About Dr. Alissa Moritz

Dr. Alissa Moritz serves as the Poultry Technical Service Manager at Perdue Animal Nutrition. Born and raised in New Jersey, she received her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Bioscience from the University of Delaware and completed her Ph.D. in Poultry Nutrition at Clemson University. Her research focused on tannin-free sorghum as an alternative to feed ingredients and its implications on the performance and intestinal health of broilers and quail. In her free time, Alissa enjoys traveling and engaging in outdoor activities from kayaking and hiking to training for half marathons. 

About Dr. Kathy Gross

Dr. Kathy Gross recently retired after an esteemed 32-year career at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., where she excelled in pet food research and development. She now serves as an Adjunct Professor at Kansas State University, contributing her expertise to the pet food science and animal health programs on both the Manhattan and Olathe campuses. In addition, Dr. Gross consults on topics such as companion animal nutrition, pet food and ingredient product design, innovation and animal health.

Before retiring from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Dr. Gross held the role of Worldwide Director of R&D, overseeing the nutritional design, clinical studies and global claims for Hill’s companion animal products. Her tenure included leading product development and research departments, spearheading the pet wearables innovation team, and managing University collaborative research programs. With over 100 publications, abstracts and book chapters to her name, and 20 patents granted, her research has spanned a diverse range of canine and feline nutritional and health topics, including probiotics, prebiotics, digestive function, cancer, urinary health, obesity and the benefits of ingredients like L-carnitine and lipoic acid.

Dr. Gross earned her Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from Kansas State University, an MS in Animal Nutrition from Virginia Tech, and a Bachelor’s in Animal Bioscience from Penn State University. She and her husband have two grown daughters and a son. They live on a ranch in Topeka, Kansas, where they raise Red Angus cattle and enjoy life with several horses, a dog and a cat.

About Florentino Lopez

Florentino Lopez currently serves as an independent agricultural consultant with Creando Mañana, LLC. Creando Mañana is an agricultural consulting company catering to the needs of individuals and companies looking for a fresh perspective, insightful review and the opportunity to create untraditional approaches that result in substantial and meaningful change. As a consultant, he assists the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and other entities in the promotion of sorghum and other agricultural products both domestically and internationally through the facilitation of direct product sales, the building of inter-company relationships and sharing of technical information. Before his current role, Florentino served as the executive director of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program is a farmer-funded organization dedicated to improving the sorghum industry through research, promotion and education both domestically and internationally.

About Dr. Terry Coffey

Dr. M. Terry Coffey received his B.S. in Agriculture in 1975, M.S. in Animal Science in 1977 and Ph.D. in Animal Science/Nutrition in 1981 from the University of Georgia. After graduation, he joined the faculty of the University of Florida’s Department of Animal Science.

In 1984, Dr. Coffey moved to North Carolina State University Department of Animal Science where he developed a program focused on research in nutrition. In 1990, he was appointed Associate Department Head of the Animal Science Department at North Carolina State University. Dr. Coffey has authored or co-authored over 75 peer-received publications and numerous other articles and research reports.

Dr. Coffey joined Murphy Family Farms in 1991 and served in various capacities. In 2001, Murphy Family Farms was purchased by Smithfield Foods. Dr. Coffey was named President of Murphy Farms LLC, in 2002 became President of Production Operations East for Murphy-Brown LLC and in 2011 was named Smithfield Foods Hog Production Division first Chief Science and Technology Officer. In that role, he was responsible for the company’s nutrition, veterinary diagnostics laboratories, advanced vaccine technology development laboratory, research and development capabilities as well as Smithfield Premium Genetics until his retirement in 2020.

Dr. Coffey is the principal managing partner of Parkway Advisors, LLC. In that role, he works with agricultural technology companies in both the U.S. and Europe. He serves as a scientific advisor and as a member of the Board of Directors of several agriculture and biotechnology startups. In addition, he serves as CEO of Carolina Seed Systems a company that utilizes advanced technologies to produce and market sustainable food, feed and bio-industrial crops.

Dr. Coffey is a member of the American Society of Animal Science. In addition, he is a member of the University of Georgia Graduate School Advancement Board, Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America Cape Fear Council, University of North Carolina at Wilmington Endowment Board, University of North Carolina at Wilmington Board of Visitors, and the Union Presbyterian Seminary Board of Trustees.

