Speakers
2025 SPEAKERS
During the COVID-19 pandemic she led global supply chain management of AstraZeneca’s novel COVID-19 vaccine, from licensure through late-stage development, approval, commercialization, launch and distribution across approximately 1BN doses to 100+ countries in record time.
Previously she managed commercialization and supply of a pipeline of large-molecule medicines through a number of innovative external partnerships for AstraZeneca, and was responsible for leading 100% growth in supply of AstraZeneca’s live-virus flu vaccine. Prior to AstraZeneca Ms. Alexander held a number of roles in supply management at Johnson & Johnson and Novartis.
Ms. Alexander holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia, as well as a BA and MA from Oxford University in the UK.
In her free time Ms. Alexander rehabilitates rescue dogs and helps re-vitalize communities. 
Alan holds a Ph.D. in Management from Kennesaw State University, an MBA from Indiana University, and a BA in Business and Psychology from Lewis & Clark College. 
John has multiple tours of duty working alongside leading private equity sponsors to build and reshape organizations resulting in outsized returns on capital. As CEO of WOW, he is the principal architect of the company’s business strategy and helped build out the organization from its early stages. John was recruited to WOW as their first-ever CEO. He has amassed a proven track record of building best-in-class teams across operational, commercial, and financial disciplines.
Over his 28-year career, John has served as a Financial and Operational Executive for several successful private equity back enterprises. Prior to joining ATRG, he served as Chief Financial Officer of NESCO, a portfolio company of Energy Capital Partners, and prior to that Platinum Equity. Prior to joining NESCO, John served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of SENCO Brands, a portfolio company of Wynnchurch Partners. Prior to SENCO, he served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance of Kuhlman Electric Corporation, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group. John has proven experience in all aspects of finance and operations including information technology, manufacturing, assembly, distribution, sales, customer service, administration and human resources.
John holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Bellarmine University, and was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Kentucky prior to electing to transition to inactive status as he was no longer in a financial role. 
At P&G, for the last 10 years Andrew led global supply chain capability development, responsible for mastery, innovation and governance across planning, logistics, NPI and customer / supplier collaboration supporting all BU’s and regions. He was P&G’s leader in its supply chain know how licensing alliance with EY. He also led industry strategic external relationships. Prior to this, he had assignments of increasing leadership and scope across the US, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Andrew’s expertise includes digital transformation, supply chain strategy and network design, leadership and organization development, supply chain rankings, planning, recruiting, new product introduction, planning, shelf-to-cash, transportation and warehousing, contract manufacturing, major acquisition integration and program management in leading large-scale business process transformation and digitization projects. In 2021 he was inducted into P&G’s ‘Magnus Society’ which recognizes long-term mastery translated into results and capability, and in 2024 received a Lifetime Achievement “Pro’s to Know” award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
In addition to corporate work, Andrew’s experiences touch civic (he serves as elected Council Member) and non-profits (Board work including President, VP and Treasurer roles.)
Andrew is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is married, and has four children.
Ms. Coates has been a management consultant for 35+ years, helping over 80 global supply chain clients worldwide. She is an Amazon.com best-selling author with five Supply Chain Management books, including Reshoring Guidebook, and 42 Rules for Sourcing and Manufacturing in China, and Legal Blacksmith – How to Avoid and Defend Supply Chain Disputes.
Rosemary serves on the Board of Directors at the University of San Diego Supply Chain Management Institute and prior to the pandemic, she taught Global Supply Chain Strategy at UC Berkeley. She earned an MBA from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Science in Business Logistics from Arizona State University. She regularly teaches classes and seminars at the University of San Diego, UC Berkeley, and several other universities in the US and Europe.
Ms. Coates has been a management consultant for 25+ years, helping over 80 global supply chain clients worldwide. She is an Amazon.com best-selling author with five Supply Chain Management books, including Reshoring Guidebook, and 42 Rules for Sourcing and Manufacturing in China, and Legal Blacksmith — How to Avoid and Defend Supply Chain Disputes. She also works as an Expert Witness on legal cases involving global supply chain disputes.
