News: Alumni

Audrey Seim (BSA ’20) is QC Analyst at Astral Brands in Atlanta, GA.

Anne Freidman (BSA ’21) is QA Processing Technician with Heaven Hill Brands in Bardstown, KY.

Tom Preniczky (MFT ’20) is now Culinologist Manager at CTI Foods in Lititz, PA.

Lisa Trimble (MS ’12, PhD ’15) is currently employed as Quality and Process Control Engineer of Planters and Corn Nuts with Hormel Foods in Chicago, IL.

Rocelle Clavero-Grabarek (PhD ’95) is now a Sr. Food Safety Specialist with TreeHouse Foods in Oakbrook, IL.

Emily Wagener (MS ’15) is now Regional Product Manager – Food Enzymes with International Flavors & Fragrances. Emily resides in Jacksonville Beach, FL and reports remotely to offices in New Century, KS.

Yaa Asantewaa Kafui Klu (PhD ’14) completed MPH at Columbia University in New York in 2020 and is instructor at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Austin Lolley (MFT ’20) is now a group manager with Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, MO.

Ebenezer Ifeduba (PhD ’15) is now a Food Designer at Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, MI.

Jennifer Mangon (BSA ’09) is now Managing Director of GDH Inc., a specialized Information Staffing staffing firm in Atlanta, GA.

Carmisha McKenzie Ramsey (BSA ’12) is now National Account Chef for Foodservice with Mondelēz International.

Becky (Brannon) Beasley (BSA ’08) is now Director of Product Innovation and Optimization with S&D Coffee & Tea in Concord, NC.

Stephanie Beck (BSA ’13) is now Brand Manager at HERBL Solutions in Los Angeles, CA.

Max Mazzoni (BSA ’17) is now the Quality Control Lead at Catalyst Nutraceuticals in Duluth, GA.

Sarah Bock (BSA ‘ 19) is now Quality Assurance Manager at Focus Brands in Atlanta, GA.

Yu-Ju (Luna) Lin (PhD ’20) is employed as Product and Process Implementation Technologist with Mars in Henderson, NC.

Deepika Karnik is now a Marketing Manager at eBay in Toronto, Canada.

Sarah Zych (BSA ’02) is now Factory Manager at Nestlé Purina North America in Springfield, MO.

Jaime Rudolf Reeves (MS ’03) is now Executive Vice President of Product Development and Commercialization with Mattson in Foster City, CA.

Jera Edmondson (BSA ’21) is currently employed as food scientist with Darifair Foods, LLC in Jacksonville, FL.

Sahana Lakshmi (BSA ’21) is now with an R&D technician with Talking Rain Beverage Company.

Brandon Williamson (BSA ’19) is currently employed as a Product Development Manager at Diamond Crystal Brands in Atlanta, GA.

Carlyn Oswald (MS ‘18) is now Inside Sales Account Manager at International Flavors and Fragrances in Springdale, Arkansas.

Ansley Lockett (BSA ’21) is now a Product Development Coordinator at Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes in Kennesaw, GA.

William “Beau” Bachelor (MFT ’11) is now a Research Chef in Corporate Product Development with Wane Farms in Huntsville, AL.

Courtney Bufford (MFT ’13) is now Executive Chef with Mc Alister’s Deli in Atlanta, GA.

Shaokang Zhang (PhD ‘) is now Senior Bioinformatics Scientist at Clear Labs in Menlo Park, CA.

Paul Rockwell (MFT ’11) is now Corporate Chef with Basic American Foods in New Orleans, LA.

Raghu Kandala (PhD ’05) is now the Senior Manager, Food Safety & quality Assurance, Global Copack Quality with Ocean spray Cranberries in Lakeville, MA.

Jason Kolofske (BSA ’17) is currently employed as Associate Beverage Scientist with Imbibe in Chicago, IL.

Cory Ortego (MFT ’21) is now Director of Food Safety and Quality with Meijer in Grand Rapids, MI.

Virginia Dye (BSA ’17) is currently employed as Food Research R&D Professional with Mérieux NutriSciences in Atlanta, GA.

Raymond Duncan (MFT ’23) is now a Food Technologist with Pilgrim’s in Greeley, CO.

Molly Sproston (MS ’17) is employed as Research Associate with Lesaffre Advanced Fermentations in Cedar Rapids, IO.

Adaeze Omekam (BSA ’16) is now Senior QA Systems Analyst with Inspire Brands in Atlanta, GA.

Ali Halipour (PhD ’16) is now Manager of R&D with ADM in Decatur, IL.

Kayla Craft (MFT ’19) is now Regional Quality and Food Safety Manager at Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts in Blakely, GA.

Winnie Lim (BSA ’10, MS ‘13) is currently head of Product Master Management with Yummy Corporation in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Avery Anderson (BSA ’12) is now employed as Quality Assurance Manager with Mooney Farms in Chico, CA.

Adiguna Bahari (MS ’18) is currently employed as Cocoa Butter and Powder Technologist with ofi in the Netherlands.

Charlie Broder (MS ’79) is now Sales Director-Nutrition Division for GC Ingredients in Atlanta, GA.

Tim Oliver remains with OSI Jobs, and continues to assist food industry professionals continue to progress in their career with leading and growing food companies.

Marcelo Bartolini (MS ’88) lives in Mendoza, making wine in his family winery, and is now starting a real estate business in Uruguay.

Jared Henderson (BSA ’00, MS -02) is now Director of Research Development with Eagle Family Foods in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN area.

Madilyn Ray (MFT ’18) was promoted to Vice President of R&D with California Dairies, Inc. in Visalia, CA.

Haiqin Dong (MS ’12) is now Senior Editor, Major Reference Works with Springer Nature Group in Beijing, China.

Taylor (Kronn) Walker (MS ’13) has been with SkinnyDipped in Seattle for two years heading R&D and quality and was recently promoted to Director of Technical Services.

Jonna (Levine) O’Sullivan (BSA ’12) recently accepted a position as Marketing Development Specialist with Odeko in Atlanta, GA.

Mariana Ramirez (BSA ‘13, MS ‘16) has started a new position as Manager - Dairy Alternatives at Nature’s Fynd in Chicago, IL..

Anastasia (Schultz) Buh (BSA ’11) is now employed as Senior Manager R&D with Ferrara Candy Company in Chicago, IL.

Wendy White has accepted an extension appointment at the GaMEP and Georgia Tech as a faculty member in their Enterprise Innovation Institute. She is also serving on the International Association of Food Protection's Executive Board as the IAFP Affiliate Council Chairperson.

In Memoriam

Edwin Thompson (BSA, MS) passed away at his home in Menlo, GA on April 27, 2019. After graduating from Vidalia High School, where he played football, Ed attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, then the University of Georgia receiving B.S. and master’s degrees in Food Technology. He later received his educational certification from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. As a Sergeant, Ed served three years in the Army, with a 16-month stint in Korea as a message decoder. Ed worked for Walker County Health Department as an inspector for five years. In 1963, he agreed to serve a one-year term as principal of Menlo Elementary School until the Board of Trustees could find the right applicant…30 years later, he retired! He loved all the children who graced the halls of Menlo School and encouraged them to do their best in life and be good human beings.