Jonas Ahonen

University of Arkanses
PhD Student

Jonas Ahonen is a Ph.D. student and Senior Graduate Assistant in Food Science at the University of Arkansas. His research at the Center for Beverage Innovation focuses on rice quality and flavor in beer. He holds a B.S. in Food Science from Michigan State University with a research focus of sensory perception and flavor science.

Session Title(s)

• Starch Composition, Gelatinization, and Pasting Behavior as Drivers of Extract Yield in Rice Cultivars

Travis Audet

Slant Six Consulting 
Consultant & Master Brewer

Travis Audet has been a professional brewer since 1994, with experience spanning brewpubs, craft and regional breweries, and brewing R&D in Canada and the U.S. He is lead consultant at Slant Six Consulting, holds a Master Brewer Certification from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, and is an MBAA Award of Honor recipient.

Session Title(s)

• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Data Analytics Application in Brewing for Process Improvement>
• ALDC - Are you down with me?

Joyce Baird

Chinova Bioworks
Sales Account Manager

Joyce Baird serves as a Sales Account Manager at Chinova Bioworks, bringing more than two decades of dedicated expertise to the food and beverage industry. Over her distinguished career, Joyce has cultivated deep, strategic relationships across every tier of the supply chain, seamlessly connecting producers, manufacturers, distributors, restaurant operators, and retailers. Her specialized expertise spans clean label preservation solutions, functional ingredients, and customer-focused innovation.

Session Title(s)

• Modern Strategies for Microbial Control and Beer Quality from Production to Package

Roberto Bellavia

KTL
Partner, Senior Consultant

As a KTL Partner and Senior Associate, Roberto Bellavia manages food safety-related projects and supports clients of all sizes in complying with FDA and USDA requirements, creating and managing FSMS and food safety programs/procedures, implementing GFSI schemes, and conducting training.

Session Title(s)

• Safety Queries & Quandaries: Ask the Brewery & Food Safety Committee

Jack Bland Jr.

United Water Consultants Principal Consultant

Jack Bland holds a BA in English and a BS in Chemistry from Wofford College in South Carolina. He has over 40 years of experience in industrial water treatment having held various positions in field sales, technical support, and corporate sales.

Session Title(s)

• Novel tunnel pasteurizer treatment technology dramatically improves results in a double deck 4-regenerative zone, 12 compartment high speed can line at a major U. S. brewery

Molly Browning

Lallemand Brewing
Technical Sales/Service

Molly is the Product Support Manager for Lallemand Brewing. She started her brewing career in 2006 at Baird Brewing in Japan and has worked at Jolly Pumpkin and New Holland Brewing before becoming the Barrel Program Manager for Brooklyn Brewery in 2013. She joined Lallemand Brewing in 2018 and lives in Raleigh, NC.

Session Title(s)

• ATHP Detective Work in Action

Dr. Laura Burns

Omega Yeast
Director of Research &  Development

Laura Burns, Ph.D., is the Director of Research and Development at Omega Yeast. After studying stress responses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for her graduate thesis at Vanderbilt University, she decided the best place to apply this knowledge was in brewing. She worked in production brewing for 5 years as Head Brewer and Director of Quality Assurance before returning to the bench at Omega Yeast.

Session Title(s)

• Rational, Style-Driven NABLAB Formulation via Controlled Mashing and Limited Fermentation

Dr. Ryan Christian

Yakima Chief Ranches
Senior VP of Research

Ryan Christian is the Senior VP of Research at Yakima Chief Ranches, where he directs the YCR technical program and research projects. Ryan grew up in the small town of Colville near Spokane, Washington, and studied at Washington State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology in 2013 and a Ph.D. in Molecular Plant Sciences in 2019.

Session Title(s)

• Investigation of Yield and Quality Impacts of Virus-Free Hop Propagation

Meagen Coester, MBA

ADM
Regional Technical Sales Manager, NA and LATAM

As Regional Technical Sales Manager at ADM, Meagen Coester helps brewers and beverage makers move beyond conventional pellet hops toward liquid hop-derived systems that deliver greater consistency, precise dosing, reduced beer loss, lower freight and cold-chain demands, and new applications in non-alcoholic and functional beverages.

Session Title(s)

• Beyond Pellets: Liquid Hopping for Yield, Speed, and Efficiency
• Rebuilding Beer: Mouthfeel Modulation Strategies for Non-Alcoholic Brewing

Joseph Curran

Ecolab
Director - Digital Solutions

Joe Curran joined Ecolab in 2001 and is currently the Director of Digital Solutions for the North America Food and Beverage team.  In this role, Joe is responsible for the deployment of Ecolab’s digital platforms for cleaning and sanitation, and leads the Digital Industry Technical Consultant team, who utilize their industry and platform knowledge to onboard and support our digital customers post-deployment.

