2025 ICPHSO Annual Meeting and Training Symposium: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

8:00am EST

Day 3 - Opening Remarks and Announcements

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:00am - 8:10am EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Speakers

David Kosnoff

ICPHSO Planning Chair/Incoming President, Product Safety Executive

Recently retired from Walmart after a career spanning nearly forty years in corporate life, including a focus on product safety since 2006, David has had the privilege of leading Product Safety teams for Walmart, Hasbro, Amazon, and Mattel. His work included two Hong Kong based assignments... Read More →

Kim Mason

Vice President, Product Quality and Compliance and ICPHSO President, Five Below

Kim Mason is the Vice President of Product Quality and Compliance at Five Below. She leads a team who implements and manages processes, systems, and training related to product safety, testing and regulatory compliance. Kim also oversees Five Below’s social responsibility program... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:00am - 8:10am EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Plenary

8:10am EST

Ross Koeser Tribute and Achievement Award Presentation

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:10am - 8:25am EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Carol Pollack-Nelson, former President and Planning Chair, will deliver a tribute to Ross Koeser, who sadly passed away on January 25, 2025.

Following the tribute, we will recognize the recipient of the 2025 Ross Koeser Achievement Award, Don Kornblet. The award will be presented to Don by the 2024 recipient, Pinuccia Contino.

Congratulations Don!

Speakers

Carol Pollack-Nelson

Principal, Independent Safety Consulting, LLC

Carol Pollack-Nelson, Ph.D. is a human factors psychologist specializing in consumer product safety. She works as a consultant and researcher, providing guidance to manufacturers, retailers, attorneys, test labs, consumer groups, and the government on product safety issues including... Read More →

Pinuccia Contino

Deputy to the Director for Consumers & Head of Unit Product Safety and Rapid Alert System, European Commission

Pinuccia Contino is the Deputy to the Director for Consumers & Head of the Product Safety and Rapid Alert System Unit in the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST). In this capacity, she is responsible for the European Union's legislation on general product safety... Read More →

Don Kornblet

Product Safety Advisor/President, ADK Information Services, LLC, ADK Information Services

Don Kornblet has dedicated over 40 years to enhancing consumer product safety on a global scale. He has significantly contributed to ICPHSO through his work with ADK Information Services and as the Product Safety Advisor to the Society of Product Safety Professionals (SPSP). Since... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:10am - 8:25am EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Plenary

8:25am EST

Regulator Session 1 : CPSC Updates

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:25am - 9:15am EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Hear the latest information from CPSC on 2025 activities.

Speakers

Jonathan Midgett

Consumer Ombudsman, US CPSC

Jonathan Midgett, Ph.D. is the Consumer Ombudsman at the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in Bethesda, Maryland [https://www.cpsc.gov/About-CPSC/Consumer-Ombudsman]. Since joining CPSC in 2001, Dr. Midgett has been evaluating emerging hazards and contributing to the... Read More →

Jim Joholske

Director, Office of Import Surveillance, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Import Surveillance

James “Jim” Joholske is Director of the Office of Import Surveillance at the U.S. ConsumerProduct Safety Commission (CPSC). He began his career at CPSC in July 2000 in the agency’s Office ofCompliance and Field Operations. While in the Office of Compliance and Field Operations... Read More →

Stephen Lee

Program Specialist, Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, CPSC

Stephen Lee is a graduate of SUNY Stony Brook with a Master’s degree in general chemistry and has been with the CPSC since 2015. Stephen first joined CPSC as a Compliance Officer within the Regulatory Enforcement Division where he oversaw and enforced various mandatory requirements... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:25am - 9:15am EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Regulator

9:15am EST

Regulator Session 2: Global Regulator Updates

Wednesday February 19, 2025 9:15am - 10:05am EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Hear from global regulators on the latest regulatory activities in their jurisdictions.

