During Advanced Boot Camp, inspectors will hear live discussions on several topics. This live, virtual training expands on training information for inspectors including understanding food safety plans, how to identify special processes, recognize and shape Food Safety Culture, identify what is a foodborne illness investigation, and much more. This course will include interactive strategies to engage participants. Material is repeated each year for a new audience but day three offers something new each year!
The Dry Truth: Unlocking the Science of Rehydration: Understand the foodborne illness risks surrounding rehydrating foods at retail, as well as research-based strategies to reduce and mitigate those risks.
Food Ingredients: Understand the differences between food additives, color additives, GRAS and dietary ingredients as well as the regulatory pathway for the different categories.
Using Today’s Technology to Control Rodents: Apply technology such as remote sensing devices, game cameras, and thermal drones to monitor, analyze, and control rodent activity in and around food and pharmaceutical facilities.
Who Should Attend
Retail food inspectors with less than two years of experience
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Veronica Bryant is Environmental Health Preparedness and Outbreak Coordinator for NC Division of Public Health with 15+ years in public health. She provides training and technical assistance for outbreak investigations, emergencies, and specialized processes. Lead HACCP instructor since 2016 and NC Variance Committee member since 2014, she's active in multiple food protection organizations.
Natalie Seymour
EcoLab
Natalie Seymour is on Ecolab's Food Safety and Public Health team supporting the Food Retail Division. She gathers insights, sharpens food safety focus across programs, and engages customers and stakeholders to build industry-leading safety programs. Previously Associate Director at NC State University, she holds bachelor's and master's degrees in food science.
Mary Yavalak
Compass Group USA
Mary Yavelak is Food Policy and Innovation Manager at Compass Group USA, leading HACCP plans, variances, and specialized process SOPs. She supports company-wide compliance through regulation interpretation and policy development while evaluating emerging food safety technologies. Mary specializes in making complex food safety concepts accessible and fostering industry-academia-regulatory collaboration.
Carrie Pohjola
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Carrie Pohjola earned her B.S. in Biology from Lake Superior State University and M.S. in Environmental and Public Health from UW-Eau Claire. As Food Scientist, Advanced with Wisconsin DATCP, she conducts retail trainings, program evaluations, and reviews HACCP plans. She's an FDA Standardization officer, Conference for Food Protection Chair, and self-proclaimed "Food Safety Geek".
Elaine Meloan
Elaine Meloan is Manager of Food Labeling at AIB since 1985. She oversees a team of food scientists providing U.S. and Canadian labeling services including nutrition information, ingredient lists, allergen disclosures, and label reviews. Her team also delivers training seminars helping companies understand regulations affecting their products.
Dan Collins
Independent Pest Management Consulting, LLC
Dan Collins has 29 years in pest management with extensive food industry and rodent control experience. He owned Collins Pest Management for 13 years, growing it into a regional commercial provider serving food and pharma sectors. He currently owns Independent Pest Management Consulting, providing national and international consulting services.
All attendees will earn CEU credits during this training!
This training program is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of financial assistance award number U01FD008398, totaling $3,425,000, with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
Got membership questions? Go to afdo.org/join to learn more!
The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) is a regulatory organization that connects food and medical-products safety stakeholders and impacts the regulatory environment by shaping sound, science-based rules, law, regulations, and sharing best practices that protect public health.