Session Title(s)

• Using advanced sensors and analytics to safely reduce CIP and rinse cycle times and resources

Jeff Dailey

John I Haas Inc
Sensory Manager

Jeff Dailey is the Sensory Manager at John I. Haas in Yakima, Washington, where he leads sensory panels evaluating experimental hops, innovative products, and harvest lots. Since joining in 2019, Jeff developed the Sensory Plus quality control system, implementing it internationally, and pioneered methods for detecting smoke taint and tracking hop shelf life.

Session Title(s)

• The Great Dank Debate

Max Derbyshire

Acorn Genetics
Operations & Technical Sales

Max Derbyshire, MPH is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Acorn Genetics, where he leads operations, commercialization, and strategic partnerships. He earned his Master of Public Health from Northwestern University and co-founded Acorn Genetics to advance portable molecular diagnostics.

Session Title(s)

• Simplifying Brewery Microbiology: Validation of a Portable On-Site qPCR Platform for Beer Spoilage Bacteria and Wild Yeast Detection

Bryan Donaldson

Lagunitas Brewing Co
Brewing Innovation Manager

Bryan Donaldson joined Lagunitas in 2011 and now serves as Brewing Innovation Manager in Petaluma, where he focuses on developing and optimizing new products. Previously, he led sensory and consumer quality for the brewery, bringing extensive experience in brewing innovation and quality.

Session Title(s)

• Scaling Recipes and Working With Production Partners

Brian Faivre

New Realm Brewing
COO

While pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Brian continued his passion for brewing beer at home. After five years of working as a software engineer, Brian took his first professional brewing job at a small pub in San Francisco. Two years later, Brian attended the UC Davis Master Brewers Program and earned his Diploma in Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. After finishing the UC Davis Master Brewers Program, Brian joined Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, where he spent nearly 17 years, including his final 10 as Brewmaster. In 2021, Brian joined New Realm in Virginia Beach, VA, where he serves as Chief Operating Officer.

Session Title(s)

• Visualizing Brewery Data to Drive Smarter Decisions

Tomas Fischer

University of Guelph
MSc Student

Tomas earned a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology (Hons.) from the University of Guelph in 2023 and worked as a Quality Control Technician at Escarpment Laboratories. He is currently a Master’s student at the University of Guelph, studying the impact of monoterpenes on diverse Saccharomyces strains.

Session Title(s)

• Investigating the Inhibition of Industrial Saccharomyces Strains Caused by Monoterpenes

Dr. Barret Foster

University of Guelph and Escarpment Labs
Postdoctoral Researcher and R&D Lead

I currently serve as the R&D Lead for Escarpment Laboratories and a Postdoctoral Researcher in the van der Merwe lab at the University of Guelph, where my focus is turning academic yeast research into actionable industrial outcomes for the brewing sector.

Session Title(s)

• Impact of oxygenation and fill time on key fermentation parameters in multi-fill brewing practices

Andrew Fratianni, MSc, Dipl. Brew.

International Flavors and Fragrances
Lead Application Scientist, Brewing & Distilling Enzymes

Andrew Fratianni brings over 30 years experience of production, sales, and technical support in the brewing and distilling industries. Since 2017, Andrew has been the Senior Lead Application Specialist for distilling and brewing enzymes at International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.

Session Title(s)

• Use of the Transglucosidase Enzyme for Reduced Fermentability in Low Alcohol Beers

Maddyson Frierson

New Belgium Brewing
QA Scientist

Maddy is a food safety professional with three years of experience spanning academic research and industry application, including work in the microbiological safety of non-alcoholic beer and food safety program management in brewing operations.

Session Title(s)

• Food Safety and Regulatory Implications of Producing Nonalcoholic and Low-Alcohol Beer

Dwight Garrels

Haskel
Director - Process and Utilities Engineering

With more than 40 years of technical and engineering experience, primarily in the brewing industry, he has also worked across the food and beverage, energy, and aerospace sectors. His expertise spans engineering, field operations, construction management, and capital project execution, leading to management roles overseeing multidisciplinary teams and complex projects. His engineering background includes civil/environmental studies with additional coursework and experience in chemical and mechanical engineering.

Session Title(s)

• Common Design and Integration Failures in Craft Brewery Projects

Mike Gerhart, BA, MBr

First Key Consulting
Senior Advisor, Technical Services

Mike Gerhart is Senior Advisor, Technical Services at First Key, where he works with breweries on quality and process optimization initiatives. His work includes operational oversight and management support, developing reporting metrics and SOPs, supporting employee development, and contributing to business plans and feasibility studies.

