International Safe Transit Association

Event Speakers

Elin Akerlund

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB

Research and Development Engineer

Elin Akerlund
Elin Akerlund is a Project Manager and Research & Development Engineer in the division of Bioeconomy at RISE in Stockholm. She drives initiatives to create smarter, more sustainable packaging solutions tailored to customer needs. With a strong focus on innovation, Elin is also in charge of and actively involved in research projects centered on corrugated board, pushing the boundaries of material performance and design.
Lucas Avery

Illuminate

Product Development Engineer

Lucas Avery
Joe Byrnes

Rochester Institute of Technology

Student

Joe Byrnes
Joe Byrnes is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering and Technology student pursuing his BS/MS in Manufacturing and Mechanical Systems Integration at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and plans to graduate in May of 2027. He has completed two co-ops with GE Vernova and is currently in the process of searching for his third and final co-op. At RIT, he is a member of his college's Student Advisory Board (CET SAB), has served several leadership positions through his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, and has worked on research projects with Dr. Kyle Dunno since January.
Bryan Cardis

Cold Chain Technologies

Senior Director, Customer Optimization

Bryan Cardis
Bryan is Graduate of Michigan State University with a Degree in Packaging with over 23 years of experience in temperature-controlled packaging development, warehousing, transportation, and logistics. Bryan is an active member of the ISTA Pharma Committee engaged in industry collaboration, creating industry best practice guidance documents, and driving industry standardization. Formerly, Bryan worked at Eli Lilly and Company for 18 years serving as a Senior Advisor for Global Packaging and the Temperature Controlled Center of Excellence enhancing global temperature-controlled solutions and distribution and logistics processes. Currently, Bryan is the Sr. Director of Technical Services for Cold Chain Technologies focusing on providing extensive pharma background and expertise to aid in development of cost-effective thermal solutions that meet customer safety, environmental, regulatory, and quality requirements.
Jeffrey Chida

Eli Lilly and Company

Advisor-Engineering

Jeffrey Chida
Jordan D'Amario

Michigan State University

Student

Jordan D'Amario
Jordan is a student at Michigan State University with more than three years of research experience focused on consumer insights, AI-driven analysis, and packaging development. Her work centers on understanding consumer behavior and leveraging emerging technologies to inform strategic design and innovation.
Changfeng Ge

RIT - Packaging Science Program

Director, APC center for Packaging Innovation

Changfeng Ge
William Green

IBM Corporation

DE & CTO IBM Supply Chain Engineering

William Green
Bill Green
Distinguished Engineer & Chief Technologist, Supply Chain Optimization, Sustainability & Protection – IBM Corporation
Chair, ISTA Global Board Sustainability Committee
Master Inventor, IBM
Bill Green is a Distinguished Engineer and Chief Technologist at IBM, where he leads global initiatives in supply chain optimization, sustainability, and product protection. With over two decades of experience in packaging engineering and logistics, Bill has pioneered IBM’s sustainability packaging strategy, resulting in the elimination of over 8,700 tons of packaging waste and generating more than $20 million in cost savings.
A recognized thought leader in the transport packaging industry, Bill serves as Chair of ISTA’s Global Board Sustainability Committee and is the Immediate Past Chair of ISTA’s Global Board of Directors. He is a passionate advocate for embedding sustainability into every facet of packaging and logistics, emphasizing that environmental stewardship is both a business and moral imperative.
Bill is a Master Inventor at IBM, holding multiple patents and mentoring dozens of colleagues through the innovation process. His accolades include the Black Engineer of the Year Dr. Mark E. Dean Legacy Award for Technical Excellence, IBM’s Outstanding Innovation Award, and the Supply Chain Distinction Award for North America.
A.J. Gruber

ISTA

President & CEO

A.J. Gruber
Mr. Gruber is President & CEO of the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA), an association focused on minimizing product damage throughout distribution and optimizing resource usage through effective package design. He also serves as President of the ISTA Educational Foundation. Prior to joining ISTA as the VP Technical in 2012, Mr. Gruber spent 6 years focused on the specific concerns of transport packaging and dangerous goods at UPS where he led the development of the UPS Eco Responsible Packaging Program. His various industry activities include the Editorial Board for the Journal of Applied Packaging Research (JAPR), Cal Poly Industry Advisory Board, and the Cal Poly Research Consortium.
Eric Hiser

ISTA

Vice President of Standards & Certification

Eric Hiser
Stephanie Ihejirika

Michigan State University

Graduate Research Assistant

Stephanie Ihejirika
Prasanna Katragadda

Trayak, Inc.