Rosemary serves on the Board of Directors at the University of San Diego Supply Chain Management Institute and teaches Global Supply Chain Strategy at UC Berkeley. She earned an MBA from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Science in Business Logistics from Arizona State University. 
With more than 16 years of experience in pharmaceutical R&D procurement – including roles at both Regeneron and Johnson & Johnson – Derek brings a wealth of expertise in category strategy, process improvement, and team leadership. He also enjoys spearheading transformative initiatives and most recently led the pioneering pilot of the Labviva Digital Platform, an achievement that earned him and the company their first-ever short-listing at the prestigious World Procurement Congress in London (May 2025) for his Digital Impact Award category submittal.
Earlier in his career, Derek contributed expertise in operations management for Laidlaw and FedEx, excelled in B2B sales, and served on active duty in the U.S. Army. He has launched major category strategies, established donation programs for lab resources to support global health and education, and was instrumental in developing a language and culture training program that prepared over 55,000 servicemembers for overseas deployment.
Derek holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management and a Master of Health Sector Management from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, as well as a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Arizona.
Outside of work, Derek lives in Blue Bell, PA, and enjoys rock climbing with his wife and daughter. He is an advocate for veterans in the life sciences industry, having supported the creation of Veterans in Pharma (VIP), connecting veteran ERGs across pharma and biotech companies to share best practices in efforts to positively impact servicemembers, their spouses, and their communities. At this conference, he will present “Regeneron's Digital Transformation,” highlighting the impact of the Labviva Digital Platform on both the organization and its supply base. 
Scott DeGroot
Managing Dir. and Lecturer - Global Supply Chain Institute
The University of Tennessee 
Prior to this role, Scott was the General Manager of Kimberly-Clark’s Eastern Grocery team in North America. Scott’s accountabilities included driving over $650MM in revenue through a highly engaged team that included Ahold, Wakefern, HEB, Publix, Delhaize and BiLo Holdings. During his 35+ years at Kimberly-Clark, Scott has held ever increasing areas of accountability and leadership including: Director of Supply Chain Strategy; Director of Consumer Planning; Director of Distribution Operations; Director of Transportation Procurement and Analysis; Director of Transportation Operations; and Regional Logistics Leader in Chester, PA, where he led all logistics operations at the largest site in the Kimberly-Clark network.
Scott and his wife Pam live in Knoxville, TN and have 2 children – Henry and George. They enjoy soccer, running, spending time outdoors, and traveling to new cities. 
His areas of expertise include: operations improvement, facility and process design, network development and strategy, labor efficiency, software functional design and system selection, material handling integration, partnership/program management, executive strategy, and support.
Drew lives near Athens, Georgia, has been married to his wife Lindsay for fifteen years, and is father to a son, Caleb (12) and a daughter, Adilynn (9). An avid Georgia "Bulldawg," Drew holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. 
With previous roles at Körber Supply Chain, Dematic, and Toyota Material Handling Systems, Marcos is known for building trusted client relationships, tailoring automation strategies to unique operational needs, and leading end-to-end processes up to implementation to ensure lasting customer success. 
His charitable time is spent helping Ronald McDonald House Philadelphia, Wounded Warriors Foundation, Operation Smile, Vitamin Angels, St Joseph's Prep Neighborhood Outreach. 
At Cipla USA, Girish delivered over $10 million in cost savings through strategic risk mitigation and efficiency initiatives, supported a successful asthma drug launch, and earned industry recognition. He has worked closely with top consulting firms including BCG and McKinsey to boost throughput, streamline processes, and enhance enterprise-wide efficiency.
His earlier leadership experience with Granules USA, Aurobindo Pharma, and Ranbaxy Labs further established his capabilities in vendor development, supply chain optimization, and regulatory compliance, with performance recognized by the FDA and global consulting firms.
