NYIFT Chair
Spencer Sullivan
Retired – PepsiCo
Twelve months ago, I was looking forward to my second opportunity to serve as chair for NYIFT. My first term coincided with the COVID pandemic, which presented a series of interesting challenges for the organization but dampened many of the activities that make section membership fun and professionally fulfilling. As I now consider the 2023-2024 program year, I think that it is safe to say that we are back! A combination of great topics and great venues resulted in full capacity for every event. Our biggest challenge was finding room for an extra five or ten people every time we met – that’s the kind of challenge we like!
The beauty of each meeting’s success was the range of contributors who took responsibility for a particular meeting and made it happen. Subcommittees worked through corporate mazes to make our events at Mondelēz and PepsiCo successful. The work done to create expert panels on subjects like AI was incredible. IFT President Sean Leighton’s in-person presentation at the March meeting was compelling while at the same time, it demonstrated that we are indeed pushing past pandemic limitations; and, as our capstone event of the year, Suppliers’ Day 2024 provided both a showcase for 166 vendors and a highly relevant technical program for attendees.
Less apparent but just as important, we were able to bolster the internal structure of the organization so that the New York IFT can continue its mission into the second quarter of the twenty-first century. Our bylaws have been updated to reflect best and current practices. Our financial “deep dive” brought on by the stress of the COVID years has resulted in improved investment strategies and financial management.
Before I move on to my second term as Immediate Past Chair, I would like to thank the entire board and all the committee members for making this a great year. Chair-Elect Suzanne Mutz-Darwell and Immediate Past-Chair Sophia Jin both made my job as Chair incredibly easy. Additionally, Gerri Cristantiello, as our Chapter Administrator, provided a helping hand with everything we do.
I am looking forward to working with our new board to make our 2024-2025 program year even better. The Board will be a great mix of new talent and seasoned veterans. Our planning efforts for the fall are already underway.
CNJIFT Subsection Chair
Carol BoNey
Retired – IFF
When I heard from our elected Chair for 2023-24 that she would not be able to continue for the year due to her new job position, my immediate reaction was “oh no what do we do now?” This section is very near and dear to me as it was started when General Foods relocated me from Dover, DE. I worked closely with Gary Wheelock and Marijan Boskovic to get the section started and I could not see it dissolved on my watch. So, I stepped in as Chair for the remaining calendar year.
We had a very successful Trivia Night at Rutgers University, and a wonderful Holiday Meeting with Gary Pavlis, Wine Expert from Rutgers University and Eric Schmoyer, Senior R&D Manager – Technical Services from Barry Callebaut. Nothing can ever go wrong with Wine and Chocolate!
We had another exciting Student Night held at Rutgers University. The program was expanded this year to include professionals from the food industry to speak with students one-on-one to learn about their company and for possible internship positions.
And lastly, we had a wonderful day for the golf outing. Included in this newsletter are some photos; it was a beautiful day for golf.
I would like to thank everyone on the CNJIFT Board for their support throughout the year. I welcome and also thank Debbie Levine from Ingredion for accepting the Chair position for the coming year. Kerri Goad-Berrios from Kalustyan has accepted our secretary position and Salvatore Mastriani will be moving from Director-at-Large to Treasurer. Thank you to Ronnie McBurnie for her many years of service as our Treasurer. Ronnie will be moving into the position of Director-at-Large.
Have a wonderful summer and we both look forward to seeing you all in September.
October 2026
NYIFT Section Chair
Debbie Levine
Consultant Levine Food Regs LLCDear NYIFT and CNJIFT Members,
As we settle into the fall season—with school routines underway, cooler weather returning, and plenty of apple‑picking, pumpkin‑spice, and harvest‑festival energy—it’s also a great time to reconnect with our IFT community.
We kicked off our program year with two terrific events. Our Trivia & Networking Meeting brought out a lively competitive spirit and showcased just how strong (and fun) our collective food science knowledge can be. We also hosted an Early Careerist Event, where Ingredion led a hands-on kombucha & water kefir making session that was both educational and a great way to build connections among newer professionals.
October continues the momentum with an important technical program: “Did Summer 2026 Stress-Test Our Food Safety System.”
