NHN Landing Page HCVS20 Hemp Collective Virtual Summit

Cultivating a responsible hemp industry and navigating today’s challenges

Join us for a dynamic, immersive experience featuring expert presentations and panels exploring the latest hemp and CBD market data, trends and insights into how to tackle the unique challenges facing the industry today. Plus, connect with some of the industry’s highest quality brands and get a behind-the-scenes look at their products and practices, while networking with our expert panelists and Hemp Collective partners.

PAID CONTENT

Claire Morton Reynolds

Senior Industry Analyst New Hope Network / Nutrition Business Journal

NBJ's senior industry analyst, Claire informs the nutrition industry on trends across the dietary supplement, natural and organic food & beverage, personal care, and hemp CBD categories. She models and manages data and insights for Nutrition Business Journal, including market sizing, forecasting and trend analysis. As part of New Hope, NBJ helps companies large and small identify, prioritize and take advantage of opportunities in the evolving food and nutrition economy.

Corey Hilmas

Chief Regulatory Officer KGK Science

Dr. Corey Hilmas is a respected scientist, medical doctor and former U.S. federal food regulator. After having completed his medical degree and doctorate in toxicology, working as a principal investigator for many years, and servng on behalf of the U.S. government at FDA, Dr. Hilmas combines his unique science skillset with extensive U.S. regulatory training. He served as an NDI notification reviewer and as a branch chief within the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at the FDA. In addition to working on enforcement matters related to supplement labeling, claims, GMPs and fraud, he also served as an expert witness for the FDA and DOJ, resulting in an FDA Award of Merit from former FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg. As a recognized regulatory expert with intimate knowledge of the dietary supplement industry, Dr. Hilmas has made significant contributions to building and shaping the regulatory landscape through drafting over 65 comments to multiple U.S. federal and state agencies as well as global food health directorates on topics ranging from soy to supplements and CBD to changing regulatory frameworks overseas.

Emma Karp

Digital Program Manager New Hope Network / NEXT Data & Insights

Emma Karp is part of the NEXT Data and Insights team, responsible for multiple digital directory platforms within Informa’s Health & Nutrition space. Supporting the launch of the Natural Products Expo Connect and Hemp Products Connect directories, Emma is passionate about helping innovative and responsible brands showcase their products and connecting them with buyers and decision makers who can help them grow. Emma holds a Masters in Chinese and has a long personal and professional background working within the health & wellness, natural products and ingredient supply chain space.

Eric Pierce

President Business Insights Informa Health & Nutrition

Eric J. Pierce is a strategic business leader, innovator, marketing, and market research professional, who specializes in helping businesses develop strategy and identify and prioritize opportunities. Eric brings business management and consumer behavior perspectives to the businesses he supports. Eric's passions lie in the intersection of consumer behavior and business strategy within the Natural Products industry. These passions are focused on helping companies navigate the dynamic and changing marketplace, helping to re-imagine brands, drive innovation, and focus business investments with an eye towards meeting the needs of the evolving marketplace. At New Hope Network, Eric and his colleagues and sit at the forefront of the natural products industry, well positioned to identify the cultural forces and trends creating opportunity in this exciting and evolving marketplace. Together we help companies large and small identify, prioritize and take advantage of opportunities in the natural products industry.

9:00 - 9:10 a.m. Welcome and Intro to the Hemp Collective

Jessica Rubino Senior Director Content Marketing, New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

Francine Schoenwetter Director Content Marketing, New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

Learn the what and why of the Hemp Collective and meet our partners, plus get an overview of the day’s content.

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Jessica Rubino

Senior Director, Content Marketing Informa Health & Nutrition

Jessica Rubino is a natural products industry expert and content strategist covering issues that are shaping today's health and wellness industry. As senior content marketing director at Informa Health & Nutrition, Jessica helps companies in the food and beverage, personal care and supplement industries tell their stories and strengthen their businesses through high-quality content, education, data and insights and events. Jessica is passionate about making healthy living a reality for all people and serves on the advisory board for Protect Our Breasts, a nonprofit that raises awareness about breast cancer prevention on high school and college campuses. She believes that a good meal, great conversation and meaningful connections are the ingredients for happiness. You can catch her running or making a mess in the kitchen.

