The National Coffee Association announced that Kathryn Lawson, MS, RDN has been named the new Chair of the NCA’s Science Leadership Council (SLC), the preeminent authority on coffee science in the U.S. In her new role as SLC Chair, Ms. Lawson will guide the work of the Council on a range of scientific issues affecting the coffee industry from regulation and policy to research monitoring, health and nutrition, food safety, and more.
A registered dietitian, Ms. Lawson serves as Nestlé USA’s Senior Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Manager, where she leads a team of professionals in applying science to consumer product development while coordinating Nestle’s regulatory strategy in support of the Nestlé Coffee Partners, Global Brands, and Bakery Sweets businesses.
Ms. Lawson is also actively involved in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has served on the boards of the Commission of Dietetic Registration (CDR)’s Cultures of Gender and Age (COGA) Member Interest Group and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Political Action Committee (ANDPAC). Ms. Lawson completed her Bachelor of Science in dietetics with an emphasis in health promotion at Michigan State University and her combined Master of Science and dietetic internship from the University of Vermont.
I am thrilled to lead the Science Leadership Council at such an important time for the NCA and for the coffee industry. With such rapid innovation happening across the coffee value chain – and an increasingly complex regulatory environment – the work of the distinguished scientists on the SLC has never been more critical.
Kathryn Lawson
Kathryn will bring with her an incredible depth of knowledge in the nutrition, food science, and regulatory space that will be essential to the success of the SLC moving forward. We could not be more excited to have her leading this group of distinguished scientists at a time of such unprecedented change in our industry.
Bill Murray, NCA President & CEO
Ms. Lawson will be filling the role previously held by Dr. Brian Schaneberg, formerly of Starbucks Corporation, who has transitioned to a new leadership role at the Institute for Food Safety & Health (IFSH) at the Illinois Institute of Technology. NCA thanks Dr. Schaneberg for his many years of service and dedication to coffee and the SLC.
