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"It's a real honor to be chosen to participate in this importantorganization," said Wittenberg. "I look forward to working with the rest ofthe Board to support more research of organic farming and practices andhelping to communicate its benefits to the public and policy makers."
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Wittenberg will serve a three-year term along with fellow new Boardmembers Sara Snow, organic, healthy living and environmental TV host;Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook and Timothy Escamilla, VP ofProcurement and Supply Chain for Ready Pac. Existing board members are AlanGreene, M.D., Clinical Professor of Stanford University Children's Hospital;Kathleen Merrigan, Ph.D., Director of the Agriculture, Food and EnvironmentProgram, Tufts University; David Pimentel, Ph.D., Professor, CornellUniversity; George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley; Mark Retzloff, President,Aurora Organic Dairy; Sheryl Lamb, organic advocate; James White, Senior VP,Consumer Brands, Safeway; Anthony Zolezzi, President, Zolezzi Consulting;David Gagnon, Interim Executive Director, Organic Trade Association; andMichelle Goolsby, former EVP of Development, Sustainability and CorporateAffairs, Dean Foods Inc.
Wittenberg and her fellow new Board members will replace several Boardmembers, whose terms of service have expired, including Walter Robb,Co-President and Chief Operations Officer for Whole Foods Market. Robb hasbeen appointed to The Organic Center's new group of Advisory Directors asspecial counsel to the Board and the organization. Other Advisory Directorsare former Organic Center board members Andrew Weil, M.D., author and founderof Weil Lifestyle and Katherine DiMatteo, Partner of Wolf, DiMatteo andAssociates and current President of the International Federation of OrganicAgriculture Movements (IFOAM).
"We are so pleased with not only bringing in new distinguished members toour Board of Directors, but also in creating a new Advisory Director group,"says Alan Greene, M.D., Chair of The Organic Center. "The diverse skills,talents and energies these individuals bring to the table will be a welcomeaddition to the Center. As strong supporters of our work in the past, theyhave already made a significant contribution, and now, as they join the board,we are excited by what we can accomplish together in advancing andcommunicating the science behind the organic benefit-and in raisingmuch-needed funding for the work of The Organic Center."
Since 1981, Wittenberg has provided guidance in quality standardsdevelopment, food and nutrition education and corporate communications atWhole Foods Market. Her global advisory board work has focused on organicagriculture, seafood sustainability, livestock animal welfare, andagricultural genetic engineering. She also currently serves on the GlobalAnimal Partnership Board of Directors, the Whole Planet Foundation Board ofDirectors, and The Marine Stewardship Council Stakeholder Council and Board ofTrustees. In the past, Wittenberg served on the USDA National OrganicStandards Board as the sole retailer representative and she chaired itsProcessing, Labeling and Handling Committee and as well as the AquacultureWorking Group. She also served on the Organic Trade Association Board ofDirectors, the Texas Organic Standards Board of Directors, the NaturalProducts Quality As