He has a distinguished record of professional and public service on numerous community, state, regional and national organizations including among others as an adjunct faculty in the Department of Animal Science North Carolina State University, the Board of Trustees at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Board of Directors of the American Society of Animal Science; Board of Directors of the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education; Board of Directors of ProLinia, Inc.; North Carolina State University Animal Science Department Advisory Board; the United States Department of Agriculture Industry Futures Project; and the Advisory Council for Agriculture at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

About Dr. Shannon Norris Parish

Dr. Shannon Norris Parish is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Communications at New Mexico State University and is a Ziglar-certified speaker and trainer. As a science communicator, Dr. Parish’s courses are designed to help students understand the basics of food, fiber and natural sciences to help connect the agricultural industry to lay audiences. Her research supports the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security in connecting agriculture to national defense and national security efforts. She graduated from Texas A&M University with her Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. For her doctoral dissertation, she developed a curricular framework for the U.S. Army Special Forces to use when conducting agricultural assessments in Middle Eastern conflict zones, and she is currently in the process of commissioning as an officer in the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command. Dr. Parish grew up on an Angus and Brangus beef cattle ranch in Cliff, New Mexico, and she was active in 4-H and FFA. In that capacity, she served as a New Mexico FFA State Officer and a National FFA Officer in 2010–2011. She attended NMSU for her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Extension Education and Oklahoma State University for her Master’s in Agricultural Communications. She and her husband, Mason, and three-month old, Odie Ray, live in Las Cruces with their two dogs, Tex and Crouton.

About Lane Addison

From 2018-2020, I was a Junior Board Director for the Team Purebred Junior Board, during which time I assisted in conducting national junior swine shows. Each summer, we also attend retreats involved with bettering our understanding of the commercial swine industry with visits to Elanco, The Pork Board and various commercial operations.

During my 4-H career, I raised swine projects and was involved with several small breeding operations.

Starting in 2014 and until 2021, I worked on a large scale catfish farm from April-Sept; working in a foreman capacity from 2018-2021.

I earned my B.S. in Animal and Dairy Sciences at Mississippi State University, during which I was heavily involved in the Block & Bridle club and assisted with a beef cattle metabolism trial.

I am currently finishing up a M.S. degree at Mississippi State University in Animal Science with a focus on Beef Cattle Nutrition. My research looked at the effects of supplementing zinc prior to and after weaning on ADG and immune status of beef calves. While pursuing my M.S., I have also been a full-time ranch hand and caretaker for a 25 head broodmare operation that also has a small cattle herd

My current professional intentions are to start a career in the beef cattle feedlot industry or the livestock feed industry with the possibility of continuing my education to pursue a Ph.D. later.

About Youhan Chen

I’m an international Ph.D. candidate in the Pet Food Program at Kansas State University. I also have vet med degrees from China. I am devoted in companion animal nutrition and food ingredient evaluation, which is all part of my Ph.D. work. I look forward to a career in the pet food industry in the near future.

About Christina Vogel

I am a master’s student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying Animal Sciences, specifically companion animal nutrition. My research focuses on how a corn fermented protein ingredient (by-product of corn ethanol production) affects the health of dogs when incorporated into diets and the digestibility of these diets fed to dogs. In the future, I would like to work in a nutrition role formulating/developing dog and cat diets for a pet food company. I am excited about this opportunity because I would like to learn as much as I can about the ingredients that can be used in pet diets and their nutritional profiles. 

About Sarah MacDonald Murray

I am a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Anna Kate Shoveller focused on the effects of dietary omega 6:3 ratio on feline metabolism, focused on kitten growth and development.

I am passionate about improving the health and well-being of animals and promoting mental health. Known for my attention to detail and strong work ethic, my goal in any workplace is to positively contribute to my team and enhance any project I work on. I have experience collaborating with talented individuals in a wide array of industries and draw on these experiences and working relationships to produce innovative solutions in my research approach. I spend my spare time learning new things like riding motorcycles and embroidery and enjoying quality time with my partner, our two cats, friends and family.

About Maria Alvarenga

I’m honduran with a bachelors degree in agricultural sciences and a masters in poultry science focused on nutrition. I’m currently getting my Ph.D. in the animal and veterinary sciences department at Clemson, focusing in poultry nutrition. During my Ph.D., I’ll be working on research related to the utilization of sorghum as an alternative ingredient in broiler and layer diets.

About Carolyn Pearce

I studied honors pre-veterinary biology with a minor in chemistry in undergrad and I am currently working on my master’s in animal science with a minor in nutrition. My research has been with alternative feeds in broilers (and soon layers), but I am interested in all livestock. After my masters, I will be heading to veterinary school and plan to go into mixed or large animal practice.

About Hannah Miller

I am a second-year Ph.D. student studying Monogastric Nutrition at the University of Missouri. My research focuses on how corn-based fibers influence the microbiome and gastrointestinal tract of pigs. After graduation, I hope to find myself working in industry as a production nutritionist.