Moderators

David Kosnoff

ICPHSO Planning Chair/Incoming President, Product Safety Executive

Speakers

Pinuccia Contino

Deputy to the Director for Consumers & Head of Unit Product Safety and Rapid Alert System, European Commission

Jim Joholske

Director, Office of Import Surveillance, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Import Surveillance

Thezi Mabuza

Deputy Commissioner, National Consumer Commission, South Africa

The National Consumer Commissioner is a regulator responsible for consumer protection in relation to all transactions and service except, financial services.I am interested on topics related to eCommerce with special interest for people with disabilities, Do not Call registers and... Read More →

Sarah Smith

Deputy Chief Executive, Office for Product Safety and Standards, UK

Sarah is the Deputy Chief Executive of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade. She leads the UK Government’s approach to product regulation and market surveillance, and legal metrology, including administering new sovereign... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 9:15am - 10:05am EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Regulator

10:35am EST

Regulator Session 3 Health Canada Updates

Wednesday February 19, 2025 10:35am - 11:25am EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Hear from representatives from Health Canada who will provide regulatory updates.

Speakers

Dennis Price

Director General, Consumer and Hazardous Products Safety Directorate, Health Canada

In November 2022, Dennis Price joined Health Canada as Director General of the Consumer and Hazardous Products Safety Directorate. In this role, Dennis is responsible for the assessment, management and communication of health and safety risks for all consumer products and cosmetics... Read More →

Nadira Rambritch

Director - Consumer Product Safety Program, Health Canada

Nadira Rambritch is the Director of the Consumer Product Safety Program within the Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch (ROEB) at Health Canada. With over 20 years of service within the Government of Canada, Nadira has held key roles across various programs at Health Canada... Read More →

Lynn Berndt-Weis

Director, Assessment, Information and Engagement Bureau, Health Canada

Lynn Berndt-Weis is the Director of the Assessment, Information and Engagement Bureau within Health Canada’s Consumer Product Safety Program. In this role, Lynn oversees activities to identify, assess, and manage health and safety risks posed by consumer products and cosmetics.The... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 10:35am - 11:25am EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Regulator

12:35pm EST

Lunch and Keynote 3: Sally Greenberg, JD -- Chief Executive Officer, National Consumers League (NCL)

Wednesday February 19, 2025 12:35pm - 1:45pm EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

The following attendees are being recognized with a Certified Product Safety Professional designation. Congratulations to all:

Nathan Mouw
Senior Director of Global Product Safety and Regulatory Affairs
Whirlpool Corporation

Kylee Rogers
Senior Product Safety/Compliance Consultant
Best Practice Quality

Anusha Sirimanna
Senior Quality Assurance Manager
Carters Osh Kosh

Speakers

David Kosnoff

ICPHSO Planning Chair/Incoming President, Product Safety Executive

Sally Greenberg, JD

Chief Executive Officer, National Consumers League (NCL)

Sally Greenberg is a champion of consumer and worker rights and joined the National Consumers League (NCL) as Executive Director on October 1, 2007. An expert on a broad spectrum of issues, Sally has testified before Congress and federal agencies on privacy matters, food labeling... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 12:35pm - 1:45pm EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Lunch, Keynote

1:45pm EST

Certified Product Safety Professional Designation - Recognition

Wednesday February 19, 2025 1:45pm - 2:00pm EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

ICPHSO is pleased to present the following attendees who are being recognized with a Certified Product Safety Professional designation earned through the Society of Product Safety Professionals (SPSP) certification program. Congratulations to all!

Nathan Mouw
Senior Director of Global Product Safety and Regulatory Affairs
Whirlpool Corporation

Kylee Rogers
Senior Product Safety/Compliance Consultant
Best Practice Quality

Anusha Sirimanna
Senior Quality Assurance Manager
Carters Osh Kosh

Speakers

David Kosnoff

ICPHSO Planning Chair/Incoming President, Product Safety Executive

Laurel Roney

Vice President, Product Integrity, Spin Master, Inc./SPSP

Laurel Roney has worked in the consumer goods industry for more than 20 years and was a member of the SPSP Job Analysis Committee which was responsible for defining the knowledge requirements and specific skills necessary to demonstrate competence and understanding required to design... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 1:45pm - 2:00pm EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Lunch, Recognition

3:10pm EST

Plenary Session 6: Protect Consumers From Unsafe Products in the E-Commerce Era: Leveraging CPSC Efiling and Testing to Ensure Safety and Compliance.

