Ms Rhona Applebaum , Ph.D.
Vice President & Chief Regulatory Officer, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta – USA

Rhona S. Applebaum, Ph.D. serves as Chief Regulatory Officer for The Coca-Cola Company where she leads Scientific and Regulatory Affairs (SRA). The SRA department is responsible for sponsoring scientific research, communicating regulatory policy, providing systems guidance on regulatory, safety, nutrition and health issues and working with other groups in industry, government and academia. SRA also provides greater business leadership on critical scientific and regulatory issues.

Prior to her appointment at The Coca-Cola Company, Dr. Applebaum was Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer for the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) where she was responsible for the overall direction of NFPA's three laboratory centers, regulatory and international affairs – including NFPA-Asia, the Association's regional office in Bangkok, Thailand – the Office of Food Safety Programs, NFPA's Research Foundation and the Association's Membership Department. She served as NFPA's chief scientific spokesperson on a variety of issues including nutrition and health, food safety, biotechnology and food security.

Dr. Applebaum served as a member of FDA's Food Advisory Committee, USDA's Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC), and the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade (ATAC) for animal and animal products.

Dr. Applebaum previously held leadership roles with the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, the National Confectioners Association, and the American Cocoa Research Institute.

Dr. Applebaum is currently a member of the Food Forum, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and IFT's Senior Food Officials Committee, and serves on the boards of the International Life Sciences Institute and the International Food Information Council. She also serves on the Food Products Association's Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Council, and the Grocery Manufacturers of America's Science and Regulatory Policy Committee. Additionally, Dr. Applebaum serves on the Board of Advisors for the University of Georgia's Center for Food Safety and participates as a member of the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) Food Science Strategic Policy Alliance. Dr. Applebaum also serves on the Board of the Forsyth Health Foundation.

Dr. Applebaum received her undergraduate degree from Wilson College in history and biology, her M.S. in nutrition and food science from Drexel University and her Ph.D. in food microbiology form the University of Wisconsin. She has authored/co-authored numerous scientific publications.