Francine Schoenwetter

Content Marketing Director, Informa Health & Nutrition Network

For over three decades Fran has served the natural products industry truly from supply to shelf. For independent and national natural products retailers she has provided leadership in retail operations, education, category and brand directorship, and technical product development. Ms. Schoenwetter’s breadth of experience has provided her a rich and practical understanding of the forces driving both retail merchandising, nutrition science and regulations and new product innovation across categories.  Presently she serves as director content marketing across Informa's Health & Nutrition network, providing insights and strategic content direction to meet audience education needs throughout the supply chain.

9:10 - 10:00 a.m. A Call to Action! Participating in the Future of Hemp

It’s time to button up and get down to the business of building a responsible hemp industry. Learn what it means to be an engaged company voice and how to stay engaged now.

John Grubb Managing Partner, Summit Venture Management

Loren Israelsen President, United Natural Products Alliance

Loren Israelsen

President United Natural Products Alliance

Loren Israelsen is the president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), an international association representing many leading natural products, dietary supplement, functional food and scientific, analytical and technology companies that share a commitment to provide consumers with natural health products of superior quality, benefit and reliability. Founded in Utah in 1991, UNPA was instrumental in the passage of the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and continues to take a leadership position in regulatory issues and industry best practices. Loren has been deeply involved in the commercial and regulatory issues facing the global dietary supplement industry since 1982. He has served as VP general counsel to the American Herbal Products Association as well as industry liaison to FDA's Expert Advisory Committee on Ephedra and a founding member of the International Alliance of Dietary Supplement Associations. For years, Loren has worked closely with the leading academic institutions and publications in the natural health field. He has authored over 150 articles, book chapters and has lectured in 30 countries on dietary supplement and functional food issues. He is the recipient of the NBJ Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Natural Product Association's President's Award. While UNPA continues to be a key player working with FDA to reach full and fair implementation of DSHEA, many other issues of vital importance to consumers and producers of natural health products are emerging, including FSMA implementation, the definition of "natural," GMO labeling, supply chain integrity, the integration of healthcare reform and personalized and integrative medicine, and many other issues. Visit www.unpa.com for more information.

John Grubb

Founder & Managing Partner Summit Venture Management

John is founder of Summit Venture Management based in Boulder, Colorado. Summit consults and partners with entrepreneurs and investors on purpose-driven brand and business growth initiatives. John has over 30 years of experience as a marketing and strategy executive in the consumer products world. His executive leadership experience includes over 15 years in food manufacturing, multi-channel retail and contract manufacturing. As well, he has over 15 years of experience in business and brand growth strategy consulting – most recently as managing partner of Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) in Boulder, Colorado. At SRG he served on the company board of directors, was a corporate officer, and ran the research, strategy and innovation competencies. He led client growth and innovation assignments for a range of private equity owned brands, natural and organic brands as well as for global leaders in CPG including, Annie’s Homegrown, Atkins Nutritionals, Bolthouse, Bayer AG, Boulder Brands, Campbell’s, Johnson & Johnson/McNeil, Mars/Masterfood, Nestlé and Unilever. John began his consulting career at Bain & Company.

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10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Market Sizing the Hemp Business

What is the size of the hemp market and how is it being impacted by COVID-19? What is the potential? What is the composition and profile of a target customer? What product formats are they buying? And how does all of this fit into your business strategy to capitalize on growing, emerging and shifting trends?

