Gabriella Baki, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She serves as program director and the main instructor for lectures and laboratories in a unique undergraduate program: the BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences Cosmetic Science and Formulation Design major. It is the first and currently only undergraduate program in the United States focused exclusively on cosmetics and personal care. Baki is a pharmacist, graduated in 2008 from the University of Szeged, Hungary; she also holds a doctorate in pharmaceutics from the same university. Baki has been a faculty member at the University of Toledo since January 2012. Her main research focus lies in the area of topical delivery for active ingredients and cosmetic actives, sensory testing of creams and lotions, and SPF and broad-spectrum boosting technologies. Baki has made more than a dozen technical presentations and authored and co-authored more than 40 publications, including for Cosmetics & Toiletries. She has contributed to book chapters and authored the book Introduction to Cosmetic Formulation and Technology.

Sudhir Baswan, Ph.D., is a senior research scientist in the open innovation group at Amway Corp. In his current role, he is accountable for evaluating new, adjacent and disruptive innovations in the health and wellness categories (nutrition, beauty and beyond). Baswan’s expertise in cosmetic and pharmaceutical sciences brings a unique and rare blend of perspectives for the beauty industry. He received his doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences (cosmetic science focus) from the University of Cincinnati; master’s in cosmetic chemistry from Fairleigh Dickinson University; and bachelor’s in pharmacy from the University of Mumbai.

He has extensive experience in scientific research and publications on topical bio-membranes, along with 10+ years of industry know-how on beauty trends and technologies. He is also the founder for www.foodforskin.org, a consumer focused web site dedicated to bringing snackable, simplified science to wellness and beauty enthusiasts.

Julie Bianchini, Ph.D., is R&D manager of skin health and beauty at Kenvue, where she leads end-to-end R&D product innovation for the facial moisture category supporting iconic brands such as Neutrogena. Bianchini has spent more than eight years developing scientifically rigorous and novel products across multiple skin care categories that provide superior efficacy and aesthetics, and deliver unmet consumer needs. In 2020, she was appointed to the Committee on Scientific Affairs with the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC); was named one of Six Young Trailblazing Scientists on The Johnson & Johnson Under 40 to Watch List in 2017; and is passionate about mentoring young scientists. Bianchini has a Ph.D. in biology from Stanford University and completed the Stanford Business School Ignite Program for Leaders in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Mark Chandler is president of ACT Solutions Corp. (Adaptive Cosmetic Technology Solutions) and has been in the industry for more than 35 years, most recently serving as skin care applications manager for Croda Inc. He has had roles in sales, marketing, strategic planning and acquisitions, and R&D. Chandler has taught courses for the SCC, CfPA and others on cosmetic formulation, cosmetic raw materials, liquid foundation emulsions, practical basics and theory in emulsion technology, Formulating for Efficacy, surfactant selection, formulating with food ingredients and low energy emulsification for more than 20 years. Mark also is a lecturer in the Cosmetic Science and Formulation Design program at the University of Toledo – College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He was awarded Fellow status by the SCC in 2014 and has presented technology throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He has authored numerous technical articles and chapters in such publications as Harry’s Cosmeticology and the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.

Marie Drago is French pharmacist and the founder of Gallinée Microbiome Skincare, founded in London in 2016. Her big idea was: What if instead of killing bacteria, we would help them help you? After all, you’re 50% bacteria, that’s not an insult and you should care for them. Gallinée has 4 patents, 23 products and billions of happy bacteria. It has been part of the Shiseido family since October 2022. Drago is currently the chief creative officer for the brand.

Dr. Ezure is a top research scientist at Shiseido, having been honored with the title of “Fellow” for the first time ever in Shiseido’s 150-year history. He has been conducting R&D, especially on anti-aging skin care, leading to the development of a broad range of skincare products. He is a pioneer in the field of facial aging, having set the basic definitions and evaluation methods of facial aging, as well as clarifying various mechanisms and establishing solutions based on studies of skin regeneration. He has also developed AI-based digital technology for visualizing skin dynamics in four dimensions for the first time. At the last congress of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC), he was introduced as the most famous researcher in the cosmetic field, based on his monumental achievement of receiving four consecutive IFSCC awards. 