Session Title(s)

• Can't Pass Up a Deal: Successfully integrating used equipment into a production facility
• Modern Tools, Missed Fundamentals: Why Basic Brewing Checks Still Matter

Stephen Gonzalez

Russian River Brewing
Lab Manager

Steve started his professional brewing career in 1995 in Northern California for the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. He has worked in various capacities in Brewing, Distilling, and Winemaking throughout California and in Edinburgh and Kilmarnock Scotland. Steve has placed an intense focus on hop research and alternative hop products since 2013. Steve spends a lot of his spare time focused on environmental projects centered around California water projects, such as river cleanups, diving to hunt invasive ocean species, kelp reforestation, and sea urchin removal.

Session Title(s)

• Beyond Pellets: Liquid Hopping for Yield, Speed, and Efficiency

Daniel Gusmer

Gusmer Enterprises Inc
Program Scientist

Research and Development scientist focused on yeast health and fermentation kinetics, specializing in flow cytometry.

Session Title(s)

• Optimizing Flow Cytometry for Microbial Monitoring in Beer Fermentation

Nicolai Hansen

Novonesis
Technical Service Scientist

Nicolai Staugaard Hansen is a technical service scientist with Novonesis, specializing in brewing enzymes and cultures. Originally from Copenhagen and now based in North Carolina, he holds an MSc in Food Science from the University of Copenhagen and a Diploma Master Brewer certification from the Scandinavian School of Brewing.

Session Title(s)

• Corn in the Brewhouse: Raw Material Selection, Process Methods, and Sensory Outcomes

Connor Heckler

Big Grove Brewery
Head Brewer

With an International Diploma in Brewing Technology from the World Brewing Academy and a Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism from the University of Southern California, Connor Heckler has built his career around bridging the gap between brewing, hospitality, and business operations.

Session Title(s)

• Biotransformation of KalHop' Grandissimo Geraniol Extract to Beta Citronellol via Lallemand Pomona Yeast

Christie Hess

ADM
VP Commercial & Technical Development

During her more than 20 years with ADM, Christie spent 15 years as a Beverage Product Developer, leading the creation of innovative beverage solutions and helping customers bring successful products to market. Today, she focuses on identifying and developing new business opportunities, leveraging her technical background to connect customer needs with ADM's broad portfolio of ingredient, flavor, color, and nutrition solutions.

Session Title(s)

• Beyond Pellets: Liquid Hopping for Yield, Speed, and Efficiency

Ashley Howard

Boston Beer Company
Quality Assurance Manager, R&D

Ashley Howard is R&D Quality Assurance Manager at The Boston Beer Company, overseeing quality from R&D through production for beer and beyond-beer products. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan, a Brewing Diploma from CIBD, and is a Certified Cicerone, with industry leadership roles including the Brewers Association Quality Subcommittee and MBAA National Technical Committee.

Session Title(s)

• Visualizing Brewery Data to Drive Smarter Decisions

Samantha Humphrey

KTL
Food Safety Consultant

Sam is an FSQA professional with 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, specializing in food safety compliance, GFSI certification, supply chain management, sanitation, and food microbiology. She has helped breweries, including New Belgium Brewing Company, develop and implement food safety management systems and holds certifications including CP-FS, PCQI Lead Instructor, and Produce Safety Rule Lead Trainer.

Session Title(s)

• Food Safety and Regulatory Implications of Producing Nonalcoholic and Low-Alcohol Beer

Kayla Johnson, BSc(ChemEng)

First Key Consulting
Senior Advisor, Engineering Services

Kayla Johnson is an engineer with more than 15 years of brewing industry experience, specializing in process, packaging, utilities, capital projects, and operational excellence at First Key. Previously, she held engineering, quality, operations, and learning and development leadership roles with Anheuser-Busch InBev and holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of North Dakota.

Session Title(s)

• Can't Pass Up a Deal: Successfully integrating used equipment into a production facility
• Modern Tools, Missed Fundamentals: Why Basic Brewing Checks Still Matter
• Capacity Modeling as a Master-Planning Tool for Integrated Beverage Facilities

Yuta Katayama

SAPPORO Breweries, Ltd.
Deputy Manager

Yuta Katayama received his M.S. degree in Agricultural Chemistry from Tohoku University in 2007 and joined Sapporo Breweries Ltd. He worked at the Product & Technology Development Center and the Frontier Laboratories of Value Creation from 2007 to 2016, where he was engaged in brewing technology research and development. He subsequently served in the Production Department at the Nasu Brewery, where he was involved in production management and brewery operations. He is currently a member of the Product & Technology Innovation Department, focusing on brewing technology innovation and new product development.

