CHICAGO, July 21, 2025 — IFMA The Food Away from Home Association has added the noted food scientist, registered dietitian, and regulatory expert Dr. Joy Dubost to its roster of subject matter experts.
Dr. Dubost will provide association members with an inside-the-Beltway view of national policy, including the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative and how its measures could affect the industry.
She will also offer updates on food-related regulatory and legislative developments at the federal and state level and what those might mean for the trade.
Her insights will be delivered via a regular posted recap and through participation in the association’s conferences and virtual events.
In addition, Dr. Dubost will be a featured speaker during the association's monthly Regulatory & Trade Challenges briefings. This members-only webinar focuses on the latest developments relating to the administration’s policies impacting food-away-from-home, including any coming from the MAHA movement. The next briefing is scheduled for July 23 at 1 p.m. CT.
“With Dr. Dubost's expertise and connections, we’ll be getting the inside scoop, spin-free and untainted by politics,” said Phil Kafarakis, President and CEO of the association. “Members will learn what’s likely to impact their businesses as soon as any Washington insider might.”
"These are extraordinary and complex times for our industry,” said Dubost. “I look forward to supporting IFMA members in understanding the developments surrounding MAHA and the broader food regulatory environment, and in navigating the path forward with clarity and confidence."
In addition to holding a PhD in food science, she is a registered dietitian. Much of her 20-plus-year career in the food industry has been spent at the convergence point of nutrition science, regulatory, and policy.
Her prior positions include five years as Senior Director of Nutrition for the National Restaurant Association, and two years as Senior Director of Science & External Affairs for the Beer Institute.
Her work within the private sector includes leading global health and scientific affairs positions at Unilever, Lipton, and PepsiCo. She currently is the owner of NJOY Health & Nutrition, LLC, a consulting firm focused on food policy, scientific strategy and health communications.
Dubost is a frequent source for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and NPR, among others. She has testified a number of times before governmental agencies on health and science-related issues.
The Florida resident earned her doctorate at Penn State and a master’s in food science from the University of Georgia. Her undergraduate degree is in nutrition and chemistry from Hood College.
Dubost completed her registered dietetian eligibility at University of Michigan Hospitals.
IFMA The Food Away from Home Association serves the whole foodservice market, from manufacturer to supply chain to restaurants, c-stores and onsite operations like college dining halls.