Cosmetics Regulatory Summit

Sharon Blinkoff is a Senior Counsel at Locke Lord LLP. Sharon represents manufacturers, marketers, and distributors of cosmetics, dietary supplements, over the counter drugs, and medical devices as well as beauty appliances and other consumer products and luxury goods. She regularly advises clients on compliance with the laws enforced by the FDA, CPSC, and the FTC, and obtaining FDA registrations and 510k premarket clearances.

Mark Thompson advises a wide array of businesses and trade associations on global compliance requirements applicable to finished foods, food additives, food packaging materials, cosmetics, industrial chemicals, and associated labeling in Asia, the U.S., and the European Union

Scott Faber leads EWG’s government affairs efforts, in which capacity he has frequently testified before Congress on food, farm, energy, water and chemical policy issues. Faber is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center. Faber is one of EWG’s top spokespeople and is a frequent source for journalists with national and regional media outlets. Faber has appeared on network and cable news programs and in documentary films, and he is regularly quoted in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, Politico and CNN.com, among many others.

Steven M. Siros is chair of the Environmental Litigation Practice and co-chair of the Environmental Workplace Health and Safety Practice. He focuses primarily on environmental and toxic tort matters. Corporations seek his counsel on complex CERCLA and RCRA matters and he regularly defends lawsuits relating to emerging contaminants in the environment and consumer products. He also manages the environmental aspects of numerous real estate and corporate transactions and helps clients perform environmental compliance audits at facilities around the world. Since 2010, Chambers USA has recognised Mr. Siros as a leading environmental lawyer in Illinois. He is an AV Peer Review Rated attorney, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Mr. Siros is a member of the firm’s Energy, Environmental and Workplace Health & Safety Law, Aviation and Aerospace, and Products Liability and Mass Tort Defense Practice Groups.

Dr. Linda M. Katz is the Director of the Office of Cosmetics and Colors (OCAC), in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates cosmetics and certifies colors used in foods, cosmetics, drugs, and devices.  In 2002, Dr. Katz joined CFSAN as Director for the Office of Cosmetics and Colors and additionally served 10 years as the Acting Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Katz received her MD from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and her BA, manga cum laude, in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Tommy Tobin serves as counsel at Perkins Coie and is based in Seattle, WA. He regularly represents well-known consumer brands in defending false advertising and labeling claims and providing regulatory counseling regarding product labeling. He is a frequent speaker and commentator on cannabis law and policy topics.

Barak Cohen is a partner at Perkins Coie based in Washington, D.C. A former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor, Barak has led numerous white-collar investigations throughout the United States. His knowledge of the justice system informs his counsel to clients in matters including alleged foreign and domestic fraud and bribery, financial misconduct, tax crimes, false healthcare and government contracting claims, campaign finance and election crimes, antitrust crimes, and environmental crimes. Barak is the founder and co-chair of the firm’s Cannabis industry group, advising cannabis industry clients of all sizes on marijuana, CBD (cannabidiol), CBG (cannabigerol), and hemp products and services matters.

Terry has spent more than 15 years as a reporter, editor and digital news team leader providing information for legal and regulatory professionals across a variety of topics, including health care, clean energy and climate change, occupational health and toxic substances. He joined Chemical Watch News & Insight in 2020.

Based in Washington D.C., Melanie Rybar supports Enhesa Product Intelligence as the expert on North America regulatory content. She has spent her career in the chemical manufacturing industry, conducting regulatory analysis, risk management reviews, developing new products and processes for companies making surfactants, functional polymers and other specialty chemicals intended for use in consumer products.

Janet Nudelman, MA, Director of Program & Public Policy, draws on over 30 years of experience working in the social change arena as a political organizer and lobbyist on women’s health issues. Under her leadership, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners advocacy efforts are playing an important role in making breast cancer prevention a priority in statehouses and the halls of congress and have resulted in the passage of 15 local, state and federal laws creating the nation’s first municipal precautionary principle ordinance; first statewide biomonitoring program to measure the pollution in people; enacting a California and federal ban on phthalates in kids toys; and securing passage of California legislation that requires the disclosure of the ingredients in professional salon products, cleaning products and fragrance and flavor ingredients in cosmetic products.

Paula Johnson has led the California Safe Cosmetics Program at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for the past 8 years. The program investigates and informs the public about hazardous exposures from cosmetics and keeps a public searchable database of products containing ingredients linked to health harm.

Heather Trim, Executive Director. Heather has more than 25 years of experience in environmental work ranging from zero waste to toxic chemicals and habitat issues. At Zero Waste Washington, her focus has been on reducing upstream sources of waste and addressing downstream impacts, getting toxic chemicals out of products, eliminating plastic pollution, and building on the organization’s signature producer responsibility policy initiatives. Previously, at Futurewise, she worked to prevent runoff from entering our waterways and improve shoreline management practices and policies. Heather was at People for Puget Sound for over ten years where she focused on protections for the marine environment. Earlier, she was staff scientist for the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council and worked for the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board on water quality standards, regulatory permits, pollution assessments, greening the LA rivers and habitat renewal.

Amanda Nguyen is the Vice President, Government Affairs & Legal, for Fragrance Creators Association based in Arlington, VA. Leading the association’s Government Affairs and Legal Department, her focus is on ensuring effective industry advocacy and providing in-house legal support. She engages with state and federal policymakers on a range of fragrance-related issues, including ingredient communication, chemical management, and trade and tariffs.

Dr. Christopher Lee Bartlett is an experienced toxicologist committed to designing safer products through the application of toxicological methods and the promotion of safer alternatives. Chris has a diverse background in assessing materials and finished consumer products, hazard and safety labelling, maintaining product stewardship guidelines, and setting strategies for toxicology testing protocols, having worked for biotechnology and consumer product companies, as well as multiple federal agencies.