Session Title(s)

• Impact of Hop Treatment Conditions during Dry Hopping on Ester Levels in Beer

Justin Kingsford, Dipl. Brew

OptiBrew
Owner/Advisor

Justin is the owner and principal advisor of OptiBrew Solutions, with more than 15 years of experience across brewing, packaging, fermentation, yeast management, R&D, quality, and brewery operations. He holds a B.S. in Microbiology from Weber State University and a Diploma in Brewing from CIBD, and actively serves on the MBAA District Northwest and National Technical Committees.

Session Title(s)

• Yeast Propagation - A timeless fundamental to achieve optimal fermentation performance.

Darrin Kinsey

Enviro-Stew
Technical Director

Darrin Kinsey is the Technical Director at Enviro-Stewards, an environmental engineering firm that works with food and beverage manufacturers on sustainability projects. Darrin worked his way through university by slinging cases of empties onto a conveyor belt at Sleeman Brewery, while trying to learn as much about the industry as he could. Darrin took an 8-year detour as the Quality Assurance Manager for a division of Canada's largest wine company, getting a taste for how lucrative sustainability projects can be and for full-bodied reds. Since joining Enviro-Stewards sixteen years ago, Darrin has worked with over a dozen breweries, helping them be friendlier to the environment while still producing quality suds.

Session Title(s)

• Brewing Sustainability into Each Batch: Energy and Water Conservation Strategies in the Brewhouse and Cellars

Jens Klein

BrauKon
Area Sales Director

Part of the brewing industry for nearly two decades, combining hands-on brewing experience with technical expertise and international brewery projects.My career has starteed with an apprenticeship as a brewer at Erdinger Weißbräu before studying Brewing Science and Technology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Weihenstephan, where I graduated as Diplom-Braumeister in 2015.Following mygraduation, I joined BrauKon GmbH and spent six years in back office sales, working closely with breweries and brewery projects. Since 2021, I am responsilbe as Area Sales Director for the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, supporting breweries in the development and implementation of their projects.

Session Title(s)

• Weak Wort Recovery - Are you leveraging your extract to its fullest potential?

Florian Kuplent

Fermentis
R&D Technical Manager Brewer

Florian Kuplent is a Master Brewer with more than 30 years of international industry experience. He began his career as a brewer’s apprentice in a traditional Bavarian brewery.

His career has taken him through Germany, Belgium, England, the United States, and France, with roles at Duvel Moortgat, Meantime Brewing Co., and Anheuser-Busch/ABI, where he managed worldwide yeast supply. He co-founded Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. in St. Louis and, later in Bavaria. Florian is now R&D Technical Manager Brewer at Fermentis (Lesaffre Group) in Lille, France, and is co-editor and contributing author of Brewing Yeast, Volume 1: Yeast Fundamentals and Propagation (MBAA). He holds a Brewing Science degree from the Technical University of Munich-Weihenstephan.

Session Title(s)

• Common Design and Integration Failures in Craft Brewery Projects
• Contract Production vs. In-House Brewing: Strategic Options and Operational Insights

Reid Laking

Slant Six Consulting
Consulting Partner

Reid Laking combines over 10 years of R&D, craft and large-scale brewing leadership with a background in engineering and analytics. He has led national initiatives in brew planning, beer loss reduction, and sensory performance across six Canadian breweries, delivering measurable gains in quality, efficiency, and cost performance. With experience spanning brewing leadership to national technology strategy, Reid specializes in translating complex process data into practical operational improvements. His work bridges brewing craft with structured systems thinking & helping teams improve performance without adding complexity.

Session Title(s)

• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Data Analytics Application in Brewing for Process Improvement

Nelcy Latorre

New Realm Brewing
Director of Quality

Background/Education:Industrial Microbiologist, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia)Career built across the brewing and malting industry, quality, production, analytical lab work, food safety program development, and brewing educationCertifications: PCQI, HACCP, CIBD Tutor and reviewerCurrent job/role:Director of Quality, New Realm Brewing CompanyAreas of interest:Building practical food safety and certification programs (SQF) for craft breweriesTurning sensory panel data into actionable quality decisions and continuous improvementMicrobiology, sensory evaluation, and lab methods for brewery QCMy unique:Beer nerd, science geek, world traveler.