Claire Morton Reynolds Senior Industry Analyst, Nutrition Business Journal

Perteet Spencer Vice President, CPG & Enterprise Sales, SPINS

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Perteet Spencer

Vice President, CPG & Enterprise Sales, SPINS

Perteet is an accomplished food industry professional, bringing years of sales and marketing experience and a passion for the Natural & Specialty Products Industry to her role at SPINS. As Principal, Marketing Solutions, Perteet supports SPINS’ corporate mission of increasing the presence and accessibility of natural and organic products by partnering with a wide range of clients to transform data into rich insights that fuel brand renovation and innovation. Prior to joining SPINS, Perteet held leadership roles at LEGO and General Mills. Beyond her work at SPINS, she serves as a National Board Member for the Food Recovery Network. Perteet holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. Hemp Collective Research

The Hemp Collective is committed to cultivating a responsible hemp industry. As part of this effort, we conducted research that will help inform and inspire best practices in the hemp and CBD space by assessing the health of the hemp supply chain. We'll provide a sneak peek of the survey findings--and what it means for the future of the industry.

Eric Pierce Vice President of Business Insights, New Hope Network

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Jessica Rubino Senior Director Content Marketing, New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

Jessica Rubino

Senior Director, Content Marketing Informa Health & Nutrition

10:45 - 11:20 a.m. The ABCs of Responsible Hemping

How do we keep hemp products available to consumers—and safe from scrutiny by Congress and regulators? A) Make sure you have good quality source material. B) test to ensure this. C) engage in transparency practices to inform consumers and agencies that you’re doing it right. Learn the best practices from the dietary supplements world to inform your hemp business.

Heather Despres, M.Sc. Director of the Patient Focused Certification program, Americans for Safe Access

Holly Johnson, Ph.D. Chief Science Officer, American Herbal Products Association

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Jesse Miller, Ph.D. Director of Innovation, Neogen Corporation

Elan Sudberg CEO, Alkemist Labs

Marielle Weintraub, Ph.D. Board Member President, U.S. Hemp Authority

11:20 - 11:30 a.m. Networking break

11:30 - 11:40 a.m. Hemp Products Connect: Making Your Job a Virtual Snap!

This new online tool gives retailers a quick-and-easy view into the leading hemp CBD products on the market. Here, we offer a snapshot of Hemp Products Connect and what to look for when vetting products.

Emma Karp Digital Program Manager, New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

Todd Runestad Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

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11:40 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Legal Eagles: Your Legal & Regulatory Questions, Answered

Get your ducks in a row and don’t run afoul of the law. Join thoughtful, informed legal minds as they talk about labeling regulations, state laws, federal rules and how to fly with the responsible flock.

Rend Al-Mondhiry Partner, Amin Talati & Wasserman

Garrett Graff Managing Attorney, Hoban Law Group

Justin Prochnow Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Todd Runestad Senior Staff Writer, New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

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12:30 - 12:40 p.m. MarketReady Services Overview

A consulting and ambassadorial program to provide stage-specific packages based on Informa resources that assists growing companies in achieving sustainability and success through regulatory compliance, brand transparency, mission-based orientation and strategic business acumen.

Shelley Sapsin Standards Specialist, New Hope Network

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12:45 - 1:00 p.m. Networking

Heather Despres, M.Sc.

PFC Director

Heather Despres, M.Sc. is servng as the director of the Patient Focused Certification (PFC) program. Her prior experience in cannabis testing laboratories, as well as environmental and pharmaceutical labs, brings with it years of working to ensure that the products made for medical marijuana patients is safe. Heather has degrees in chemistry and bio-molecular science from Clarkson University as well as a Master’s in Chemistry from the University of Colorado at Denver. She has recently relocated to California with her family and is looking forward to continuing to grow the Patient Focused Certification Program.

Holly Johnson Ph.D.

