Tom Briant
Executive Director & Legal Counsel, Minnesota Wholesale Marketers Association Policy Advisor, Convenience Distribution Association
Tom Briant has served as the executive director and legal counsel for the Minnesota Wholesale Marketers Association for 37 years. He has also served as a government affairs policy advisor for the Convenience Distribution Association since 2024. Tom is a graduate of the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a B.A. degree in political science and a graduate of William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul.
Tehzin Chadwick, MHSc, CRSP, CIH, ROH
Chief Safety Officer
United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI)
Tehzin Chadwick, MHSc, Acc.B.D., is the Chief Safety Officer at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), where she leads Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Environmental Health and Safety, Fleet Compliance, and Asset Protection. She has built high-performing teams and advanced safety management systems, regulatory readiness, and operational resilience across complex food, logistics, and distribution environments. As a member of the Partnership for Food Traceability Board of Directors, Tehzin is committed to strengthening collaboration across the food supply chain and advancing practical traceability solutions that protect consumers and support a safer, more resilient food system.
Robin Forgey, M.S.
Assistant Vice President, Global Food Safety and Quality Assurance Costco Wholesale
In her role as AVP of Global Food Safety and Quality for Costco Wholesale, Robin establishes global product quality and food safety policies, ensuring vendor compliance. She develops regulatory compliance programs for company facilities and creates tracking systems to monitor vendor adherence. Robin also oversees routine product quality and safety testing, as well as vendor and facility auditing. She serves on multiple committees working to improve food safety including the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness and the Leafy Greens Food Safety Coalition. Before joining Costco, Robin worked as a research scientist for BioControl Systems developing assays to detect foodborne pathogens. Prior to her work at BioControl Systems, Robin served as the Director of Microbiology for an independent testing lab.
Robin holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Food Science.
Oscar Garrison
Senior Vice President Food Safety Regulatory Affairs
United Egg Producers
Oscar Garrison is Senior VP of Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs for United Egg Producers (UEP) Prior to this, Oscar had a broad regulatory based career for over 19 years at the Georgia Department of Agriculture where he held the executive positions of Division Director Food Safety and Assistant Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Additionally, Oscar is the Past President of the Association of Food and Drug Officials where he led the national organizations efforts to promote an Integrated Food Safety System. Mr. Garrison was also the Past President of the Georgia Association of Food Protection, an Executive Committee member of the Partnership for Food Protection, Food Safety Liaison to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and a member of the National Integrated Food Safety System Task Force.
Stephanie Johnson, RDN
Vice President, Government Relations
National Grocers Association
Stephanie E. Johnson, RDN, is Senior Vice President, Head of Government Affairs for the National Grocers Association (NGA), where she leads federal and state advocacy for the independent grocery industry. She oversees NGA’s government relations department directing legislative and regulatory strategy, political advocacy and fundraising, grassroots engagement, and strategic communications.
Johnson advances a comprehensive policy agenda spanning food and nutrition programs, health care and pharmacy policy, competition and antitrust, tax and labor, supply chain resilience, payments, and emerging regulatory issues. Under her leadership, NGA delivers measurable results in complex and rapidly shifting political environments, strengthening the competitive position of community-based grocers nationwide.
A respected voice in Washington, she regularly engages lawmakers, regulators, and national media to elevate the essential role independent grocers play in expanding food access, supporting public health, and sustaining local economies.
Previously, Johnson served in the U.S. Senate as a policy advisor covering health, education, labor, and appropriations, contributing to oversight of the federal COVID-19 response and development of major domestic policy initiatives. She began her career leading federal regulatory and legislative strategy across the food, agriculture, and public health sectors.
Johnson holds degrees in Food and Nutrition (Dietetics) and Cell Biology & Neuroscience from Montana State University and completed her Registered Dietitian Nutritionist training at Virginia Tech. She brings a distinctive blend of clinical expertise and senior policy leadership to the intersection of nutrition, health care, and the food system.
John Phillips
Senior Vice President, Customer Supply Chain & Global GTM
PepsiCo
John is SVP, Customer Supply Chain and Global Go-to-Market for PepsiCo, Inc. He has been with PepsiCo for over 30 years and has worked in a number of different sales and field operations roles since joining the company as a route salesperson with Frito-Lay.
Prior to his current role, John was Vice President of Customer Delivery Systems for Frito-Lay North America where he led the development and implementation of new DSD delivery systems and the development of the next generation of frontline handheld computers for the DSD sales force. In his current role, John is responsible for working with PepsiCo’s largest customers on supply chain and collaboration initiatives to drive both effectiveness and efficiency across the shared supply chains. His team also leads PepsiCo’s internal network strategy design.
John is a member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) DSD and Logistics Committees. He is active in The Consumer Goods Forum as Co-Chair of the Supply Chain Committee and is a member of the Future Value Chain Steering Group and the Global Scorecard Working Group. John is also a member of the GS1 Data Excellence Board and the Western Michigan University Food/CPG Marketing Advisory Board.
Prior to joining PepsiCo, John spent ten years in retail store operations with Jewel Food Stores in Chicago and was also a Territory Sales Representative for Procter & Gamble. John attended Western Michigan University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Food Distribution in 1986.
Sonia Salas
Associate Vice President, Food Safety & Regulatory Affairs
Western Growers
Sonia E. Salas joined Western Growers in 2007 and brings nearly 25 years of experience in the food industry, with a deep focus on food safety and fresh produce regulatory compliance. Before Western Growers, Sonia worked for private companies managing food safety and quality systems and implementing federal and state food regulations.
Sonia began her career at Western Growers as a Senior Loss Control Consultant and advanced through several leadership positions over the years. In March 2025, she became WG’s Associate VP of Food Safety & Regulatory Affairs. In this role, Sonia leads the identification, development, and advancement of scientific, technical and compliance strategies in food safety for the betterment of WG members and the fresh produce industry.
She leads strategic Western Growers’ food safety efforts, including commodity standards, guidance development, policy development, audit strategies, outreach, education and training. Sonia also manages strategic alliances with federal and state entities, universities, different coalitions and organizations serving agriculture.
Sonia is a member of the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the Agricultural Pan-American School based in Central America (Zamorano) and her Master of Science degree in Agriculture from California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly Pomona).
Carlos Zapata
Manager, U.S. Food Safety & Quality Systems
McDonald’s USA
serves as a Manager on McDonald’s U.S. Food Safety & Quality Systems team and as a Board Member of the Partnership for Food Traceability. He specializes in food safety, supplier quality systems, digital transformation, and traceability, helping drive industry collaboration to improve supply chain transparency, data sharing, and food safety outcomes across the food ecosystem.