Session Title(s)

• Safety Queries & Quandaries: Ask the Brewery & Food Safety Committee
• Sensory-Led Shelf Life: Translating Technical Data into Customer Acceptance

Ashton Lewis

RahrBSG
International Technical Account Manager

Ashton Lewis is RahrBSG’s International Technical Account Manager and has more than 30 years of brewing and technical experience, including serving as master brewer at Springfield Brewing Company. He is the longtime technical editor and “Help Me, Mr. Wizard” columnist for Brew Your Own, and serves the MBAA as co-chair of the Podcast Working Group, a District Great Plains Technical Committee member, and co-editor of The Practical Brewer, Fourth Edition.

Session Title(s)

• Cleaning, Conveying, and Storage of Malt: Impacts of Malt Handling on Performance and Yield

Dirk Loeffler

TBD
TBD

Dirk...

Session Title(s)

• Safety Queries & Quandaries: Ask the Brewery & Food Safety Committee

Henry Maca

HWM Yeast Solutions, LLC
Owner/Consultant

Bill Maca is proprietor of HWM Yeast Solutions LLC, specializing in yeast propagation, fermentation, yeast management, and microbiological troubleshooting. With more than 45 years in the brewing industry, including senior yeast and fermentation leadership at MillerCoors, he holds advanced degrees in microbiology and environmental engineering and teaches brewing and microbiology courses through MBAA and the Siebel Institute.

Session Title(s)

• Yeast Propagation - A timeless fundamental to achieve optimal fermentation performance

Aakaanksha Maddineni

Acorn Genetics
Director of Research

Aakaanksha Maddineni is the Director of Research at Acorn Genetics, where she leads the development and validation of the company's molecular detection assays. She holds a Master of Biotechnology from Northwestern University, with a background spanning clinical and molecular genetics. Her work focuses on making molecular testing reliable in complex, real-world samples outside the laboratory. Her goal is to give industry partners quality and safety testing they can trust, so problems are caught early.

Session Title(s)

• Simplifying Brewery Microbiology: Validation of a Portable On-Site qPCR Platform for Beer Spoilage Bacteria and Wild Yeast Detection

David Marten

TBD
TBD

David...

Session Title(s)

• Novel tunnel pasteurizer treatment technology dramatically improves results in a double deck 4-regenerative zone, 12 compartment high speed can line at a major U. S. brewery

Andrew Maust

University of Arkansas
PhD Candidate

Andrew Maust is a PhD Candidate and Senior Graduate Assistant in Food Science at the University of Arkansas, where his research focuses on improving the quality, production, and safety of non-alcoholic beer. He holds degrees from Rice University and Texas A&M University and has industry experience with H-E-B, NASA, PepsiCo, and beverage startups.

Session Title(s)

• Exploring Glucosidase Activity and Sulfur Production in Maltose-Negative Yeast for Improved Non-Alcoholic Beer Flavor
• Safety Queries & Quandaries: Ask the Brewery & Food Safety Committee

Matt Meadows

New Belgium Brewing Co. Director of Field Quality

Matt has been with New Belgium Brewing since 2002 and has led Field Quality since 2006, now spanning New Belgium, Bell's, and Kirin USA. He focuses on building practical, scalable Field Quality systems, covering distribution, storage, and dispense, that protect beer integrity from brewery to glass across a national network. He is also a co-author of the Brewers Association's Draught Beer Quality Manual.

Session Title(s)

• Protecting Your Art: Developing and Scaling a Post-Brewery Quality Program

Garrett Meier

TBD
TBD

Garrett...

Session Title(s)

• Can't Pass Up a Deal: Successfully integrating used equipment into a production facility

Thomas Mondor, MSc

Gusmer Enterprises, Inc.
Regional Manager

Tom Mondor has worked in the brewing industry since 2011, including seven years as a Lead Brewer before joining Gusmer Enterprises, where he serves as Regional Sales Manager, Key Account Manager, and Brewing Market Team Leader. He holds brewing credentials from CIBD and Heriot-Watt University and serves as Treasurer of the MBAA St. Paul–Minneapolis District.

Session Title(s)

• Precision Yeast Nutrition: Improving Fermentation Performance with MicroElements Brew Powder

Dr. Campbell Morrissy

pFriem Family Brewers
Director of Brewery Operations

Campbell has been in the beverage alcohol industry for over 15 years; working in facilities ranging from a mountain town brewpub to a nationally distributed craft whiskey distillery, and currently as the Director of Brewery Operations at pFriem Family Brewers in Hood River, Oregon. Campbell earned his master’s in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot-Watt University and PhD in Barley Breeding and Genetics from Oregon State University. He is passionate about continuing education and is an active in various capacities with the MBAA, BA, and AMBA.

