Panel Discussion on Advancing Pre-Warmed Media: Insights, Updates, and Best Practices

Barbara has over 30 years of industrial microbiology experience and is currently working in Regulatory Marketing at MilliporeSigma. She is an active member in several national and international bodies addressing microbiological topics in ISO, CEN, IDF and IFU, including the ISO Working Groups ‘General requirements and guidance for microbiological examinations’, ‘Method validation’ and ‘Culture media’.

Joined MilliporeSigma (the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada) in 2020 as a Regulatory and Public Health Expert for Food and Beverage Safety Testing in North America. Previously, she served as Director of Lab Operations at Puretech Health in Boston and Food Lab Outbreak Supervisor at the New York City Department of Health Public Health Laboratory. She has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Hamilton College, MSc in Microbiology & Immunology from James Cook University in Australia and did continuing coursework in public health at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. She’s a member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), WHO Food Safety Communities of Practice and currently sits as an Advisory Panel member for several working groups with AOAC International.

Brian Connolly brings over 20 years of experience in Microbiology and Food Science beginning with his BS in Microbiology and MS in Food Science from University of Massachusetts Amherst to MilliporeSigma. He has previous experience as a Microbiologist with the Mass. Dept. Of Public Health, Ingredient Development Scientist at Martek Biosciences, Technical Applications Manager at Denomega/Borregaard, and as a Lab Coordinator/Instructor with Hawaii CC. He has extensive expertise in method development, feasibility studies, bioburden/sterility testing, PCR challenge studies, and Validations IQ/OQ/PQ.

Rodney Ortega joined MilliporeSigma in 2003 as a Technical Sales Representative to mainly focus on food pathogen detection utilizing DNA based methodology. He has a BS in Microbiology from University of Texas at Arlington. He spent the previous 9 years working in a food microbiology laboratory in various roles and finished as the Laboratory Director. He currently provides sales and technical support to customers on food pathogen detection.

Justyce received her BS in Chemistry and MBA from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. At MilliporeSigma she is responsible for engaging with influencers in the food and beverage industry to align initiatives to be in the highest regulatory compliance and promote best practices among testing methods promoting the safest and highest quality food. She currently serves as the Chair of the Food Sciences Section of the American Council of Independent Labs and Board of Directors for the Independent Laboratory Institute. She is a member of IAFP, ISBT, and AOAC.