2026 Basic Inspector Boot Camp — Retail Technical Training
Start January 28, 2026
Virtual / Live
About
Sessions cover both power skills and technical skills, using interactive strategies with participants. Technical skills are split into days of training specifically for retail-level inspectors (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) and a separate day for manufactured-level inspectors (food processing facilities). AFDO’s goal in this training is to help state and local regulators gain free access to valuable training early in their food safety careers in order to build knowledge and experience.
Steven Mandernach is Executive Director of the Association of Food and Drug Officials since 2018. Previously Bureau Chief for Food and Consumer Safety at Iowa Department of Inspections, he's a past AFDO president and current Laws and Regulations Committee co-chair. He holds a J.D. from Drake University and completed graduate food safety work at Michigan State.
Adam Inman
Kansas Department of Agriculture
Adam Inman is Assistant Program Manager for Kansas Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Lodging Program. He co-chaired AFDO's Retail Food Committee and Package Labeling Ad-Hoc Committee, served as Council I member for Conference for Food Protection, and chaired the Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Alliance (2016-2017). He's a 2012-2013 International Food Protection Fellow.
Joe Graham
Washington State Department of Health
Joe Graham manages Washington State Department of Health Food Safety Programs. Beginning his public health career in the U.S. Army, he's a Washington State University graduate who worked locally at Clallam County Health Department before joining state health for 19 years. He currently serves on executive boards for Conference for Food Protection and AFDO.
Autumn Schuck
Association of Food and Drug Officials
Autumn Schuck is Assistant Program Director at the Association of Food and Drug Officials, where she teaches food safety courses and leads Inspector Boot Camp. Previously Inspection Manager at Kansas Department of Agriculture's Food Safety program (2016-2022), she supported statewide retail food safety. Her experience includes roles as inspector, field supervisor, contract supervisor, and third-party auditor in both retail and manufactured food safety.
Jeff Jackson
Arkansas Department of Health
Jeff serves as Section Chief of Arkansas Department of Health's Retail Food Program since 2006, ensuring program consistency and conformance with National Standards. He holds a B.S. in Education from Arkansas State and Public Health Certificate from UAMS. A National Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute graduate, he's received multiple awards and serves on various food protection workgroups.
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? Learn more at afdo.org/join!
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.