Victoria Fu has been a skin care chemist for over 10 years and is one of the two chemists behind the beauty science blog turned indie brand, Chemist Confessions. She earned a bachelors in chemical engineering and masters in nanoengineering with a focus in nanoencapsulation for acne, leading to her chemist career start in the skin care labs of L'Oreal. Since then, Chemist Confessions has grown from a small Instagram account to an award-winning clinical brand, a podcast with more than 450,000 downloads, and a published book in 3 languages.

Mindy Goldstein, Ph.D., received her bachelor of science with honors in biochemistry, master's of science in pathology, and doctorate in basic medical sciences from New York University in the area of UV and gamma radiation damage to DNA and DNA repair. She has been credited with more than eleven publications and has been awarded patents in raw materials, encapsulation and controlled release.

Goldstein most recently held the position of VP of R&D and product development for Atlantic Coast Media Group. Previously, she served as executive director of R&D for The Estée Lauder Cos. Goldstein is an active member of the SCC and recently was president of the national society in 2020. She was editor twice for the Journal of Cosmetic Science and currently is an advisor and reviewer for the journal, as well as for Cosmetics & Toiletries. She is a member of numerous professional and scientific organizations including the PCPC Nomenclature Committee, where she is chair of the subcommittee on biotechnology, botanicals and ferments.

Hemali Gunt, Ph.D., serves as the head of clinical and scientific affairs at Burt’s Bees (A Clorox Company). Her focus is to demonstrate scientifically based skin care benefits through clinical testing, laboratory investigations and instrumental assessments. Additionally, she represents the science behind natural solutions through interaction with the professional and medical communities.

Prior to joining Burt’s Bees, she worked as a clinical scientist at a contract testing lab where she gained extensive experience in clinical trials of personal care products, OTC, drugs and medical devices. Gunt holds doctorate and master’s degrees in pharmaceutical sciences from University of Cincinnati. She is member of the American Academy of Dermatology and Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and the lead author on numerous scientific posters and publications specializing in the area of skin and lip care. She also has been featured in several Cosmetics & Toiletries podcasts and interviews, and is a member of the C&T Scientific Advisory Board.

Mauricio Guzmán Alonso is an industrial chemist and exploration scientist at Belcorp with 16 years of experience in R&D and innovation in cosmetic industry. He holds a masters in marketing and business management, and is also a product safety assessment consultant. Guzmán Alonso has contributed to several papers in Congresses including the IFSCC, ISBS, Colamiqc and Farmacosmética. He is the author and co-author of more than 25 publications in scientific journals; the recipient of the Jose Joaquin Perez Villalba Prize at the XX Colamiqc 2011 for best paper on natural ingredients; and the winner of the Maison G. deNavarre Prize at the XXII IFSCC Conference in Brazil in 2013. Guzmán Alonso joined Belcorp in 2007 and currently is the Green Tech & Chemicals leader and formulation scientist for skin care and personal care categories. His areas of interest in cosmetics R&D include formulation, biotechnology, neuroscience and applied natural ingredients research in hair and skin.

Greg Hillebrand, Ph.D., is an associate professor of the University of Cincinnati cosmetic science program. He has also served as a senior principal research scientist in Amway R&D’s Global Discovery department, providing technical leadership for both the beauty and nutritional categories. He has a broad expertise in skin and hair science, especially skin health, aging, photo-aging, epidemiology, biophysical and imaging clinical methods and product performance testing. His current area of focus is the skin microbiome and its role in health and disease. He has many significant publications and several of his inventions have been successfully commercialized. He lived and worked in Japan for seven years on an ex-pat assignment gaining direct experience and insight into Asian consumer needs and the Asian beauty market. He is externally focused, embracing open innovation and research collaborations with both academia and industry for new technology identification and commercialization.