Vice President of Products

Prasanna Katragadda
Dave Leinberger, LPDP, CPP-F

ABF Freight

Senior Manager, Packaging Engineering & Mat Hand.

Dave Leinberger, LPDP, CPP-F
BS & MS in Packaging: Michigan State University
35 Years experience in transport packaging
ISTA LPDP. Research Council Member, Standards Council- Past Chair
IoPP College of Fellows
ASTM D-10 member
Ken Leung

Google Inc.

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Ken Leung
Google Inc.
Gloria Mai

University of Florida

Student

Gloria Mai
Gloria Mai is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida pursuing a degree in Biological Engineering with a specialization in Packaging Engineering. Graduating in 2026, she plans to continue her education with a Master’s in Packaging at Michigan State University. Her interests span packaging design, distribution and operations, and human factors. Gloria currently applies her knowledge of packaging distribution and heat-transfer principles through her work in UF’s packaging research lab and design course projects. Building upon her prior industry experience in packaging operations, she aims to pursue a career in packaging reliability and operations.
Hiral Rajendrakumar Makwana

Virginia Tech

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Hiral Rajendrakumar Makwana
Jesús Francisco Marcos

ITENE

Industrial Scale Up Technical Expert

Jesús Francisco Marcos
Industrial Engineer specialized in Electronic Systems and Automation, graduated from the School of Industrial Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Holds a Master’s Degree in Data Science and Big Data from IEBS Business School. Currently working as an Industrial Scale-Up Technical Expert at ITENE, where he has been contributing for four years to technical assistance, engineering development, and R&D projects focused on packaging, materials, transport, and monitoring technologies.
Mara McDaniels

Allianz Commercial

Senior Marine Risk Consultant

Mara McDaniels
Derek Moelbert

Rochester Institute of Technology

Student

Derek Moelbert
Derek is a 4th year Mechanical Engineering Technology student at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He is the vice president of RIT’s American Society of Mechanical Engineers and led their Pumpkin launcher competition at the University of Rochester, and over half a dozen exhibits for the RIT Imagine festival. During an internship at Waygate Technologies, he focused on supplier quality and interdisciplinary communication, using skills developed at RIT to fix problem parts millimeters wide and push forward drawing changes. With over a year left in his dual degree program he is looking forward to completing research with Professor Dunno and the rest of his fellow students.
Payton Moore

University of Florida

Student

Payton Moore
Payton Moore is a packaging enthusiast passionate about designing smarter, more sustainable solutions for the future. At Procter & Gamble, she honed her skills in materials analysis, consumer-focused design, sustainability, and ISTA testing, even developing an FEA-based tool to evaluate packaging performance in real-world conditions. As president of her university’s packaging engineering club, she leads initiatives that connect students with industry, spark curiosity, and encourage hands-on innovation. Always exploring new materials and circular design ideas, Payton is dedicated to expanding her expertise and shaping the next generation of sustainable packaging that balances performance, environmental responsibility, and creativity.
Hethson Mwinkum

Michigan State University

Graduate Research Assistant

Hethson Mwinkum
Brian O'Banion

ISTA

VP of Research

Brian O'Banion
Jonghun (Jay) Park

Toronto Metropolitan University

Associate Professor

Jonghun (Jay) Park
Dr. Park is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Centre for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability (CPIS) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). His research program focuses on optimizing packaging systems and design for sustainable packaging distribution, using experimental methods, finite element analysis and life cycle assessment.
William Pelletier

University of Florida

Instructional Associate Professor

William Pelletier
James Raw

Smithers

Director of Packaging Testing Operations

James Raw
James has over 30 years of experience in packaging testing and evaluation, with a broad knowledge of packaging materials and processes, and the global supply chain. Having managed projects in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, James has extensive knowledge of test methods, shipment hazards, and real-life conditions on an international scale.

James’ knowledge covers sectors and packaged products from medical devices and pharmaceuticals to consumer goods, industrial components, and electronics. His project experience ranges from damage reduction to pack design and cost avoidance. He also spent four years specifically working with packaging for dangerous goods, and brings a vast amount of transferable technical expertise from this.

