2025 PAFP Conference

Where:

Penn Stater Conference Center

215 Innovation Blvd, State College, PA 16803

For the room discount code, please check on the Registration site ‘Lodging’ Page.

When:

May 7 to 8 (Wednesday to Thursday)

What:

The Program Planning Committee, is continuing to work on bringing you topics that interest you and keep you up to date in the food industry and regulations.

General Conference Overview

2025 Speaker Bios & Presentations

  • Cindy Weimer

    Cindy is a life-long dairy promoter with more than 38 years of service to farmer-funded dairy checkoff promotion programs. Cindy helps lead a strategy to build sales and trust for dairy and directs industry communications, crisis readiness and environmental programs on behalf of dairy farmers.

    ADANE Checkoff Update

  • Phillip Harchak

    Phillip M. Harchack has been with PDA since 2015 and serves as the Food Safety Program Specialist. He is also the Laboratory Evaluation Officer, SSO and assists with Field staff Equipment and Support. He holds a Bacehlor’s of Science in Biology from Saint Francis University and a Master’s of Science in Biology from Shippensburg University.

    Lab Update

  • Milk Program Specialist PDA

    Karie Williams

    Karie Williams is a Milk Program Specialist for the PA Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Sciences. Her current functions include overseeing regulatory enforcement for all dairy production throughout the state, staff education, and public outreach opportunities. She is the lead State Rating Officer and Sampling Surveillance Officer for plants and farms under PDA’s Grade “A” program. Karie is the state delegate for NCIMS and NADRO, attends the DPC and 3A conferences, and sits on the AMDERC review committee. She has been with PDA for 10 years, spending the last 5 years in the specialist position; she was a territorial milk and food inspector for 5 years before that. She received her master’s degree in public health from The Ohio State University. During the MPH program, Karie completed an internship with the Ohio Department of Agriculture where she was initially exposed to the food regulatory world. She also has a bachelor’s in biology and an associate’s in veterinary technology. Some of her spare time is spent working as a state-certified veterinary technician in a small animal internal medicine specialty and emergency hospital. Her free time is spent traveling, cuddling with her cats, and being the quirky, fun aunt for her nieces.

    2025 Approved Industry Inspector Training

  • Miquela Hanselman

    Miquela Hanselman joined NMPF in 2019 as its director of regulatory affairs, leading NMPF’s regulatory-focused efforts on nutrition and public health, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. She also oversees NMPF’s efforts for the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shipments, the multi-sector Tuberculosis Working Group and NMPF’s internship program. She is also the program lead for FARM Biosecurity, focused on protecting the health of dairy farmers’ herds and employees.

    Hanselman received her Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science and Master of Public Health with a concentration in food systems from Cornell University. Growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York still operating today, she is thankful for the opportunities that being a part of the dairy industry has given her. She enjoys going home to help her brothers feed calves, milk cows and to spend time with her dog, Poppy.

  • Dr. Ernest Hovingh

    Dr. Ernest Hovingh is the director of the Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State. He completed his DVM, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, in 1990PhD., In 1995, he completed his residency in the area of Dairy Ambulatory Medicine, at Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island. Finally, he also holds a PhD, in Epidemiology, from Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island as well.

    Ernest’s areas of expertise include Biosecurity and Infectious Disease Management, Bovine Hoof Health, Mastitis, Milk Quality & Milking Equipment, Johne's Disease and On-farm Food Safety.

  • Travis Edwards

    Travis is the co-manager of the Penn State Dairy Barns.

  • Deputy Secretary of Agriculture - Lisa Graybeal

    Lisa Graybeal is a third-generation dairy farmer milking 820 cows on 1,400 acres in southern Lancaster County. Lisa grew up on her family’s dairy farm, Graywood Farms LLC, then attended Northeastern University in Boston, MA where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter for publications in Massachusetts, Maryland and then at the Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    Lisa returned to the farm in 2003 to assist in the family’s new building and expansion of the dairy. Fluent in Spanish, one of her main jobs was to hire and train employees as the labor pool changed to more immigrant Hispanic labor. She later became an owner of the farm and served as herd manager the last three years. Lisa’s responsibilities on the farm included staff management and oversight, calf and cow care, and equipment operation when needed. She was also in charge of weekly payroll and served as the backup financial manager.