Shilpi Jain is the founder of Skinveda. After completing her master’s degree in chemistry magna cum laude at the University of Toronto, Canada, she went on to work with Arena Pharmaceuticals as a Medicinal Scientist, working on antiobesity drug called Lorcaserin. In the last two decades, She has been the principal scientist for several leading skin, hair and pet care brands while working with well-known cosmetic manufacturing firms and as a consultant. In 2013, Jain saw a gap in the skin care industry to focus on psycho-dermatology, telomeres and the influence of stress on the skin. Being born in an east Indian family where ayurveda was practiced on a daily basis, and using her knowledge of the chemistry of these herbs and their efficacy, Jain spent two years working on creating highly effective formulas to help solve stress-related skin care issues including rosacea, eczema, atopic dermatitis, age spots, wrinkles, dark circles, crow’s feet, cellulite, dry skin, dehydrated skin and hyperpigmentation, to name a few. Skinveda was launched in Whole Foods in 2013, and then at several boutiques, e-commerce platforms including The Ayurveda Experience, Truth In Aging, and Amazon.

John Jiménez is a pharmacist from National University of Colombia with a master's in sustainable development and specialization studies in marketing, cosmetic science and neuromarketing. He has 30 publications in scientific journals and a book chapter in cosmetic formulation. He has been the recipient of: the Maison G. de Navarre Prize (IFSCC 2004), Henry Maso Award (IFSCC 2016) and best scientific papers at Colamiqc Ecuador 2009, Colamiqc Brazil 2013 and Farmacosmética Colombia 2014.

He also has been a speaker at various international conferences in Europe and Latin America. Since 2013, he has written a trends column for Cosmetics & Toiletries Brazil; since 2019, a column on market trends for in-cosmetics; and since 2020, a column on neuromarketing for Eurocosmetics. He also has authored and co-authored articles and served on the Scientific Advisory Board for Cosmetics & Toiletries. Jiménez additionally served as president of Accytec Bogotá (2017-2019) and currently is senior researcher at Belcorp.

With more than 20+ years of strategic excellence, Emma Kohring is a Global Scientific Communications Leader renowned for her operational prowess in multinational corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and most recently Kenvue. With a robust foundation in R&D, she pioneers groundbreaking narratives in health and beauty.

Emma's expertise in innovation fuels her ability to engage diverse professionals and stakeholders globally. From cultivating key opinion leader relationships to shaping executive counsel, her scientific acumen navigates brands to unparalleled success. Emma's leadership inspires innovation in skin care, beauty, biotech and health care, resonating across continents. With an unwavering commitment to purposeful storytelling and myth busting, she is the driving force behind transformative R&D-driven outreach and engagement. Emma holds a BSc degree in Biochemistry from Birmingham University, UK.

Danilo Lambino is an inventor, cosmetic formulator, visual artist and beauty technology entrepreneur at Formulae8, a company he founded in 2008. He holds a master's degree in material science and engineering from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Saint Louis University. He describes himself as passionately engaged in creative and entrepreneurial technology, product and brand development ventures in the beauty space.

His work is focused on empowering ideas, transforming consumer insights and enabling new discoveries in ingredients, devices, emerging packaging trends and novel delivery systems. He is the recipient of a 2010 International Technology Award from Cosmetics & Toiletries (now the C&T Allē Awards) for an innovative melanin spot technology demo kit demonstrating a client's efficacy in directly fading melanin. He is also a member of the Cosmetics & Toiletries Scientific Advisory Board.

Stephanie Lee is the CEO and founder of selfmade, a personal care brand changing the way consumers take care of their skin and mind. Founded in 2020, selfmade collaborates with mental health experts to create a system of tools and topicals powered by behavioral science that transform your daily rituals into sites of radical self-evolution.

Previously, Lee was at MAC Cosmetics and the White House working for Michelle Obama before traveling the globe solo for a year returning in 2019. Born in the pandemic, selfmade is a culmination of Lee's lived experiences healing from a mental health crisis and vulnerable conversations on self-worth with others around the globe.

