WFFC Announces 2023 Annual Recognition Award Recipients
Glen Rock, NJ – The WFFC is pleased to announce the 2023 Annual Recognition
Award recipients.
They are Ana Paula Mendonça, IFF (Nancy Poulos Leadership),
Alison Freedman, DSM-Firmenich (Flavorist Recognition), Adriana Medina,
Givaudan (Perfumer Recognition), and Eimear Robertson, Kerry (Innovation
Excellence).
The award recipients will be honored at the WFFC Annual Recognition Dinner on
Thursday, June 14, 2023, at the Liberty House Restaurant in Jersey City, New
Jersey.
Ana Paula Mendonça is a results-driven leader with more than twenty-eight years
in the fragrance and flavor industry and nineteen years of international experience. Ana Paula is the Senior Vice President, Commercial Excellence at IFF with a proven track record in managing broader cross-functional teams and operating successfully in culturally diverse environments. Ana’s understanding of the industry has been instrumental in driving the growth of IFF.
Ana Paula has had diverse leadership roles in sales, business development, marketing, category management, creation, design and innovation, and general management. Ana Paula was the first female leader appointed as Vice President, Regional General Manager of Consumer Fragrance at IFF.
In 2022, Ana Paula became the President of Fragrance Ingredients and joined the Scent Executive Committee. Ana Paula is fully engaged in the D&EI agenda having moved around the IFF world with her family from her home country of Brazil to the United States and the Netherlands. Outside of work, Ana Paula enjoys spending time with friends and family, and is a proud mother of two. Ana Paula is a professional with a strong passion for people, products, and the planet.
Alison Freedman is a Senior Flavorist at DSM-Firmenich working to create flavors
for sweet, savory, and beverage applications. Alison is currently serving as an
advisory board member for Perfumer & Flavorist+ and as the chairperson for The
Society of Flavor Chemists Media Communications Committee.
Alison is passionate about her client-facing experience creating winning tastes, developing innovative products, and advancing health-focused impacts for global food and beverage clients. Alison, a Virginia Tech graduate, spends free time studying wine and is a Level III Sommelier pursuing Level IV certification.
Adriana Medina, Vice President Perfumery, Fragrance & Beauty at Givaudan, gets
inspiration from a childhood in Bogota, Colombia which triggered curiosity with
the intersection of art and science. With a true belief that we are all empowered to
make a difference, Adriana’s perfumery style comes from a vibrant personality –
bold, full of energy, and colorful. Inspired by the great Colombian writer, Gabriel
Garcia Marquez, it is quoted “between reality and nostalgia is the raw material of
my work,” which sums up Adriana’s philosophy and Adriana’s approach to
creation.
Eimear Robertson joined Kerry in Ireland after graduating in 2004 and celebrates
more than a nineteen-year career at Kerry. Within various roles at Kerry, Eimear
has built solid, trustworthy relationships with customers. Working together with
them to solve the many opportunities the North American marketplace presents,
while launching new and renovating existing products.
Eimear serves as the Chief Technical Officer, and currently leads the research, development and applications, and regulatory and scientific affairs teams in North America. Eimear’s passion and drive are fueled by the exceptional talents and capabilities of the Kerry team.
Eimear holds a degree in food science from the University College Dublin, Ireland
and serves on community, industry and leadership groups including Chief. Eimear
lives in the Chicago area and enjoys time with family, walking, traveling, cooking,
and now watching soccer.
For more information, please visit our website www.wffc.org or contact us at info@wffc.org
About the WFFC
The WFFC is a professional association that was founded in 1982 by a group of forward-thinking members whose vision was to provide women in the flavor and fragrance industry with a forum for networking, education, career advancement, and camaraderie. The WFFC is a growing organization that strives to educate, engage, and empower its members.