Conference Committee

Klaus Kraemer, Ph.D.
Chair, 2023 Conference Committee, Micronutrient Forum
Board of Directors, Micronutrient Forum
President, Sight and Life Foundation

Dr. Klaus Kraemer is the President of Sight and Life Foundation, a nutrition think tank headquartered in Switzerland, the editor of Sight and Life magazine, a scientific magazine on food, nutrition, and health in low- and middle-income countries, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of International Health of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. Dr. Kraemer serves on several professional societies dedicated to nutrition, food systems, micronutrients, and implementation science, and has published over 150 scientific articles, 13 books and numerous other publications. Dr. Kraemer is passionate about supporting good nutrition for people who need it most. At present, he successfully leads efforts to make nutritious eggs more available and affordable, and to shape the supply and demand of maternal Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS). He serves on the Board of Directors of the Micronutrient Forum, Chair of the 2023 Conference Committee, and he is a member of the Swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries.

Maria Elena Jefferds, Ph.D.
Chair, 2023 Program Committee, Micronutrient Forum
Lead Epidemiologist and Team Lead,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA

Dr. Maria Elena Jefferds, is a Lead Epidemiologist and Team Lead of the International Micronutrient Malnutrition Prevention and Control Program (IMMPaCt) in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Jefferds has expertise in behavioral science; population-based surveys and assessments; surveillance; and the design, monitoring, and evaluation of micronutrient and nutrition programs. She and the IMMPaCt team are actively engaged with partners on effectiveness studies, national micronutrient surveys, and strengthening nutrition surveillance systems in multiple countries in Africa, Asia and Central America.
Dr. Jefferds is a member of multiple global technical advisory groups. She served as the Chair of the Program Committee for the 4th Micronutrient Forum Global Conference in Cancun, and the 5th Micronutrient Forum Global Conference in Bangkok.

Rajul Pandya-Lorch
Board of Directors, Micronutrient Forum
Independent Strategic and Communications Leader

Rajul Pandya-Lorch is a strategic and communications leader with 30+ years of experience in food policy research, communications, and capacity development. She has a proven track record in designing and implementing high-level policy consultations and conferences, developing strategic engagements with key donors and partners, pioneering innovative communication and capacity building approaches, revitalizing and managing diverse teams, and advising institutional leadership. At the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Rajul served concurrently as Chief of Staff in the Director General’s Office, as well as Director of the Communications and Public Affairs Division. She has published numerous books and articles, spoken at and moderated many events, and served on several advisory boards and committees, including the Board of Directors at Micronutrient Forum.

Kenneth Brown, M.D.
Chair, Advisory Council, Micronutrient Forum
Emeritus Distinguished Professor,
Department of Nutrition and Institute for Global Nutrition,
University of California, Davis, USA

Dr. Kenneth Brown is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Institute for Global Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. He completed medical studies at the University of Pennsylvania and trained in Pediatrics at the Boston Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Brown has researched and published more than 350 articles on the causes, complications, treatment, and prevention of childhood undernutrition in low-income countries, focusing on infant and young child feeding practices, relationships between infection and nutrition, and control of specific micronutrient deficiencies, including zinc, iron and vitamin A.
He has served as Founding Director of the research unit in International and Community Nutrition at UC Davis; Founding Chair of the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group; committee member of multiple global health organizations and technical expert groups; and editorial board member of several leading nutrition journals. He is a past-President of the Society for International Nutrition Research, Fellow of the American Society of Nutrition and the International Union of Nutrition Sciences, and a recipient of the Kellogg Award for International Nutrition Research, the McCollum Award, the Rainer Gross Award, the Suskind Award for Pediatric Nutrition and the Prince Mahidol Award for nutrition and public health.

Saskia Osendarp, Ph.D.
Executive Director and
Co-Chair, Advisory Council, Micronutrient Forum

Dr. Saskia Osendarp is globally recognized as a nutrition researcher with over 25 years of experience in nutrition. She brings expertise in child development, micronutrients, and fortification. She has a proven track record in both the public and private sectors of successful international research collaborations, program design, impact evaluations, and innovation project launches. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Micronutrient Forum, leading projects on the micronutrient data gap, women’s nutrition, and co-convened the Standing Together for Nutrition Consortium analyzing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutrition.
A native of the Netherlands, Dr. Osendarp holds an MSc and Ph.D. in Nutrition from Wageningen University & Research, where she is also an Associate Professor of Micronutrients and International Health. She has been co-author of over 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. Dr. Osendarp has a strong passion for improving the future of many through improved, evidence-based nutrition solutions and driving global change for nutrition.