James’ technical experience is supported by his degree in Materials and Mathematics. James is also an International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) Certified Packaging Laboratory Professional (CPLP) Technologist.
Mirta Reyes

Johnson & Johnson

Project Manager,Temperature Control Support Center

Mirta Reyes
Luke Ross

Rochester Institute of Technology

Student

Luke Ross
Luke Ross is a 4th-year Mechanical Engineering Technology BS and Mechanical and Manufacturing Systems Integration MS, graduating in Spring 2027. He has had internships at Plug Power, Baldwin Richardson Foods, FTL Labs, and BETE Fog Nozzle. He currently works at RIT as a thermodynamics TA and CNC machining lab TA. He has recently started working on research with the Mechanical Engineering Technology department related to drop deposition and in-vitro lung models. He started working on the vibrational mechanics for the 2-DOF vibration table and has been helping with the design.
Khadijeh Shirzad

Eli Lilly and Company

Sr. Principal Engineer

Khadijeh Shirzad
Jay Singh

California Polytechnic State University

Professor

Jay Singh
Ian Skinner

Rochester Institute of Technology

Student

Ian Skinner
Ian is a 4th-year Packaging Science student at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) graduating in May 2026. He has completed two Co-Ops at Mars Wrigley with the global and regional teams, developing skills in project management, packaging design, and sustainable practices. Ian also has extensive lab testing experience from working in the RIT Packaging Dynamics lab for over two years. He is looking forward to returning to Mars Wrigley full-time this coming summer as a rotational associate.
William Snyder

Toronto Metropolitan University

PhD Student

William Snyder
Will is a PhD student researching sustainable packaging, with a focus on measuring and understanding the physical distribution hazards that products experience during transport. His work contributes to the development of packaging solutions that reduce environmental impact while maintaining product protection.
Prashanth Srinivasa

RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB

Senior Researcher

Prashanth Srinivasa
Prashanth Srinivasa is a senior researcher in the division of Bioeconomy at RISE in Stockholm. His background is in Sound & Vibrations and Solid Mechanics. He works mainly on the mechanics of fibre based materials utilising both experimental and numerical methods. His primary interest is in fibre-based materials, particularly material structure & material property interactions and the mechanics therein. He has worked on the multi-scale mechanics of cellulose based porous materials, mechanics of 3D fibre networks, fracture mechanics of low-density cellulose fibre networks and bio-based composites, and dynamical testing. He is mostly motivated by understanding the underlying mechanisms that define the mechanical property space of new sustainable fibre-based materials and thereby to contributing to their improved performance.
Matt Thompson

ISTA

Vice President of Program & Market Development

Matt Thompson
Jim Thomson

Walmart

Director of Product Packaging

Jim Thomson
Jim Thomson serves as Director of Packaging Product Development at Walmart, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. In this role, Thomson leads initiatives to develop inbound packaging standards for Walmart’s global supplier network. His work focuses on creating test protocols that ensure products move safely through one of the world’s most advanced supply chains. He is also deeply involved in automation technologies that are shaping new retail packaging standards for decades to come.
Sam Upadhyaya

Edwards Lifesciences

VP Engineering, Advance Technology

Sam Upadhyaya
Luke Venechuk

ABF Freight

Packaging Engineer

Luke Venechuk
MS in Packaging: Michigan State University
15 Years experience in transport packaging and testing
ASTM D10.25 Vice-Chairman
Former ISTA Standards Council Member
Brian Wagner

PTIS

Cofounder and Principal

Brian Wagner
Brian Wagner is a seasoned executive with over 40 years of experience driving innovation and growth in the packaging industry. As co-founder of PTIS LLC, he has advised over 300 Fortune 500 and Forbes 1000 companies on sustainability, digital transformation, and market strategies. His “Future of Packagingâ€ program has shaped board-level decisions in CPG, manufacturing, and retail. Brian serves on boards for Michigan State University, the City of Petoskey, and nonprofits, bringing expertise in governance, risk management, and ethical decision-making. He is available for corporate board roles and strategic consulting to elevate your organization’s vision. He is a past member of ISTA NA Board and recipient of the R. David LeButt Packaging Education award.

Speakers for 2026 ISTA Forum USA

Event Speakers

Elin Akerlund

Lucas Avery

Joe Byrnes

Bryan Cardis

Jeffrey Chida

Jordan D'Amario

Changfeng Ge

William Green

A.J. Gruber

Eric Hiser

Stephanie Ihejirika

Prasanna Katragadda

Dave Leinberger, LPDP, CPP-F

Ken Leung

Gloria Mai

Hiral Rajendrakumar Makwana

Jesús Francisco Marcos

Mara McDaniels

Derek Moelbert

Payton Moore

Hethson Mwinkum

Brian O'Banion

Jonghun (Jay) Park

William Pelletier

James Raw

Mirta Reyes

Luke Ross

Khadijeh Shirzad

Jay Singh

Ian Skinner

William Snyder

Prashanth Srinivasa

Matt Thompson

Jim Thomson

Sam Upadhyaya

Luke Venechuk

Brian Wagner