Girish brings expertise in ERP systems, strategic sourcing, and cross border team leadership. A specialist in supply continuity, risk management, and humanitarian logistics, he has partnered with UNICEF and the Red Cross to ensure delivery of critical medicines. His career is distinguished by international awards for cost optimization, process innovation, and sustaining uninterrupted healthcare supply. His vision is to advance resilient, sustainable supply chains that enable equitable access to medicines worldwide. 
Prior to Imbed, Sanjay held senior leadership roles at Accuray Inc. and Philips Medical Systems, where he drove sourcing and supply chain strategies for next-generation cancer treatment and diagnostic imaging systems. He began his career as a Merchant Marine officer with Maersk Line and MSC and gradually transitioned to MedTech Industry.
Sanjay holds a Master of Engineering in Supply Chain Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Business Logistics Engineering from The Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Nautical Sciences from the Indian Maritime University. Widely recognized for his contributions to healthcare supply chain innovation, he has received multiple leadership and industry awards and is a frequent speaker on digital transformation, AI, and supply chain resilience. 
Saurabh is a distinguished technology leader with a track record of steering iconic products from concept to mass production. His experience includes senior leadership roles at some of the world’s most influential companies, including Apple, Amazon, and Nvidia. At Apple, he led software development for multiple generations of iPods and the very first iPhone. Later, at Amazon, he built and spearheaded their consumer robotics research group. Saurabh co-founded and served as CTO of Wonder Workshop, a company that revolutionized the role of robotics in education. He also led advancements in AI for healthcare as the CEO of Koko.
A hands-on innovator and problem-solver, Saurabh holds over 50 technology and design patents. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from IIT-Delhi and Master of Science from Stanford University. 
Lance serves several positions on numerous industry associations including the CSCMP, Center of Excellence chair of Technology and Awards committees, and serves as a chair of Digital LTL Council workshops defining the next evolution of efficiency through APIs. 
Phil is credited with the development and execution of the current “LevelUp2027” strategic plan, which has redefined membership benefits, invested in technology and marketing, while expanding the education and news platforms of the association. The plan has produced exponential revenue and membership growth along with increased attendance at the organization’s signature conferences.
Prior to his IFMA appointment, Phil served as President of the Specialty Food Association (SFA) representing more than 4,000 small and emerging food entrepreneurs in the $160 Billion U.S. Specialty Food Industry and previously, as Chief Innovation & Member Advancement Officer at the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the leading business association for the $900 Billion restaurant industry. Preceding his executive leadership with the non-profits, Phil successfully led and managed foodservice and retail businesses at McCormick & Co., Cargill, Jones Dairy Farm, and Kraft.
Mr. Kafarakis was born in Athens, Greece and immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child. He is a graduate of Northern Arizona University (BS Business) and Georgetown University (Exec. MBA), a Forbes contributor, a SchwabTV network contributor, and frequently quoted and sought after food industry speaker who also volunteers on several industry Boards. 
Kent has over 35 years of transformational advisory and practitioner experience with large multi-national organizations. He specializes in SCOR®-based transformations, supply chain strategy & segmentation, supply chain planning, enterprise risk optimization and supply chain visibility. As a certified SCOR® master instructor, he has traveled the globe leading workshops, education and transformational programs.
Kent holds a master’s degree in international business from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Indiana university. His 2024 book, Sustainable Supply Chain Orchestration: Unlearning for a Better Tomorrow has been released as the seminal work on the topic. 
Arun’s advisory work focuses on maximizing enterprise value of global businesses through step changes in organic and M&A-led P&L performance. He is known for expertise in Large-scale Transformations, M&A, Operating Model Design, Route-to-market Strategy, End-to-End Supply Chain Improvement, Zero-based Budgeting, Design for Value & Sustainability, and Digital Business Enablement. He routinely publishes and speaks on bleeding-edge operations-related topics on Ivey Business Journal, SCMR, Food & Beverage Magazine, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Wine & Spirits Daily, APICS, CSCMP, IndustryWeek, and other media outlets.
