meats, and produce.

An IAFP Member since 1989, Dr. Phebus has served on numerous committees, including the Journal of Food Protection Management Committee; Developing Scientists Award Committee; Nominating Committee; Elmer Marth Selection Committee (as Member and Chair); GMA Food Safety Selection Committee; and the Program Committee (as Member, Vice Chair and Chair) during IAFP’s 100th Anniversary Meeting in Milwaukee, WI. He currently serves on the Food Protection Trends Management Committee and the Foundation Committee and is active in several Professional Development Groups. Dr. Phebus received the IAFP Elmer Marth Educator Award in 2013.