Chief Science Officer American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)

Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D. is the chief science officer for the American Herbal Products Association, an alliance of over 350 member companies in the natural products industry. She previously served as laboratory director for Alkemist Labs, an ISO 17025 accredited natural product testing lab specializing in botanicals. Dr. Johnson earned a B.S. in Botany and a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy with specialization in Medical Ethnobotany. Holly was awarded an NIH Fellowship doctoral training at the University of Illinois-Chicago NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements and did extensive lab and fieldwork, also completing a postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Institute for Ethnomedicine in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Holly is a member of the United States Pharmacoepia’s Cannabis Expert Panel, serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of AOAC International, the Advisory Boards of the American Botanical Council and the American Herbal Pharmacoepia, and on the Technical Committee of the U.S. Hemp Authority. Holly has over 20 years experience in botanicals research and spent many happy years giving courses at the University of Hawaii.

Jesse Miller, Ph.D.

Director of Innovation, Neogen Corporation

Dr. Jesse Miller is the Director of Innovation at Neogen Corporation where he is responsible for guiding new service and product developments that revolutionize the way we think of Food Safety. Prior to his role at Neogen – (only a month ago), he was the Director of Research and Development at NSF International. While at NSF, he was responsible for new service development and launched Cannabis services across the organization – including GMP, Certification, testing and consulting. Jesse has been active in the Food Safety and Dietary Supplements Industry for 15 years and is a regular speaker at industry events – he has authored over two dozen publications, has been invited for numerous speaking engagements and holds 7 patents in the Food Safety ecosystem. Jesse graduated from Hunter Elementary in Brownstown, Michigan with a focus on reading and spelling.

Élan Sudberg

CEO, Alkemist Labs

Élan Sudberg is CEO of Alkemist Labs, a passionately committed contract testing laboratory specializing in plant authentication, and quantitative analytical services to the food & beverage, nutraceutical industries. He holds a degree in chemistry and has authored numerous articles on phytochemistry and analytical techniques for the natural products industry. Élan is on the executive committee of the AHPA board, and was the founding chair of the Hemp and Medical Marijuana committee (now the Cannabis Committee). He received the 2019 NutraIngredients-USA NutraChampion award for advocacy of best testing practices.

Marielle Weintraub Ph.D.

President, US Hemp Authority Director of Scientific Research & Development, Zilis LLC

Marielle Weintraub Ph.D., is Director of Scientific Research and Development for Zilis, LLC. Prior to this, she served as the Strategic Business Development Director for the Hemp Initiative at Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovation (EFII; formerly Covance Food Solutions). In this position, Marielle strove to advance the needs of the dietary supplement and hemp industries by utilizing the scientific expertise, accrued knowledge from over 85 years of testing Food and Dietary Supplements, and ISO accredited facilities available. In this role, Marielle supported companies interested in Nutritional Chemistry, Dietary Supplement Testing, Product Development, Sensory/Consumer Testing and Food Safety Consulting Services. Marielle is a founding board member and the current President of The U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certification Program, our industry's initiative to provide high standards, best practices and self-regulation, giving confidence to consumers and law enforcement that hemp products are safe, and legal. In addition, Marielle is a member of the AHPA Cannabis Committee and a member of the UNPA Hemp Extracts/CBD committee.

Todd Runestad

Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

Todd Runestad is a senior editor covering supplements and ingredients for Informa's Global Health & Nutrition network (includes New Hope Network and Natural Products Insider). He has been covering nutrition science news and ingredient innovations for nearly 20 years. Todd has also served as editor for various publications including Nutrition Science News, Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs, Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals and Functional Ingredients magazine.