Arun holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, an MEM in Operations and MS in Transportation Engineering from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University, and a BTech in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). 
Throughout his career, Dave has designed advanced analytics approaches that help teams act quickly, not just report on past data. His work in process improvement and automation has boosted productivity and streamlined complex workflows.
Under his leadership, Medline’s tech teams have accelerated digital transformation and built a culture of innovation. Dave connects business needs with smart technology, ensuring solutions are scalable and aligned with the fast-changing healthcare landscape.
Currently, he’s helping to lead the Mpower project in partnership with Microsoft — an AI-driven initiative that’s reimagining the healthcare supply chain. It focuses on automation, system integration, and using AI to drive smarter, faster decisions.
His impact comes from combining deep industry knowledge with a passion for empowering teams and delivering real results. As healthcare evolves, Dave continues to lead the way in building smarter, more responsive supply chain solutions. 
Liz has negotiated many large-scale contracts with FedEx customers and has led teams through implementations to address regulatory changes, improve team member experiences, and institute best-in-class Quality Driven Management systems and practices.
Liz is a recipient of the FedEx Five Star Award, the highest honor given at the company to those who have enhanced service and profitability and exemplified the spirit of teamwork. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Supply Chain Institute. Liz received her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Writing and Theater at Columbia College Chicago.
About FedEx Supply Chain: Originally founded in 1898 as GENCO and acquired by FedEx in 2015, this FedEx subsidiary provides warehousing, distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, returns, recycling, and transportation management. Their supply chain solutions continue to improve quality and streamline operations to boost customer profits. At FedEx, we are making supply chains smarter. 
With more than two decades of progressive leadership in logistics, supply chain and business development, Nura has successfully built and scaled client-centric organizations. Prior to joining GEODIS, she held roles at CEVA Logistics, Syncreon, iQor aND Jabil.
Nura thrives at the intersection of strategy, operations and customer engagement. Her goal: to elevate the client experience, unlock value and lead transformational change across complex, global supply chains.
She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami and Bachelor of Business Administration, Management and Operations from Libscomb University. 
Previously, Val was Head of Logistics Technology at Uber Freight, where he successfully led and scaled the company’s technology hub in Chicago. Val has 17 U.S. Patents and over 20 years of experience leading engineering and technology teams at North American Bancard, Motorola, Google, and Verifone. 
His research focus includes buyer-supplier relationships (as viewed from the supplier’s perspective), supply chain risk and resilience, strategic supply chain management, supply chain cyber security, and certified management standards. From 2014 to 2016, Dr. Melnyk was a member of the APICS Board of Directors. From 2017 to 2019, Dr. Melnyk had a joint appointment from the University of Newcastle (Australia) where he was the Newcastle Global Innovation Chair in Supply Chain Management. In 2017, the Academy of Management — the Operations and Supply Chain Division — recognized Dr. Melnyk as a Distinguished Scholar in the field. In 2018, Dr. Melnyk received the Withrow Teacher-Scholar Award from the Eli Broad School of Business, Michigan State University, in recognition of his work as both a researcher and a teacher.
He has held appointments at Cranfield (UK), Cambridge (UK), Erasmus University (Rotterdam, the Netherlands), and the University of Newcastle (Australia). He is currently part of the DBX initiative (DoD sponsored) — a research initiative in support of the CHIPS Act. Dr. Melnyk is recognized for this ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Since retiring, Dr. Melnyk has now part of the Executive Development Program at Michigan State University. 