On Wednesday, October 7th, Dr. Byron Chaves will unpack the major food safety events of Summer 2026 and share timely, practical insights on what they revealed about system strengths, vulnerabilities, and where our industry must focus next. Walk-ins will be allowed if the capacity of the venue has not been reached.
Looking ahead, Thursday, November 19th brings a special collaboration. NYIFT is partnering with the Research Chefs Association (RCA) for a combined meeting featuring a culinary demonstration that breaks down why today’s biggest health driven trends—like high protein, added fiber, and nutrient‑dense formulations—pose real product‑development challenges, and how chefs and food scientists can solve them together.
On Tuesday, December 8th, CNJIFT will host a holiday program exploring the science of sourdough—from microbial fermentation to the techniques bakers rely on. You’ll learn what drives sourdough’s flavor and structure, plus creative ways to turn extra starter into something delicious.
And as our community continues to grow, we’re excited to welcome new members through our Quarterly New Member Chat, organized by Taylor May of Ingredion. It’s a warm, accessible way for new colleagues to get connected and learn how to make the most of their membership. More details to follow in future e-newsletters.
Our sections also remain committed to supporting members in their professional journeys. Both our newsletter and website feature a dedicated Employment section, designed to help members identify local opportunities and give companies an effective way to reach a highly qualified, targeted audience.
With so many engaging programs lined up this fall, it’s a great reminder of the strong community we have across NYIFT and CNJIFT. These events are possible because of the dedication of our volunteers and the continued support of our sponsors, whose contributions help us keep costs manageable and our programming strong. Sponsorship also provides valuable visibility, recognition at section events, and complimentary job postings.
Whether you’re interested in volunteering, sponsorship, or submitting an employment listing, please email nyiftoffice@nyift.com. There are many ways to stay involved, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming programs and events as we move throughout the program year.
Debbie Levine
Chair, NYIFT
Consultant, Levine Food Regs LLC
September 2026
CNJIFT Section Chair
Akino Tomizawa
Project Leader, Flavor Applications Robertet GroupDear NYIFT and CNJIFT Members,
Although January is traditionally considered the start of a new year, for NYIFT and CNJIFT, September brings its own sense of excitement as we kick off a new year of programming curated for our section members. Whether it is the energy and inspiration that come from attending IFT FIRST or the infectious passion and camaraderie evident during our planning and transition meetings, I can enthusiastically say how happy and honored I am to serve as Chair of the Central New Jersey Subsection of New York IFT this year.
Before I share what we have in store, a few thanks and congratulations are in order. First, I want to thank all of our veteran Executive Committee members who have supported and mentored me throughout this transition, as well as welcome and congratulate our new CNJIFT Executive Committee members as they officially step into their roles: Greg Aloi, Treasurer; Joan Zhou, Director-at-Large; and Romit Bhaumik, Secretary.
A heartfelt thank-you and congratulations also go to our outgoing Treasurer, Ronnie McBurnie, on receiving the 2026 IFT Section Outstanding Service Award! This recognition is so well deserved, and we are grateful for all of the time and dedication Ronnie has given to CNJIFT.
Congratulations are also in order for our amazingly inspiring student members, who brought home 4th place in the IFT Student Association (IFTSA) National College Bowl and 2nd place in the IFTSA Smart Snacks for Kids product development competition this year! We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to see what they do next.
We are kicking off CNJIFT’s programming year with a Trivia & Networking Night on Wednesday, September 16 at the Rutgers Club. This fun and relaxed evening will give us an opportunity to connect with colleagues, enjoy some friendly competition, show off our food trivia knowledge, and perhaps relive our glory days of participating in or supporting the IFTSA College Bowl!
October will bring a timely and thought-provoking discussion with Rutgers’ Dr. Byron Chaves, who will lead a session titled “Did Summer 2026 Stress-Test Our Food Safety System?” The program will explore how our food safety system responded to the pressures and pathogen concerns that emerged this summer. If you have been following the food safety landscape, this is sure to be an engaging discussion. Additional details about both of these events can be found in this newsletter.
There is certainly much more to come throughout the year, and we look forward to sharing additional programming as details are finalized.
No matter where you are on your IFT journey, thank you for being part of this amazing community and for helping make it the vibrant, engaging, and supportive community that it is. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events and to an exciting year ahead!
Akino Tomizawa
Chair, CNJIFT
Project Leader, Flavor Applications, Robertet Group