Leann Barden, Phd Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Il, Us

Austin, Texas, Us

Developing and commercializing our clean-label OTC products.

Providing troubleshooting help at all stages of R&D from ideation and benchtop work to production and brand maintenance for companies of all sizes across broad range of shelf stable and perishable categories.

Rockland, De, Us

As first full-time hire, led most project management aspects of product development, equipment selection and design, process development, external manufacturing for startups, supply chain continuity, regulatory, protection of IP, technical presentations for funding rounds, and team growth in addition to developing strategic plans, business values, etc. for a company focusing on plant-based seafood.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

• Continued all duties listed under Manager section• Implemented R&I COVID strategy to maintain speed without sacrificing employee mental or physical health• Troubleshooted commercialization challenges on a bootstrap budget, enabling market launches far faster than industry average; enabled new B2C strategy to improve consumer insights and even faster speed-to-market• Created Sensory function—standardized methods, established a panel for formal reviews, trained cross-functional stakeholders on best practices, synced strategy with Consumer Insights, and managed/negotiated 3rd-party contracts• Led R&I in first company-wide cost-out committee, overdelivering savings target by 40% in first year• Executed all company patent searches and advised on freedom-to-operate; coached direct reports on filing company’s first Invention Disclosure Forms (IDF) and patents to protect company IP; negotiated/executed NDA’s• Directed R&I commercialization of new product platform (bars and nut butters in multiple flavors) to deliver top-line growth across multiple B2B and B2C channels and developed platform strategy for future launches• Introduced Research Innovation Time, generating several sustainable packaging and ingredient research projects• Optimized stage-gate process through multiple iterations to best serve changing needs and growing stakeholders• Piloted new Inclusive Job Descriptions with HR team

Chicago, Illinois, Us

• Built Research function—set a mission/vision for, and created/directed, ingredient, packaging, processing, shelf life, and nutrition research across company’s global bar (adult, kids, Layers, and TIG), nut butter, oat cup, and pipeline innovation, often by leveraging Design Thinking tools• Hired and managed direct reports and sub reports in projects addressing both current technical challenges and future white space to unlock future innovation, achieve continuous improvement, and grow the bottom line• Fostered and developed team of diverse backgrounds and educations; grew direct reports through promotions• Provided opportunities for team to lead their own projects; created safe space for ownership and failing forward• Served first 2 weeks in Customer Service to champion customer-centric culture

Urbana, Il, Us

• Working to create networking and learning opportunities to engage and develop YP's associated with the fats and oils community• Reviewer for the international, peer-reviewed Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society• Volunteered on several award committees and served as a session chair/organizer for the Lipid Oxidation and Quality Division• Coached the Student Interest Group through launching an app designed to enrich participation at the 2017 on Annual Meeting• Implemented first webinar (soon to be a regular series), which lead to an immediate increase in YP membership enrollment• Chaired the Young Professionals' planning committee for a 2018 Hot Topics session on Diversity and Inclusion (proposal accepted for the annual meeting)

Chicago, Il, Us

• Responsible for long-term research and filling the innovation pipeline across entire company portfolio, including sauces, dressings, cheese, nuts, and frozen meals. Projects focued on both applied basic research and new product development• Protected novel ideas through IDF's and patents• Lead multiple projects and research platforms in a fast-paced, cross-collaborative environment with focused budgets• Engaged in global knowledge transfers to rapidly advance best practices and research within the company• Leveraged broad food science expertise in chemistry, microbiology, and packaging with a particular focus on lipid oxidation• Filed US patent (PCT/US2017/068904) Improved Oxidative Stability of Oil-In-Water Emulsions Using Natural Stabilizers on 12/29/2017 as lead author

Chicago, Il, Us

• Subject Matter Expert in Central Research for fats and oils• Responsible for supporting immediate research needs in a variety of product categories, especially peanuts, sauces, and dressings• Volunteered for or led numerous company initiatives, including university recruiting and Young Women's Leadership Charter School

Amherst, Massachusetts, Us

• Doctoral dissertation on lipid oxidation in low-moisture foods (e.g. crackers)• Research funded by a USDA National Needs Fellowship, which included a public policy emphasis, providing me with an understanding of both academic research and public policy in the U.S. (and some foreign trade policy)• Mentored an undergraduate researcher in the lab (two years)

Montpellier, Fr

• Replicated the method for developing rosmarinate esters that was developed by Dr. Pierre Villeneuve's lab UMR IATE, CIRAD. These antioxidative esters were used in my doctoral research• Synthesized an experimental rosmarinate ester with one unsaturated group (R = 18:1)• Travel funded by USDA National Needs Fellowship grant for which I was the primary author