Wednesday February 19, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

The surge in online shopping has brought convenience by allowing products to reach consumers directly, while sometimes bypassing the scrutiny and jurisdiction, potentially posing safety risks to consumers. The CPSC is strengthening its enforcement of safety regulations more rigorously. Moreover, the CPSC's eFiling system is set to revolutionize product compliance data reporting, swiftly identifying potentially hazardous products in the market. All other key stakeholders in safety, including third-party testing laboratories, also play pivotal roles by helping the supply chain adopt comprehensive testing programs that guarantee product safety, compliance, and quality. In this session, we'll discuss the challenges of managing product safety in the era of e-commerce, share industry practices in monitoring and testing high-risk products in the e-commerce market, and explore how to leverage the eFiling system to import safe products into the US market.

Moderators

Min Zhu

Senior Director, Technical Services & Operations, US & Canada Softlines, SGS North America Inc.

Dr. Min Zhu is at the helm of SGS North America's Softlines technical and operations teams, with an impressive 20-year track record in textile research, product development, performance evaluation, and technical marketing. She oversees the development of cutting-edge testing and compliance... Read More →

Speakers

Jim Joholske

Director, Office of Import Surveillance, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Import Surveillance

Vaibhav Kulkarni

Director Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, Hasbro, Inc.

Vaibhav Kulkarni is Director Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for Hasbro, Inc. based in Rhode Island.He is responsible for managing Regulatory Affairs in North America and supports the Quality Assurance Team in product safety, compliance, and quality. He works with teams based... Read More →

Sophia Legros

VP of Product Integrity, Social Compliance, and Sustainability, SPARC Group

Sophia Legros is the Vice President of Product Integrity, Compliance, and Sustainability at Catalyst Brands (formerly SPARC Group LLC). Since joining the company, she has played a pivotal role in shaping its brand identity and driving expansion into new markets. With a sharp eye for... Read More →

Alexander Murph

Director of Product Safety and Compliance, The Step2 Company LLC

Alexander Murph is the Director of Product Safety and Compliance at The Step2 Company, a juvenile and home products manufacturer based in Streetsboro, Ohio. With over 16 years of experience in product safety and laboratory testing, he is responsible for ensuring global product compliance... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Plenary

4:30pm EST

Plenary Session 7: Americexit: Understanding the Increasing Divisions in the United States as Individual U.S. States Add Their Own Product Safety Requirements

Wednesday February 19, 2025 4:30pm - 5:20pm EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

As Europe largely consolidates its product safety requirements under the auspices of the EU GPSR, the United States is increasingly Balkanized with an ever-changing series of requirements depending on individual U.S. states. How can a non-U.S. company (or a U.S. company!) keep up with the changes as it seeks to market and sell in the vast American market?

This session will review the many changes in U.S. state regulations and what to expect. With a focus on non-Americans, this session will also analyze the impact of recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, the recent U.S election, and how these developments in Congress and the Presidency may lead to even more state requirements to rival CPSC’s requirements in the coming years.

Moderators

Neal Cohen

Principal, Neal Cohen Law LLC

Neal Cohen is a product safety attorney who serves as a trusted advisor for companies developing and launching new products or dealing with crises, such as product recalls. Neal specializes in regulatory compliance, hazard analysis, warnings, instructions, import investigations, consumer... Read More →

Speakers

Stacey Bowers

Global Product Compliance Manager, Enhesa

Stacey Bowers, MILS, is a Global Product Compliance Manager within Enhesa Product Intelligence's Expert Services Team. Stacey has been part of the ES Team since November 2023, but within the wider global product compliance industry for over 20 years, at companies such as Compliance... Read More →

Anders Persson

Regulatory Affairs Leader, IKEA of Sweden

Anders Persson is a Regulatory Affairs Leader at Inter IKEA Group, and has worked in the requirements and compliance team at the head office in Sweden since early 2016. Aside from his work in worldwide compliance and product safety, Anders is deeply involved in sustainability and... Read More →

Gretchen Lee Salter

Strategic Advisor, Safer States

Gretchen Salter has been a leading advocate in the environmental health movement since 2005. Drawing on her experience as an organizer in electoral politics, she has spearheaded successful campaigns across the country to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products, including... Read More →

Wednesday February 19, 2025 4:30pm - 5:20pm EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Plenary

5:20pm EST

Day 3 - Wrap Up and Announcements

Wednesday February 19, 2025 5:20pm - 5:30pm EST

Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)

Speakers

David Kosnoff

ICPHSO Planning Chair/Incoming President, Product Safety Executive

Wednesday February 19, 2025 5:20pm - 5:30pm EST
Grand Cypress D-I (Ballroom Level)