Session Title(s)

• Can't Pass Up a Deal: Successfully integrating used equipment into a production facility

Luisa Muhleisen

Escarpment Labs
Quality Manager

Luisa is the Quality Manager at Escarpment Laboratories, Canada's leading liquid yeast manufacturer. She has held roles as a brewer and quality technician at regional breweries in Ontario before landing at Escarpment Labs. Before her career in brewing, Luisa was an analytical chemist with Eli Lilly for a decade, where she developed her skills in method development and validation. She holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Biology from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and a Brewing Diploma from Niagara College.

Session Title(s)

• Counting the Clusters: Evaluating Accuracy and Throughput of Snowflake Yeast Quantification Techniques for Quality Control

Roxana Navarro

Oregon State University
Faculty Research Assistant, Lab Manager

Roxana Navarro received her Bachelor's and Master's in Food Science and Technology at Oregon State University where she studied off-flavor production in fermented beverages like kombucha, wine, and beer. She has previously worked in the alcoholic beverage industry as a product developer in the beyond beer category. She currently works as a Faculty Research Assistant in the Food Safety and Quality Systems Laboratory run by Dr. Joy Waite-Cusic where they help the food and beverage industry with any microbial challenges that they may face.

Session Title(s)

• Carbonation as a Control Mechanism of Salmonella Growth in Non-Alcoholic Beer

Hirotaka Nishina

SAPPORO Breweries, Ltd.
Researcher

Hirotaka Nishina received his M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Kyushu University in 2022, where he conducted research on the regulation of animal cell differentiation. He joined Sapporo Breweries Ltd. in the same year. Since 2022, he has been a member of Packaging Technology R&D group, engaging in the development of packaging materials and containers, as well as beer dispensers and related equipment.

Session Title(s)

• Enhancing Draft Beer Foam Quality Using an Improved Slide Valve

Nick Okada

Rhinegeist Brewery
Engineering Project Manager

As Engineering Project Manager at Rhinegeist Brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio, he leads capital projects, equipment integration, and brewery-wide efficiency initiatives. A University of Cincinnati chemical engineering graduate, he combines engineering expertise with hands-on brewing experience to improve process performance, reliability, and operational efficiency.

Session Title(s)

• Weak Wort Recovery - Are you leveraging your extract to its fullest potential?

CJ Penzone

RahrBSG
Regional Sales Manager - New England

CJ Penzone is a Siebel trained brewer and Regional Sales Manager at RahrBSG, where he supports breweries with supply management, ingredient selection, and technical brewing solutions. His background includes roles at Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Troegs Independent Brewing, Fegley's Brew Works, and he currently serves as the Communications and Membership Chair for MBAA District New York. His desert island beers are Half Acre Daisy Cutter and pFreim Pilsner. When he's not working, you can find him gardening, fermenting & baking all kinds of dough, or riding his bike.

Session Title(s)

• The Evolution of West Coast IPA: What's Changed, What Matters, and How You Can Leverage Data To Create Modern West Coast IPA's

Jen Pesavento

Two Roads Brewing Company
Food Safety Manager

Jen Pesavento is Food Safety Manager and PCQI at Two Roads Brewing Company, where she develops and manages food safety programs through auditing, training, and cross-departmental collaboration. A member of the MBAA Brewery & Food Safety Committee, she shares her expertise through Food Safety Bites on topics including allergens, food fraud, and brewery training.

Session Title(s)

• Mitigating Risk & Loss - Preoperational Inspections in the Brewery
• Safety Queries & Quandaries: Ask the Brewery & Food Safety Committee

Liz Pratt

Watershed Studio
Sensory & Flavor Systems | Diagnostics, Training & Implementation

Liz Pratt is an independent sensory and flavor specialist based in the Netherlands. Starting out in American craft beer, she previously managed production at a Heineken-owned brewery in Amsterdam, gaining direct experience with global quality standards and systems. Since moving into independent projects, she has applied that technical rigor across diverse industries, evaluating everything from ice cream to environmental air samples.Today, Liz helps breweries and other beverage producers troubleshoot flavor issues, build sensory programs, and integrate sensory evaluation into everyday quality decisions. Rather than treating sensory science as an isolated technical discipline, Liz focuses on making it approachable and useful. She views sensory work as a way to connect people, processes, and product quality...whether that means resolving an off-flavor or building a shared vocabulary across a brewing team. Her work bridges two distinct sides of the industry: the structured quality culture of global brewing and the resourcefulness, speed, and creativity of independent craft producers.