Currently serving as Vice President of Distribution and Transportation, Bill is recognized for his ability to lead large, complex logistics operations while embracing next-generation technologies. His expertise spans the successful integration of automation, robotics, warehouse management systems (WMS), and drone-based inventory counting technologies, all of which he has used to transform supply chain capabilities and meet the dynamic demands of omnichannel fulfillment.
Bill began his career at UPS, where he built a strong foundation in global logistics, transportation and operational excellence. He went on to hold leadership positions at Avon and Victoria’s Secret Direct, where he spearheaded initiatives to modernize distribution processes for high-volume, direct-to-consumer operations. At Nordstrom and GNC, he oversaw nationwide distribution and logistics networks, implementing scalable automation solutions that significantly improved service speed, accuracy, and labor efficiency. At Longaberger, he led a strategic shift to flexible warehousing and order fulfillment systems tailored for both direct sales and traditional retail channels.
Bill’s leadership style is both visionary and execution focused. He is known for building high-performing teams, managing complex technology deployments, and aligning operational strategies with business goals. His ability to blend cutting-edge technology with practical execution has made him a key driver of supply chain transformation in the retail and ecommerce industry.
Dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation, Bill Monk remains at the forefront of how technology can revolutionize distribution and transportation, delivering measurable results and enhanced customer experiences in a highly competitive marketplace. 
Kristi holds a BS in Organizational Management from Covenant College and is a Certified Specialist in Design Thinking and Innovation as awarded by the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia. Kristi is an accomplished facilitator of ideation and design workshops utilizing Strategyzer, Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and a variety of innovation techniques to focus on step-level change. Kristi serves the industry speaking, participating as a panelist, and publishing articles promoting supply chain innovation. She actively supports WERC, Chattanooga Technology Council, and STEM initiatives and serves in various non-profit organizations in her community. 
Prior to founding TrueDemand, Peters was Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Manhattan Associates, a Senior Executive in Accenture’s Global Supply Chain Strategy Practice and he began his career at Tompkins International, a supply chain consulting firm, serving as a Vice President and General Manager. 
After 22+ years at LeanLogistics / BluJay Solutions / E2open, I joined the team of AutoScheduler https://autoscheduler.ai/ as Chief Customer Officer! AutoScheduler.AI is a supply chain analytics company focused on distribution center optimization that accelerates existing WMS capabilities with Intelligent Warehouse Orchestration. AutoScheduler's powerful, yet intuitive platform helps streamline operations across your facility by seamlessly integrating with existing WMS and ERP systems. It dynamically schedules dock doors, optimizes labor utilization, balances inventory overflow, and proactively cross docks, maximizing site efficiency. We add prescriptive analytics and drive efficiencies for companies like P&G, PepsiCo, Kellanova, Kimberly Clark and others. AutoScheduler.AI was named a Gartner Cool Vendor in 2021 and Inbound Logistics Top 100 Logistics IT Provider in 2022. 
With more than three decades of experience, Andrei brings both practitioner’s and consulting expertise to his role. His twenty-year career in Supply Chain included five years as the head of supply chain risk management at Raytheon. He also has significant management consulting experience, having worked on global strategy for Nike, Sara Lee, Philips, W.W. Grainger, Lafarge, and Kennametal.
A native of Russia, Andrei is based in Washington DC. He earned his MBA at Stanford. 
Throughout his career, he has advised Fortune 100 companies on achieving revenue growth, operational efficiency, and process excellence. Passionate about leveraging the power of technologies, like AI, he excels at transforming supply chain challenges into opportunities for long-term value creation. 
Todd’s extensive background includes senior leadership positions across diverse industries, including CPG, consumer durables and industrial products with prior roles at Del Monte Foods, Inc., Chamberlain Group, Campbell Soup Company and Storck US, LP.
Todd earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and MIS at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business Administration in Operations Management from DePaul Driehaus College of Business at DePaul University. 
An MBA graduate and seasoned educator, Stumper has been teaching supply chain and business courses for more than 15 years at a variety of universities, inspiring future leaders with real-world expertise and a passion for continuous improvement. Known for bridging the gap between theory and practice, Stumper combines academic rigor with hands-on experience to drive performance, efficiency, and innovation across industries.