Sok-Han gains her industry experience as an independent regulatory affairs consultant, with a focus on Japan, South Korea and other Asian markets. She serves as a conduit between the Japanese market and the rest of the world, assisting industry in navigating through complex compliance frameworks. Her specialty is in food and beverage, food contact, health supplement and cosmetic products. Sok-Han is a fluent speaker of Cantonese, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin.

Raissa Havens joined UL as a Regulatory Specialist in 2019, where she focuses on new and existing chemical regulations for Latin America countries and Portugal. Raissa is responsible for maintaining UL’s Chemical Regulatory Database updated and provides advisory services for companies that manufacture industrial chemicals and export products into these countries.

Jess Chia-Sui Hsu is currently the Regulatory Manager at Global Product Compliance (GPC). Her team is responsible for existing and emerging chemical regulatory compliance intelligence and support. She has a MSc in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science (LUMES) and a PhD in Human Geography, both from Lund University. Since 2019, Jess has been involved in a wide range of regulatory compliance and training activities, such as REACH, supply chain management, product compliance and circular economy. She is also the coordinator for GPC’s internship program, which guides young talents to success in the regulatory field. 

Pharm D, Ms Caroline Bassoni has recently joined Cosmed as Regulatory Affairs Director, bringing 20 years of experience in the cosmetic industry, mainly within Johnson & Johnson, IFF -International Flavours & Fragrances and Boots on various product categories : skincare, hygiene, suncare, perfumes. As part of Cosmed, the trade association federating around 1000 French cosmetic companies, Caroline together with an expert regulatory team represents, defines and defends the cosmetic sector positions and interests within various French and EU organizations and commissions to anticipate and shape the future. Caroline develops and promotes as well Cosmed scientific expertise and guiding tools (regulatory monitoring, training...) at EU and international level.

Born and raised in Mexico, Melissa Owen is an international lawyer licensed in the U.S. who speaks Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, and English. Her knowledge of the cultural, language, and legal dimensions in both Latin America and the U.S. have made her uniquely suited to guide her multinational clients through the complex and rapidly changing world of environmental, sustainability, and health and safety matters in the region. She began her legal career in the environmental and international departments of a leading national U.S. law firm and then moved into private practice. For over 25 years, she has advised Fortune 100 companies as well as international trade associations on emerging chemical regulations, Circular Economy, Extended Producer Responsibility, product stewardship and a myriad of other regulatory topics. She is a recognized expert on ESG/EHS regulations in Latin America and a frequent speaker at international events about emerging chemical regulations.

I am a Biological Pharmaceutical Chemist with 11 years of experience working in the regulatory affairs area, carrying out and developing regulatory shielding strategies, maintenance in the life cycle of products, advertising, registration of the pharmaceutical sectors, vaccines, medical devices, cosmetics, food supplements , food, veterinary products and home care products nationally and internationally.  With the strategies, have been registrations consolidated national and in the areas of the United States, the European Union, South America, and Central America, allowing the opening and expansion of the market.

Hamidah is currently the Director of Global Regulatory Affairs - Asia Pacific for Colgate-Palmolive. Her team is responsible for products stewardship and regulatory compliance for CP in Asia Pacific which includes management of halal compliance. Hamidah who has 29 years experience in regulatory affairs management is the current  VP for Communication / International PR of the ASEAN Cosmetic Association. She had also contributed in leadership roles in cosmetics trade association in Malaysia and has been actively involved in the development of the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive. Hamidah has contributed to the development of the Malaysian halal standards for cosmetics & also to the government efforts in developing national occupational framework and National Occupational Skills Standards for halal.

Nhat Nguyen is a US licensed attorney with over 9 years of global regulatory compliance. He currently serves as the Chief Analyst for Enhesa Product Intelligence and leads a new department which provides further insights and solutions to Enhesa Product Intelligence's customers on regulatory compliance, technology and scientific data regarding chemical and chemical products. 

Hans Ingels is heading the Unit responsible for the bio-economy, chemicals and cosmetics in the European Commission's DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. The unit also manages the EU legislation on CLP, fertilising products, toys, detergents, pyrotechnics, civil explosives, Good Laboratory Practice and drug precursors. Before this, he was the head of unit responsible for single market policy, mutual recognition, market surveillance and free movement of goods. Hans Ingels joined the European Commission in 1995 and spent most of his career on files related to the single market for products. He obtained a Law Degree (KULeuven – Belgium), a Degree in Notarial Studies (KULeuven - Belgium), a Postgraduate in Company Law (KUBrussel Belgium) and a Master Degree in European and International Law (VUBrussel – Belgium).

Yasmin is a Professional Chartered Chemist and have 15 years’ experience in the Cosmetics Industry in both Retail and supply to Retail. Most recently, she worked for Sally Beauty as Regulatory & Technical Manager at Sally Beauty, who are an international distributor and retailer of cosmetic brands as well as well private label cosmetics, selling to the professional and retail hair and beauty market.

Following an Honours Degree in Biology & Psychology Ray began work for a multinational inspection, product testing & certification company, specialising in the risk assessment of consumer products and household chemicals. During this time he obtained an MSc in Pathology & Toxicology, with research focussing on the carcinogenic potential of essential oils. In 2007 Ray joined a leading supplier of chemical management software and was responsible for reviewing global chemical legislation and liaising with Regulatory Agencies around the world. Ray has been with Delphic HSE since 2009, providing expert advice to clients and staff, as well as overseeing the technical direction & development of the Company and its software systems.

15+ years working in specialist information and events including product safety, chemicals compliance and metals. Joining Chemical Watch in 2018 and leading the brand transition to Enhesa, Ryan currently heads up the go-to-market strategy for Enhesa Product.