Michel Colangelo is a flavor chemist and formulation specialist whose work spans applied flavor development, ingredient functionality, and sensory-driven product design. As founder of Nota Bene Flavors, he leads the creation of custom flavor systems and formulations for food, beverage, and functional applications, combining technical precision with a deep understanding of sensory performance.

Erik Yang is an AI innovator and sensory technology entrepreneur working at the frontier of digital taste, computational flavor modeling, and next-generation sensory intelligence. He is Founder and CEO of Digitaste, a Singapore-based company advancing data-driven approaches to understanding, simulating, and designing taste experiences across food, beverage, and digital environments. 

Bernadette M. Cortese, PhD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina and a leading investigator advancing the science of olfaction as a window into brain and emotional health. Her research sits at the convergence of sensory neuroscience, affective circuitry, and translational psychiatry, with a focus on anxiety, stress, fear learning, and the role of smell as both a biomarker and modulator of neuropsychiatric function.

Tammy Davis is a Clinical Neuroaromatherapist with more than four decades of experience working at the intersection of pharmacology, neuroscience, epigenetics, and essential oil chemistry. Her work explores the profound role of the olfactory system in shaping the stress response and supporting the brain’s capacity for self-regulation and adaptive neuroplasticity.

I am a nurse scientist and chemosensory researcher leading the Sensory Science & Metabolism Section at the NIH, where I study the biology of taste and smell and how they connect to health, disease, and quality of life. Beyond the lab, I’m building new pathways—like national integration of chemosensory health in Nursing education, a national certification in chemosensory health, and innovative smell-testing technologies—that translate science into tools for patients, caregivers, and clinicians.

Kiara Hallinan started her career in education and has since pivoted her focus to oral health after seeing the effects of gaps in healthcare on the students in her classrooms. Her experiences have given her insight into the cultural and personal significance of taste and smell, and their connections with one’s physical and mental health.

Dr. Isabelle Lesschaeve is an internationally recognized expert in wine, sensory and consumer science, bringing over 30 years of experience to the field.

As a member of the World Taste & Smell Association (WTSA), Yağmur contributes to bridging the gap between research and public understanding, supporting initiatives that educate, foster interdisciplinary discussions, and highlight the impact of taste and smell on health, culture, and industry. From neuromarketing and scent branding to consumer behavior and well-being, she explores how olfaction shapes decision-making and enhances brand experiences.

Mr. Horvitz is a seasoned entrepreneur and financial executive with more than 25 years experience managing life sciences and emerging growth companies. He has transitioned three organizations from venture backed start-ups to publicly traded companies raising over $250 million in the process. His areas of expertise include: fund raising, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiation, budgeting, SEC reporting, corporate governance, investor relations, business development, facilities management, and human resources. In June 2007, Mr. Horvitz was the recipient of the New Jersey Technology Council CFO of the Year Award.

Giulia Buendia Braghieri is a curious and purpose-driven food engineer with 10+ years of experience in business development, finance, and innovation in startups and multinational CPG companies!

A Stanford Ignite Alumni with a profound 360º background and strategic view, having passed through central departments with solid deliverables. Giulia is part of NotCo’s early team and is currently responsible for leading business development for the B2B tech business unit for NorAm and Global accounts.

Nils Lommerin, Co-Founder & CEO of Olfactive Biosciences was president and CEO of Del Monte Foods. During his tenure growth in EBITDA increased more than $46 million in three years. Nils has also worked at Texas Pacific Group, Oxford Health Plans, PepsiCo, Post Cereals, and in consulting roles at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and KKR. Nils earned a Master of Science degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from East Stroudsburg University.

Dulce Almario has more than 25 years of experience in the Fragrance and Beauty industry, where she held executive positions in fragrance & product development, sales and global marketing. Currently, she leads the newly established C3 by Cosmo International Fragrances,

Prior to Cosmo Fragrances, she was at Victoria's Secret Beauty’ where she spearheaded fragrance and product development.  She started her career as an R&D chemist at L'Oréal   She has an undergrad in Chemistry from Rutgers University & a Master in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology.  She serves as a mentor for the FIT undergraduate Cosmetics & Fragrance Marketing program.

Dmitry Rinberg, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He specializes in systems, cognitive, & computational neuroscience.

Read about how he decodes how the brain senses smell.

Leah Holzel is a culinary professional and food writer, and is currently putting finishing touches on her book, A Food Lover’s Guide To Smell Loss. 

Leah lost her sense of smell in 2016, and offers guidance in smell training, and coaching to individuals navigating smell loss and their intimate relationship with food. 

Dr. Reed is Chief Science Officer of Monell Chemical Senses Center.

Alex Wiltschko is Founder and CEO of Osmo, on a mission to give computers a sense of smell. He is a repeat entrepreneur and has spent much of his career exploring new frontiers and building businesses at the intersection of AI and biology. Previously, he was a research leader at Google Brain, has founded and exited two AI companies (Syllable, sold to Neumora; Whetlab, sold to Twitter), and was named to the Top 100 people in AI by Business Insider. Alex holds a Ph.D. in Olfactory Neuroscience from Harvard University.

Award-winning Perfumer Max Rossa grew up in a household of contrasting worlds. His father, a mathematician and professor, was logical and pragmatic, while his mother, a baker, was imaginative and expressive. This unique upbringing sparked Max's interest in both the creative and analytical worlds, manifesting in his love for music and food, and his passion for the natural sciences.

Jerome Pellaud, Global Head of Supply for Beyond Beer at ABInBev since August 2022, entered the world of beer and beverages through flavor and fermentation. A chemist by education and a brewmaster, he received a PhD in Biophysical Chemistry from the University of Basel (Switzerland). He moved to Belgium in 1998 to pursue a post-doctoral study on fruity sulfur flavors from hop and produced by yeast during fermentation at the Brewing Technology Lab of the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), the same University where Jerome gained certification in Brewing and Malting.

Jerome joined Anheuser-Busch InBev in January 2000 as a Senior Scientist in the Brewing Science Department in Leuven, Belgium, before joining the Global Product Development Team in 2005. He was tasked to build the first Exploratory Product & Process Development team in 2006 where he was responsible for yeast & fermentation, sensory and consumer science as well as product development. In 2008 he became Global Director for Exploratory Product and Packaging Development. In early 2015, Jerome led the creation of the new Global Craft and Specialty beer division within ZX Ventures and, in 2019, built the new Adjacencies division within ZX Ventures, before becoming General Partner of the ZX Ventures Beverage Fund for Europe and Africa in January 2021.

Mimi Chiahemen is a trauma-informed yoga teacher (RYT 300) and Reiki master based in Harlem, New York. Her teaching practice focuses on guiding students inwards and towards a sense of wider interconnectedness with classes focused on cultivating self-love and oneness of body, mind, and spirit. Her work is guided by intuition and  grounded in Five-Elements Theory – a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Connect with Mimi via her website and/or Instagram.

Andreas Keller is a New York-based academic with PhDs in neuroscience and philosophy who is interested in olfactory perception. He has over a decade of experience in olfactory psychophysics and the clinical aspects of olfaction. The results of his experiments have shed light on human olfactory capacities, on the relation between the structure and smell of odor molecules, and on the perceptual consequences of variability in odorant receptor genes. He is the author of The Philosophy of Olfactory Perception, in which he explores the philosophically interesting differences between seeing and smelling, and the owner of Olfactory Art Keller, an art gallery in New York’s Chinatown that is dedicated to the exploration of scent as a creative medium.