Stumper was a previous customer of Warehouse on Wheels and is looking forward to sharing his supply chain experiences and how Warehouse on Wheels solved many of Toyota’s “Pain Points” along with saving thousands of dollars. 
A results-driven leader, Randy’s expertise spans supply chain, digital commerce, technology enablement, and innovation strategy—ensuring technology investments deliver measurable business impact. He leads co-innovation with partners and universities, manages emerging technology assessment, and integrates transformative solutions into mission-critical applications.
Based in the greater Houston area, Randy is dedicated to public safety, volunteering with one of the largest served agencies in the country to provide auxiliary communications support. His expertise in RF and IoT technologies helps maintain resilient communication during emergencies.
Randy studied Integrated Supply Management at Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business and earned a Master’s in Supply Chain Logistics from Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business. 
She is currently Associate Vice President of Global Supply Planning organization, driving end-to-end planning capabilities across capacity, production, and inventory planning, while advancing effective Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes that align demand and supply, transforming the way Eli Lilly operates its supply chain in a time of strong demand and increasing network complexity. Through her leadership, Victoria has championed digitalization and process improvements that enhance resilience, efficiency, and scalability across the global supply chain. 
Mr. Weisfeld began his career as a technology sector analyst with the investment banking division of Credit Suisse. He holds a degree in applied economics and management from Cornell University. 
Previously, Rosina served as the Chief Procurement Officer for Indirect Services, where she successfully drove a $13 billion procurement strategy that encompassed a diverse range of indirect service categories.
Before that role, she was the Vice President of Supply Chain Procurement for Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. In this capacity, she led a global category team focused on active pharmaceutical ingredients, biotech materials (including devices), and warehousing and external manufacturing supplies, addressing both small and large molecule as well as advanced therapy platforms.
Rosina joined Johnson & Johnson over 25 years ago as a Research Scientist in Germany and has worked in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the United States. She is also a strong advocate for women's leadership, having led the Professional Women's Leadership Initiative and currently sponsoring the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association cohort in Titusville, NJ.
Rosina holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Sussex University in the UK. She resides in Princeton, New Jersey, with her husband and two children. 
Most recently Laura served as vice president of global supply chain and industrial real estate at Amazon, where she helped the company double its global fulfillment network to accommodate massive Covid-19-driven growth. She led global teams including capacity planning, sales & operations planning, industrial real estate, operational excellence, quality assurance and seller support across North America, the European Union, China, India and Costa Rica.
Prior to Amazon, Laura held other senior supply chain leadership roles including as Chief Supply Chain Officer of Petco, Sr. Vice President of Logistics and Inventory Replenishment at Walmart and Sr. Vice President of Supply Chain at Sephora.
Laura currently serves on the boards of GXO Logistics, a publicly traded third-party logistics company, and Descartes Systems Group a publicly traded supply chain software-as-a-service (SAAS) company. She also serves on the advisory board of Vorto, a private-equity-backed, AI-enabled transportation platform.
Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in decision science from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. She is certified as a Qualified Risk Director® by the Directors and Chief Risk Officers Institute and is co-chair of the retail, consumer, hospitality and transportation committee of WomenExecs on Boards, a Harvard-affiliated nonprofit. Laura and her husband have two grown children. When she isn’t working, she enjoys riding her Indian motorcycle, playing golf and spending time with family. She currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri. 
At GreyOrange, Asfia leads strategic initiatives that integrate robotics with AI-driven warehouse execution systems to drive efficiency, scalability, and resilience across complex networks. His expertise spans network optimization, warehouse design, automation strategy, and software integration.
Passionate about the intersection of technology and supply chain, Asfia partners with organizations to transform their operations and achieve long-term competitive advantage in an evolving logistics landscape.
