How to Develop and Implement an Effective Food Defense Strategy

Jon Woody, CAPT, USPHS (Ret.), is the Chief Science Officer for the National Fisheries Institute, where he leads scientific and regulatory affairs in support of member companies. Jon is also the President and Founder of Woody Food Strategies LLC and a nationally recognized expert in food safety, food defense, and fraud prevention. He brings over 27 years of experience, including 24 years in senior leadership roles at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While at FDA, Jon directed the development and implementation of the FSMA Intentional Adulteration (IA) rule and provided executive leadership in implementing the FSMA 204 Food Traceability rule. He also served as Director of FDA's Food Defense and Emergency Coordination Staff and later as Director of Preparedness and Emergency Programs. Jon also worked extensively on food fraud prevention and response, playing a key role in addressing high-profile food fraud incidents including melamine in milk powder, the Peanut Corporation of America outbreak, and lead contamination in cinnamon.

Anh Tran is Food Safety and Quality Specialist at The Hershey Company, where she provides expert guidance on regulatory compliance, food defense, and quality assurance across global manufacturing operations. With a proven track record in developing and revising Product Excellence Program policies and standards at The Hershey Company, Anh partners with cross-functional teams to ensure program alignment and operational excellence.

Prior to joining Hershey, Anh held leadership roles at Cuisine Solutions, Winter Gardens Quality Foods, and Giorgi Mushroom Company, implementing robust quality assurance programs, training staff in food safety practices, and driving process optimization. Her experience spans regulatory compliance with FDA, USDA, and CFIA, as well as hands-on project management and technical services in food manufacturing.

Adrienne Blume, M.A. is Editorial Director of Food Safety Magazine, a BNP Media brand. She has more than 20 years of experience in B2B technical media, including the food safety/quality and energy technology sectors. She manages the editorial content for Food Safety Magazine and its podcast, Food Safety Matters, and also serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the annual Food Safety Summit. She keeps a pulse on trends, issues, and regulatory developments in food safety by attending and moderating sessions at food industry and food safety conferences worldwide. Ms. Blume holds an M.A. degree in English and Publishing from Rosemont College and B.A. degrees in English and Anthropology from Webster University.