Chicago, Il, Us

• Panel was tasked with assessing the needs and opportunities of the academic community members within IFT and updating the education track within IFT to address these needs• Recommended strategies to the Board of IFT for both immediate (for IFT Annual Meeting and Expo 2013) and long-term programs/sessions• Panel identified a working committee to flesh out these recommendations and agreed to stay on as assistants/references for the working committee

Chicago, Il, Us

• Represented competition chairs on IFT Student Association Board and served on the Competition Rules Committee• Trained and oversaw 8 competition chairs• Worked with IFT, individuals at General Mills, and Partners in Food Solutions (PFS) to start a relationship in which final proposals from Developing Solutions for Developing Countries (DSDC) competition were shared with PFS with the goal of actually launching said products in target countries

Chicago, Il, Us

• Recruited committee members from universities across the country to help raise over $75,000 for scholarships two years in a row!• Working with IFTSA leadership to revamp solicitation process and streamline donations to both IFTSA and the Feeding Tomorrow scholarship foundation.• Facilitated conversations amongst committee members and IFT staff to ensure the Fun Run is successful and memorable.

Washington, District Of Columbia, Us

• Primary editor for the Food and Nutrition Board for Nutrition and Traumatic Brain Injury, which contained recommendations from one of the standing committees for the Department of Defense• Researched international fitness batteries for assessing children's health and summarized findings in a chart for publication [this was the front-end research to begin a new standing committee on a project sponsored by the CDC]• Assisted the director of the Food Forum in planning, organizing, and/or hosting 5 different Food Forum meetings o Researched and organized potential speakers; participated on conference calls with planning committee members; and attended outside meetings through the FDA and other organizations to research necessary background information for Food Forum meetings o Assisted with editing the workshop summary Leveraging Food Technology for Obesity Prevention and Reduction Efforts o Responsible for leading all efforts to plan February microbiome meeting. This included such tasks as submitting paperwork to the IOM President for meeting approval and coordinating with other groups at the National Academies o Volunteered once a week with the Job Squad, which involved helping people at a nearby homeless shelter search the internet for jobs, apply online for jobs, and compose cover letters and resumes o On my lunch hours, I took time to arrange meet-and-greets with other public policy agents in government and various "lobbying" groups

Raleigh, North Carolina, Us

• Investigated the filler effect of fat content on cheddar cheese structure and, consequently, texture using confocal microscopy and large and small-strain rheology• Trained and participated on weekly Astringency Panel that evaluates protein-based beverages• Served as a teaching assistant (TA) for Food Chemistry 402, which involved teaching labs and grading lab notebooks

Raleigh, North Carolina, Us

• Managed a small business—in addition to the usual lab research, coursework, and “TA” responsibilities required of graduate students—selling ice cream at the NC State Fair as the club’s only fundraiser• Mobilized volunteers to work over 1,640 shift hours, planned budgets, made purchasing decisions, and oversaw advertising campaigns• Executed a trouble-shooting team leveraging the knowledge of “veteran” Dairy Bar workers • Passed state health inspections with zero violations in food or worker safety• Implemented key cost-saving measures, allowing us to sell approx. 5,000 gallons of ice cream—more than any other year in the history of Dairy Bar• Thoroughly documented all practices to ensure smooth transition of leadership so that next year’s fundraiser is equally successful

Madison, Wi, Us

• Tested viscosities of pre-thickened, commercial beverages as a reference guide for hospital personnel who treat patients with dysphagia, a swallowing disorder common among aging populations;• Led a student team to formulate thickened beverages for patients with dysphagia• Assisted in community outreach seminars to teach about dysphagia• Trained new lab members on using a Brookfield rheometer

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

• Evaluated the impact of antioxidants on Maillard browning reactions in whole-grain cereal• Recommended a rapid method for studying such browning reactions, thereby minimizing costs and turnaround time• Presented research and overall recommendations—given implementation costs and business goals—at small meetings with ITQ managers

Wilmington, De, Us

• Extracted and characterized exopolysaccharide from Lactococcus lactis strains for textural dairy applications• Analyzed diacetyl production by Lactococcus lactis biovar diacetylactis strains to profile flavor development using gas chromatography• Prepared various media, including PCA, lactose fermentation broths, and agars for fastidious cultures

Madison, Wi, Us

• Modified PCR protocol to sequence the genomes of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis mutants• Studied the regulatory effects of three genes in determining the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis• Wrote grant requests to seek independent funding from student-oriented research programs

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Food Science

M.S., Food Science

B.S., Food Science