Following a 25-year career with I.C.I., Unilever and BF Goodrich, Robert Lochhead, Ph.D., joined academia and served as professor, chair and director of the school of polymers and high-performance materials at the University of Southern Mississippi. Following retirement from the university in 2016, he founded Robert Lochhead Consulting LLC.

Lochhead has served twice as the president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC), and also as president of the International Federation of the Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC). He is a fellow of the SCC and a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Among other honors, he is a recipient of the SCC’s Maison G. DeNavarre Medal Award, the SCC’S Merit Award, the AIC’s Chemical Pioneer Award, and the Society of Plastics Engineers’ Education Award. Lochhead received the SCC’s Lifetime Service Award in December 2019 and was named one of the first three Fellows of the IFSCC in 2020.

Nattaya Lourith, Ph.D., is associate professor of cosmetic science, leading creative innovation for cosmetics in the phytochemicals and cosmeceuticals research group at Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand. She earned her master's degree in organic chemistry from Khon Kaen University in 2001, and her doctorate in bioorganic chemistry at Ehime University in 2004. Lourith served as research assistant and teaching assistant at Kagawa University from 2001-2004, and research associate at the Institute of Biological Chemistry at Washington State University in 2005. Her research areas focus on the chemistry of natural products and fragrances, the preparation and quality control of raw materials and cosmetic products, and herbs for cosmetics. She is the author and co-author of numerous books, book chapters, review articles and research articles, and was awarded the Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund in 2000, the Japanese Government Scholarship from 2001-2004, as the JSPS Young East Asian Researcher in 2009, as the Select lecture of WCOS2022, Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Japan Oil Chemists’ Society, and as the Sophia University (STEC) Visiting Scholar in 2024.  She is a regular contributor to Cosmetics & Toiletries.

Lorne Lucree has spent his career combining a passion for beauty with a constant curiosity to distill consumer insights, developments in technology and active ingredients, packaging innovations, progress in sustainability, olfactive trends, inclusion efforts and the latest formulation techniques into blue-sky ideas that translate into breakthrough, retail-ready products that resonate with a wide range of consumers and retail partners. Lucree's approach to concept development is informed by his professional background, combining: a consumer-first approach of marketing from Procter & Gamble, the attention to beauty métier from L’Oréal and Estee Lauder, an entrepreneurial creative spirit of the world of brand building at Luxury Brand Partners (IGK, R+Co, One/Size by Patrickstarrr), a successful ability to partner with founders and celebrity influencers, an understanding of working with private equity and venture capital firms, and a deep knowledge of operations and supply chain from personal care manufacturing.

Lucree's keen eye for successful concept innovation wins awards that resonate with consumers and press on a global scale. These include: Allure Best of Beauty, Allure Best of Beauty Breakthrough, Refinery 29 Beauty Innovator, Glamour Beauty Award, Times UK Style Beauty Award and Nylon Beauty Hit List. Currently, Lucree serves as the SVP of Innovation at Tatcha, leading the R&D, Product Development, Packaging, Regulatory and Project Management functions. Beyond this, he serves a dual role as the Strategic Advisor for Innovation to the Unilever Prestige portfolio of brands, creating and advising the group on best practices as they relate to breakthrough innovation. Prior to joining Tatcha, Lucree served as the Chief Innovation Officer at Voyant Beauty, the largest beauty and personal care contract manufacturer in the U.S., partnering with mass, masstige and prestige brands to formulate and manufacture skin, body, hair and fragrance products. Lucree holds an MBA with a focus on Marketing, Leadership and Change Management from NYU Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus on Women’s Studies from Boston University.

Stephen Lynch, Ph.D., is associate vice president of skin care development for L’Oréal USA Research & Innovation, where he has worked since 2014. As head of scientific valorization, he leads a team that supports skin care product development from project initiation through market launch, with a critical focus on communication of scientific knowledge, selection of active ingredients, coordination of testing and substantiation of product claims. Among his team’s responsibilities are such well-known skin care brands as L’Oréal Paris, SkinCeuticals, La Roche-Posay, CeraVe and Kiehl’s.

