Frank Yiannas
Former Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. FDA
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 2:00 PM ET | 11:00 AM PT
When a food safety incident happens in a food or beverage manufacturing environment, the difference between rapid containment and a costly recall often comes down to what happens in the first 24 hours, and whether teams are prepared to act quickly, document clearly, and follow established processes.
In this session, former FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas shares leadership lessons from Disney, Walmart, and the FDA to help food safety, quality, and operations leaders strengthen prevention, improve response, and stay audit-ready.
Topics include:
- Identifying plant-level process gaps before they lead to recalls
- Preparing teams with clear roles, training, and expectations before a crisis hits
- Responding effectively in the first 24 hours with the right documentation and decisions
- Strengthening traceability and records to support audits and investigations
- Turning real incidents into system-level improvements across operations
Presenter
Former Deputy Commissioner for Food at U.S. FDA, Food Safety Executive for Global Brands, Past President of the International Association for Food Protection, Author, Adjunct Professor, Food System Futurist, and Advocate for Consumers.
Frank Yiannas is a renowned food safety leader and executive, food system futurist, author, professor, past president of the International Association of Food Protection, and advocate for consumers.
Most recently, he served under two different administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a position he held from 2018 to 2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with two industry giants: Walmart and the Walt Disney Company.
After retiring from the FDA, Yiannas founded Smarter FY Solutions to help organizations address critical food safety and supply chain challenges. He also advises several prestigious companies, offering consultancy services to modernize compliance strategies and ensure clients meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.
Throughout his career, Frank has been recognized for his role in strengthening food safety standards in new and innovative ways, as well as building effective food safety management systems based on modern, science-based, and tech-enabled prevention principles.
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