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 2025
NYIFT Section Chair
Margaux Mora
Associate, Global Texture Solutions Applications Ingredion, Inc.I am thrilled to share some exciting updates as well as information about upcoming events that showcase the energy and innovation within our regional NYIFT and CNJIFT Sections.
First, a big thank you to everyone who completed our recent feedback survey. We’re still reviewing the responses, but we deeply appreciate the incredibly valuable insights shared by our members. Your feedback helps us shape future programming and ensures we continue delivering enriching events that strengthen our community.
Speaking of great events, the recent Central New Jersey IFT meeting at The Grape Escape was a tremendous success! With strong attendance and many new participants, the evening featured quality wine and an engaging presentation from owner Mr. Ed Ventura, who introduced us to the venue’s unique year-long winemaking classes. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate the spirit of food science.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 15th, when CNJIFT will host a dinner meeting at B2 Bistro in North Brunswick. This session will dive into the regulatory challenges of using synthetic colors in food products and explore how to replace FD&C colors with plant-based alternatives. Our expert speakers from GNT USA will cover formulation strategies, labeling requirements, and real-world examples. Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable insights.
Registration has closed, but we may be able to accommodate some walk ins, if space is available (please see http://www.nyift.org for additional details about this meeting).
On the NYIFT front, I’m incredibly excited to announce our first ever NYIFT event in New York City! Join us on Monday, November 17th from 3:00–5:00 PM at the Microsoft NYC Times Square office for a dynamic session titled: “Digital Transformation: Reimagining Food Product Development with Artificial Intelligence (AI).” More details, including registering for the meeting, can be found elsewhere in this newsletter.
This event promises to be a memorable experience as we explore how AI is shaping the future of food innovation. Following the session, we’ll head to the Beer Authority across the street, to enjoy city views, appetizers, and a cash bar. It’s a perfect blend of learning and networking in the heart of Manhattan.
I look forward to seeing many of you at these events and continuing to build a vibrant, collaborative community.
August 2025
CNJIFT Section Chair
Debbie Levine
Regulatory Affairs Ingredion, Inc.I’m happy to be back for my second term as Chair and to welcome you to another exciting year ahead. Reflecting on last year, we had an incredible lineup of events, and that success was truly a team effort.
I’d like to extend heartfelt thanks to the dedicated board: Carol BoNey, Past Chair and head of the Arrangements Committee; Ronnie McBurnie, who stepped up as Interim Treasurer; Kerri Goads, our ever-organized Secretary; Joanne Fritsche, Director at Large; Beverly Tepper, Rutgers Faculty Representative Advisor; and our enthusiastic student representatives—Romit Bhaumik and Alex Glazer (undergraduate), and Charley Wang (graduate).
This year, we’re excited to continue working with many returning board members and to welcome several new faces to the team.
You can find the full 2025–2026 board slate in an accompanying article.
As always, we continue to collaborate closely with our colleagues at NYIFT to bring you even more engaging and impactful events.
Here’s to another fantastic year together!