Session Title(s)

• Sensory-Led Shelf Life: Translating Technical Data into Customer Acceptance

Dr. Alastair Pringle

Pringle-Scott LLC
Principal Consultant

Alastair Pringle earned a Ph.D. from the University of Bath in England.  He worked at Anheuser Busch Inc for 25 years where he held the position of Senior Director of Brewing Research.  Alastair is currently the principal consultant at Pringle-Scott LLC; a science-based consulting company that works with craft and regional breweries, as well as the food industry.  He is a member of the MBAA, ASBC, BA, and CIBD: he recently assumed the role of North American Section Chairperson for the CIBD.  In addition, Alastair has over 15 years of experience teaching microbiology, applied microbiology, and biotechnology at the college level.

Session Title(s)

• Draught Beer - Microbiology and Food Safety

Chris Reilly

BioMérieux
National Account Manager

Chris Reilly is a National Account Manager serving the alcoholic beverage industry, helping breweries, wineries and beverage producers strengthen quality assurance and microbiological testing programs through a consultative, solutions-focused approach. Before entering his commercial role, Chris was a brewer at an east coast regional brewery prior to building a quality lab program and supporting microbiological testing, quality systems, and contamination control initiatives.An award-winning brewer with a passion for barrel-aged sour beers and mixed-culture fermentation, Chris brings firsthand brewing and quality experience to every customer engagement. He works with breweries and beverage manufacturers to implement practical, science-based solutions that improve product quality, operational efficiency, and brand protection. Chris is a frequent speaker on brewery microbiology, rapid testing technologies, contamination prevention, and quality management best practices.

Session Title(s)

• From Detection to Decision: Applying Metagenomics to Understand and Manage Microbial Risk in Brewing and Beverage Production

Dr. Tom Shellhammer

Oregon State University
Professor of Fermentation Science

Dr. Shellhammer is the Nor'Wester Professor of Fermentation Science and a Professor of Food Science at Oregon State University, where he leads research, teaching, and outreach programs centered on beer and raw-materials quality, with a particular focus on hops. A former President of both the American Society of Brewing Chemists and the District NW Master Brewers Association of the Americas, he received the MBAA Award of Merit in 2021. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists and the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.

Session Title(s)

• Beyond HSI: Understanding Aroma Hop Aging from Storage to Beer

Maddie Shults

University of Arkansas
Master's Student

Maddie Shults is a Graduate Assistant and a 2nd year Master's Student at the University of Arkansas in the Department of Food Science, where she is working under the supervision of Dr. Scott Lafontaine. Maddie got her undergrad degree in Food Science at the University of Texas A&M, and she had the opportunity of interning at Kellogg's, McCormick & Co. , and PepsiCo. Maddie's research is focused on the shelf stability of different rice formats, and how each of those affect the flavor of beer when brewed with.

Session Title(s)

• Investigation of the shelf stability of different rice formats and its effect on lager quality

Devin Smith

Clarion River Brewing Co.
Head Brewer

Devin Smith is Head Brewer at Clarion River Brewing Company, bringing 10 years of brewing industry experience and a strong commitment to education and innovation. She serves as the District Pittsburgh President and on the MBAA Editorial and Publishing and Scholarship Committees, supporting knowledge-sharing and professional development across the brewing industry.

Session Title(s)

• Brewing With Historical Herbs and Timeless Teas

Lucas Smolic

Sake Brewers Guild
President & Founder

Lucas Smolic is Vice President of Operations and R&D at Origami Sake, bringing a background in software engineering and extensive sake brewing experience in the U.S. and Japan, including serving as Toji at Wetlands Sake in New Orleans. He founded BrewSake.org and helped launch the Sake Brewers Guild, advancing education, collaboration, and innovation in sake brewing worldwide.

Session Title(s)

• The Mysterious Mr. Moyashi

Mark Taylor

Airborne Labs International
President 

Mark R. Taylor is President of Airborne Labs International, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory specializing in gas analysis and testing. With more than 25 years of experience, he is a recognized expert in gas chromatography and CO₂ beverage gas analysis, serving the industry through technical research, troubleshooting, standards development, and advanced analytical solutions.

Session Title(s)

• Beyond the Bubbles: Safeguarding Quality and Brand Integrity Through CO2 Purity

Andrianus "Arno" Thijssen

Logical Systems, Inc.
Sr. Digital Transformation Consultant

Arno Thijssen has nearly 40 years of experience in industrial automation, with the past 25 focused on food and beverage manufacturing. His expertise spans process control, digital transformation, connectivity, AI, and machine learning, bringing a broad perspective on connecting people, process, and technology.

Session Title(s)

• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Data Analytics Application in Brewing for Process Improvement

Alex Thompson

Clemson University
Brewing & Fermentation Associate

Alex Thompson is the Brewing and Fermentation Associate for Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Alex has previously worked as a professional brewer, served as a country extension agent, USDA REEU mentor, and President of the Southeastern Section of Food Technologists.

