Kelley is Food Safety Division Chief in the Center for Nutrition in USAID’s Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, where she leads a team that addresses food safety risks and market constraints in food systems through technical assistance and global leadership in support of the U.S. Government’s Global Food Security Strategy and USAID's Multisectoral Nutrition Strategy.

She is a champion of gender and knowledge management within a broad safe and nutritious food systems portfolio. She joined USAID in 2008 as a AAAS Fellow and served 8 years in the Bureau for Food Security as an agricultural economist and a Division Chief for Inclusive Market Development.

She built her knowledge of SPS systems strengthening while at USDA/FAS. Prior to joining USAID, Dr. Cormier led an active research agenda that explored how the evolution of policies and institutions affect agricultural markets and the coping strategies of men and women. She has served as a Fellow with Fulbright, SSRC, IREX and the NCEER and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan.

She holds a PhD in Development Studies with specializations in Economics and Law from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a MS in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University.

Dr. Nika Larian is a current AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow and Food Systems Advisor in the Center for Nutrition within the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS). Nika received her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Kentucky in 2019. Nika serves as Activity Manager for EatSafe, a program focused on improving access to safe and nutritious foods in traditional markets. Nika is the current Chair of the Interagency Food Safety Technical Working Group.

Prof Korsten is the Co-Director of the Department of Science and Innovation, Centre of Excellence in Food Security. She is also responsible for the food safety and regulatory control programmes within the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security and actively interacts with other researchers in various institutes. She holds the position of chair in the Global Task Force of Food Security for the International Society for Plant Pathology. Prof Korsten has addressed the South African Parliament on Food Safety Control and has developed a national framework for government to develop a Food Control Authority.

She has been able to attract extensive national and international long term funding such as the Water Research Commission solicited research projects “Measurement of water pollution determining the sources and changes of microbial contamination and impact on food safety from farming to retail level for fresh vegetables”, “An investigation into the link between water quality and microbiological safety of fruit and vegetables from the farming to the processing stages of production and marketing” and “Evaluation of the risks associated with the use of rain water harvested from roof-tops for domestic use and homestead food gardens, and groundwater for domestic use and livestock watering”, as well as the 7th EU Framework project “Impact of climate change and globalisation on safety of fresh produce - governing a supply chain of uncompromised food sovereignty.

Prof Korsten developed South Africa's first biocontrol agent for fruit and established a biocontrol research group at the University of Pretoria (1992). She has also established a fresh produce health group that focusses on food safety of fresh produce and on Sanitary and Phytosanitary aspects related to international trade.

Prof Korsten has focussed her research mainly on the complementary fields of postharvest technology and food safety as related to international trade in fresh produce. As a team the Plant Health and Safety research group has been able to develop several innovative technologies to reduce disease and prevent product contamination. The value of her research programmes (Produce Quality and Safety (PQS) and Postharvest Innovation Research) is best illustrated by sustained industry financial support, intensive student training and publications. Prof Korsten has established a core of researchers and support staff that has been with her for the past 20 years totally funded by the Industry. She has supervised 51 MSc students, 20 PhD students and 11 Postdocs.

Dr. Haley Oliver is a 150th Anniversary Professor at Purdue University, Director of the USAID Feed the Future Food Safety Innovation Lab, Sr. Research Fellow at the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, a Purdue University Health Equity Champion, and Showalter Fellow.  Dr. Oliver joined Purdue University in 2010 with a primary teaching appointment in the Department of Food Science.  Throughout her tenure, she has taught food microbiology, food safety, sanitation, and related subjects. She is deeply committed to active learning and has worked tirelessly to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in her classroom and research programs.  As Director of the Food Safety Innovation Lab, she develops and oversees USAID’s food safety research portfolio currently implemented in Senegal, Kenya, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nigeria, and Nepal.  She has over 10 years of food security field experience in low- and middle-income economies. Dr. Oliver’s domestic research focuses on foodborne pathogens in emerging food systems (e.g., cellular agriculture) with an emphasis on practical and feasible control strategies. 

She has received the United States Department of Agriculture and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities John Morrill Award, Purdue University Carine Alexander Spirit of the Land-Grant award, the USDA Food and Agriculture Science Excellence in Teaching Early Career Award, Purdue University’s highest teaching honor the Charles B. Murphy Teaching Award, the IAFP Young Scientist Award, IAFP James M. Jay Diversity in Food Award, and is a AAAS Leshner Fellow. 

She completed her Bachelor of Science degrees in Molecular Biology and in Microbiology at the University of Wyoming and received her PhD in Food Science, with minors in Epidemiology and Microbiology, at Cornell University.

Obtained a National Diploma in Food Technology in 1990 from Technikon Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Joined Pick n Pay as a Quality Controller after qualifying but was soon promoted to Food Technologist in various categories including processed meats, fresh produce, poultry, groceries and special events.

Appointed as Technical Manager for the Produce Division, Johannesburg, Gauteng in 1996.  

Further she completed a Marketing Management Diploma from Damelin in 1997.  Then promoted to Senior Buyer in the Produce Division - a position held for 3 years.  In 2001 was further promoted to National Produce Technical Manager, managing a team of food technologists on a national level for the Produce Division.

In November 2004, appointed National Technical Manager for Foods, managing the technical teams from all food divisions including Butchery, Bakery, Delicatessen, Produce and Corporate Brands.  This position was short-lived, as Cindy was then moved back to the Corporate Brands Division in July 2005 as the General Manager.

In March 2006, Cindy was appointed as the Corporate Brands, General Manager.

In 2007 Pick n Pay embarked on the single biggest rebranding exercise in the history of South African retail. As the company evolved into the new and dynamic brand that we have come to know today, so too did the Housebrand products. This saw the launch of PnP, PnP No Name and a number of exciting new additions in terms of the Organic and Green environmentally friendly products. In October 2011 we launched the PnP Finest range, the premium brand in the three-tier programme.

In January 2014, Cindy was appointed as the General Manager for the Technical division responsible for Food Safety, Product Specifications and Product Quality for all Pick n Pay Branded Products and safety and compliance of all brands supplied to Pick n Pay.

Dr Yusuf Bashir Abdulrahman is a sociable and articulate Nutritional Biochemist with research interest in Food processing, Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition. A Master Trainer with over a decade experience on Nutrition interventions such as Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition, Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition; Community Management of Acute Malnutrition, Micronutrient Nutrient Powder, Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week as well as Food Safety and Soyabean processing. He served as Project Manager for National Child Intensive Nutrition Intervention Pilot Phase for FCT, Zamfara State, Bauchi State, Osun State, Ebonyi State and Cross-river State January, 2021-May, 2022. He also served as Project Manager for USAID/IHP grant to address and prevent moderate malnutrition using food based approaches in 21 LGAs of Kebbi State, November 2nd 2021-February 28th, 2022. He is a member of several Professional bodies such as Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Association for Promotion of Food Safety and Improved Nutrition, Nigeria Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Science Association of Nigeria, and Toxinology Society of Nigeria. He is currently the Head of Department of Biochemistry, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi. He is also the Coordinator for Association of Promotion of Food Safety and Improved Nutrition; Kebbi State Chapter.