Director, Communications And Export Development
Pet Food Institute
Washington D.C. Metro Area
As director of communications and export development for the Pet Food Institute (PFI), which represents the companies that make 98% of U.S. dog and cat food, I advised member company CEOs and other top executives on public relations and crisis communication topics such as recalls, negative media stories and social media developments. I honed a deft skill to foster consensus, which assisted me in helping guide the pet food industry through some of its greatest challenges: assessing regulations… Show more As director of communications and export development for the Pet Food Institute (PFI), which represents the companies that make 98% of U.S. dog and cat food, I advised member company CEOs and other top executives on public relations and crisis communication topics such as recalls, negative media stories and social media developments. I honed a deft skill to foster consensus, which assisted me in helping guide the pet food industry through some of its greatest challenges: assessing regulations proposed under the Food Safety Modernization Act (the most significant change to domestic food safety law in 60 years); facilitating the writing and editing comments intended for the Food and Drug Administration on the largest of those proposed regulations; crafting industry guidance documents on safety practices; and responding to one of the largest and most complex food product recalls in history, the 2007 melamine recalls. I directed the administration of a $1.5 million annual grant from USDA to promote the export of domestically made pet food. I led new initiatives within PFI, including the development of an expanded, re-envisioned annual convention and the launch of the organization’s magazine, PFI Monitor, for which I serve as editor. I also managed PFI’s state legislative activity and oversaw grassroots campaigns through social media. Show less