Session Title(s)

• Bacterial Contamination and Surface Hygiene in the Microbrewery Environment

Sam Thompson

Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Director of Brewing, Utilities, & Innovation

Sam began his brewing career after earning a brewing certificate from BrewLab in the UK and working as Lead Brewer at North Coast Brewing. He joined Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, where he progressed from Night Brewer to Director of Brewing, Utilities, and Innovation, with experience spanning brewery operations, quality, and brewery development.

Session Title(s)

• Getting More From Less: The Benefits of Downstream Bittering Extracts
• Use Structured Frameworks to Level-up Your Data-based Decision-making Skills

Evan Thorpe

RTI International
TBD

Evan is...

Session Title(s)

• Hold My Beer: Why PFAS in Water Matters for Brewing Quality - and What the Industry Can Do About It

Alex Titov

Lallemand Brewing
Technical Sales Manager

Alex is a Technical Sales Manager with Lallemand Brewing, supporting breweries across the Southeastern United States with yeast, fermentation, and process optimization. Having spent 15 years working in both large-scale and craft breweries, he combines hands-on brewing experience with a strong technical background in fermentation science. Over the past five years at Lallemand, he has worked closely with brewers to solve production challenges, improve beer quality, and evaluate innovative brewing solutions. His areas of interest include yeast physiology, fermentation performance, biotransformation, and the practical application of brewing science in commercial production.

Session Title(s)

• Biotransformation in Hop-Forward Beer: Theory and Practical tips for brewers
• Understanding Lager Aroma Defects: From Sensory Recognition to Process Control

Dr. George van der Merwe

University of Guelph
Professor

George van der Merwe is an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph with more than 30 years of expertise in yeast metabolism, fermentation stress, and industrial yeast development. His research focuses on developing and applying novel Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts for brewing, cider, and distilling.

Session Title(s)

• Generating novel lager yeasts with a regional identity

Jeff Van Voorhis

Mead & Hunt
Technical Sales/Service

Jeff is...

Session Title(s)

• Integrated Water Reuse and Energy Recovery System - Large-scale brewery in Phoenix, Arizona

Rodney Waite

First Key Conulsting
Vice President, Technical Services

Rod Waite is Vice President, Technical Services at First Key Consulting, overseeing capital projects, process design, utilities, and engineering for breweries and distilleries of all sizes. A Professional Engineer with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Rod previously held engineering and project management roles with Labatt Brewing Company/Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Session Title(s)

• Capacity Modeling as a Master-Planning Tool for Integrated Beverage Facilities

Chris Waymeyer

ADM Nutrition / Wild Flavors
Sr. Flavorist

Chris Waymeyer is a Senior Flavorist with ADM Nutrition. He has spent the last 20 years with ADM, first in Beverage Development before moving to Flavor Creation. He develops flavors and flavoring solutions for a wide variety of products from alcoholic beverages including beer, spirits and seltzers to non-alcoholic beverages including non-alcoholic beer, functional drinks and energy drinks. He is a member of the Society of Flavor Chemists and American Chemical Society. When not developing flavors, he enjoys exploring the diverse landscape of food and beverages to gain a deeper understanding of a vast array of flavor profiles.

Session Title(s)

• Beyond Pellets: Liquid Hopping for Yield, Speed, and Efficiency

Jason Weihbrecht

New Realm
Business Intelligence Manager

I have over 10 years of food/bev QA experience.  My experience includes medium to large beverage producers including Troegs, Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and now New Realm.  I spent more than 3 years in an operations leadership position at Oskar Blues in Brevard NC (Monster Brewing) before transitioning to a role as an Operations Data Analyst for Monster Brewing (working with data from all production locations plus copackers).  I joined New Realm in February 2026 and have been working on building out their data infrastructure.

Session Title(s)

• Visualizing Brewery Data to Drive Smarter Decisions

Kane Willie

TBD
TBD

Kane

Session Title(s)

• Can't Pass Up a Deal: Successfully integrating used equipment into a production facility

Alan Windhausen

Murphy & Son
Technical Sales Manager

Alan Windhausen is a Technical Sales Manager for Murphy & Son and an experienced brewer, educator, and consultant. He chairs the Colorado Brewers Guild Technical and Education Committee and serves on the Brewers Association Quality/Draft Quality Subcommittee, with previous brewing roles at Holidaily Brewing Company, Pikes Peak Brewing, and Wynkoop Brewing.

Session Title(s)

• From Mushrooms and Corn to Bright Beer: A Novel Vegan Fining Agent