Prior to joining L’Oréal, Lynch spent 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry conducting drug discovery research with Roche and Purdue Pharma. He holds a bachelor's in chemistry from the University of Richmond and a doctorate in organic chemistry from Emory University. He additionally has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications across diverse fields of scientific research.

Irwin Palefsky has been in the cosmetic industry for more than 40 years, of which 25 have been in R&D. He has been with Cosmetech Laboratories since 2000. Prior to joining the company, he held senior executive positions in sales, business development and technical services at Lipo Chemicals.

Palefsky has been an active member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, where he served as NY Chapter Chair and a Director on the Board of the National Society. He has taught courses on cosmetic formulations at the university level and for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists education program; he also has co-authored articles for Cosmetics & Toiletries.

After earning a bachelor's degree with honors in chemistry from the University of Stirling, a doctorate in organic chemistry from the Research Institute for Medicine and Chemistry, and a post doctoral position at the University of Geneva, Leslie Smith, Ph.D., joined Procter & Gamble. Following several years with P&G, he joined the fragrance industry in a number of technical management positions in Switzerland and the United States. In 2002, Smith joined Coty at their global R&D headquarters in Morris Plains, N.J., USA, as vice president of R&D, where his responsibilities included basic research, fragrance technology and development, consumer affairs, sensory, Coty Testing Institute, analytical, safety and toxicology.

In July 2011, he was named senior vice president of R&D, a role he assumed in Geneva, Switzerland. In this position, he maintained his responsibilities in the United States while establishing Coty’s newly created Global Center of Excellence for Fragrances in Geneva. Retiring in the spring of 2015, Smith founded his own consulting company (LCS2 LLC Consulting) and in 2019, came out of retirement to work for La Perla Beauty as chief scientific and regulatory officer. He has a number of publications in chemistry and perfumery, and a list of patents ranging from insect control and deodorancy to delivery systems. He also is a member of the Cosmetics & Toiletries Scientific Advisory Board.

Akshay Talati is a pharmacist and leader with an established track record of more than two decades in cosmetics, dermatological and pharmaceutical product development, for 20+ distinct brands of three of the largest multinationals: The Estée Lauder Cos., Unilever, and L’Oréal.

He champions innovation for hundreds of products and advises in several cosmetic societies, striving to positively influence those who seek guidance through mentoring. Currently, he leads new product development and innovation for goop, and serves as a founding member of Skindie, generating authentic beauty intelligence and trends. He is also a member of the C&T Scientific Advisory Board.

Peter Tsolis is a vice president for R&D in The Estée Lauder Cos. Throughout his 20+ year career, he has held positions in brands such as La Mer, Clinique and Estée Lauder, as well as led corporate innovation and strategy roles. He has developed and managed the innovations for countless breakthrough products and platform technologies for the corporation’s skin care and color categories. These enterprise R&D leadership roles provided platform technologies delivering superior consumer benefits and market-leading opportunities.

Tsolis holds degrees in chemistry from New York University, as well as an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is also an adjunct professor in New York University Tandon graduate school of engineering and teaches a polymer course in the program. Tsolis is a member of the executive board of the IFSCC and Cosmetics & Toiletries Scientific Advisory Board, and served as past president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and is a frequent speaker in industry conferences. Tsolis is passionate about product innovation, teaching and developing sustained programs on corporate initiatives.

Amy Wyatt joined CHANEL in 2006 and is responsible for directing U.S. research and innovation in the fragrance and beauty category; managing regulatory risk and compliance; and assuring high quality incoming product. She is responsible for bringing in new technologies from universities, start-ups and adjacent industries, and is a board member of various start-ups. Prior to CHANEL, she worked for 13 years at Aveda Corp./The Estée Lauder Cos., where she was the director of skin care and makeup.

In 2016, Wyatt became president of the IFSCC; she joined the IFSCC Praesidium in 2006 as Education Committee Chair; she is the co-founder of the Ecaterina Merica Cosmetic Education Programme; and she was awarded the prestigious SCC Merit award in honor or her outstanding service and distinguished leadership, among various other honorable credentials. She holds a degree in biology from the University of Minnesota.