Rend Al-Mondhiry

Senior Counsel Amin Talati & Wasserman LLP

Rend Al-Mondhiry advises the dietary supplement, food, cosmetic, and over-the-counter medicine industries on a broad range of regulatory and compliance matters. She is committed to helping companies responsibly develop and market products, drawing on her years of experience advising the nation’s leading dietary supplement and food companies on complex ingredient and labeling issues. Rend’s practice focuses on reviewing product labeling, ingredients and advertising to determine compliance with federal and state regulations, and assisting companies in matters before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and National Adverting Division (NAD). She also advises clients on compliance with California’s Proposition 65, U.S. Customs issues, class action defense strategies, and FDA matters including Warning Letters, recalls, detentions, seizures and import alerts. Rend brings a unique perspective to these issues, having served as Associate General Counsel at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, one of the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement and functional food industry. She has advocated on the industry’s behalf numerous times before FDA, FTC, Congress and state attorneys general, and has substantial experience initiating and defending challenges before the NAD. In addition, she has over ten years of experience analyzing and responding to legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels, working closely with scientific experts to ensure policy positions are not only legally sound but grounded in science. When she’s not spending time with her husband and two very active boys, Rend enjoys running, practicing yoga and reading historical fiction. She is also a volunteer coach with Girls on the Run, an organization that uses running to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment.

Garrett Graff

Managing Attorney Hoban Law Group

Garrett specializes in the representation of both the marijuana and industrial hemp industries. Garrett’s practice involves corporate and M&A, real estate, regulatory/compliance, FDA/FTC compliance, intellectual property protection, and civil and commercial litigation. Garrett regularly counsels clients regarding corporate formation and structuring, M&A and business and real property assets, various corporate agreements, regulatory compliance as well as resolving and/or litigating commercial disputes. As to industrial hemp businesses, Garrett represents companies across the country and world on matters including import/export, cultivation, processing and manufacturing, distribution, and navigating legislative and regulatory frameworks such as FDA regulation. He frequently works with federal, state and local authorities on policy and enforcement matters. Notably, Garrett represented hemp industry stakeholders against the DEA, before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in confirming the Farm Bill’s hemp provisions pre-empt DEA authority and the CSA. He also regularly works with stakeholders in drafting model legislative and regulatory policy. Garrett also serves on the board of the Colorado chapter of the Hemp Industries Association. Garrett has testified in judicial proceedings related to hemp regulatory matters and frequently speaks in many forums — conferences, symposiums and other events — regarding various issues concerning marijuana and industrial hemp law. Garrett and his wife, Anna, live in Denver. In their free time, they enjoy hiking, skiing, sporting events, reading and traveling.

Justin Prochnow

Co-Chair Food, Beverage & Agribusiness Practice Greenberg Traurig

Justin J. Prochnow is co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Food, Beverage & Agribusiness Practice. He assists companies with regulatory, business, and legal needs in the beverage, food, dietary supplement, cosmetic, medical device and OTC industries. Justin works closely with companies to ensure regulatory compliance with statutes and regulations enforced by the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission and other regulatory agencies. This includes the review of product labels, labeling, advertising, websites and other marketing materials. Justin assists companies with responding to governmental and regulatory actions, including FDA inspections and warning letters, FTC Civil Investigative Demands, and ASRC and NAD cases. He prepares and reviews business documents for industry members, including consulting, manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements. Justin and his team also defend industry companies from both governmental agencies and civil litigators in litigation ranging from breach of contract cases to the growing number of class actions alleging false and misleading advertising.

Todd Runestad

Senior Editor, Ingredients & Supplements New Hope Network / Natural Products Insider

Shelley Sapsin

Standards Specialist, New Hope Network

Shelley is a graduate of Northwestern University and the University of Michigan Law School. After law school she joined a Washington D.C. firm where she focused on advertising regulation, consumer protection and trademarks. She then returned home to Iowa and served as CEO for a domestic manufacturing and import company selling to big box, traditional retailers. While raising her children, Shelley developed a homeschooling cooperative and began a small start-up. At Informa, Shelley has worked with exhibitors for the Natural Products Expos and SupplySide shows. She provides regulatory and compliance expertise, using her previous experience to help small- and mid-size businesses with their products, while focusing on brand transparency as a strategic driver of future growth. Shelley is committed to Informa’s mission of bringing “more health for more people” by helping companies leverage all of Informa’s resources to create the conditions under which they can be successful.