Tom Chapman | Co-CEO | Organic Trade Association
Tom Chapman serves as co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association. He joined the trade association in April 2022, bringing 20 years of industry experience with expertise in policy and certification. Together with the Board of Directors and co-CEO Matthew Dillion, he is responsible for defining the association’s mission and establishing shared objectives for OTA’s member companies. Tom leads the association’s regulatory and technical affair work, oversees the development of association programs and products, and is responsible for operations and financial management. He represents both the association and the organic trade in an official capacity when interfacing with members of Congress, the Executive Branch, media, stakeholders, and strategic allies.
Tom possesses a strong understanding of organic principles and standards and has had a career-long dedication to the organic industry, including experience in organic certification and supply chains. He started his career at Quality Assurance International (QAI), working on international organic export programs and USDA accreditation. Tom and his teams have sourced over one billion pounds of organic ingredients during his 15 years in supply chains at Kinder’s Premium Sauces and Seasonings, Clif Bar & Company and Numi Organic Tea. Tom actively engaged with the organic ingredient supply chain, meeting with farmers and manufacturers to encourage and support the continued growth in organic acres to ensure supply meets growing demand.
Tom has served and chaired the National Organic Standards Board and California Certified Organic Farms Certification Services Management Committee. He has also served on the board of Mercaris and on the California Organic Products Advisory Committee.
Dr. Jenny Tucker | Deputy Administrator | National Organic Program, USDA
John Foster | Chief Operating Officer | Wolf and Associates
John Foster is an experienced professional with a track record of measurable impact in certified organic and sustainable food & agricultural projects, business, and initiatives. His 30 years in corporate, small-scale, and non-profit enterprise environments has earned him national recognition in organic certification & policy, as well as business strategy, growth management, and strategic planning, all focused developing and growing the organic sector.
John’s educational background in diverse fields such as Environmental Studies, Literature, Ecological Horticulture, and Leadership Development. John spent over a decade a technical reviewer and organic inspector throughout North America, specializing in complex, global supply chains and food processing environments. For over ten years, he managed organic compliance at Earthbound Farm and then under White Wave Foods and Danone NA ownership of the Earthbound Farm BU, he served as Director of Supply Chain Strategy, being responsible for compliance with all customer and regulatory mandates for all field, co-manufacturer, and processing operations. John has consulted for over a decade in all aspects of the organic sector including certification management, business development, compliance, strategy, and change management.
John has served on many industry boards and committees providing guidance and leadership for the organic community, for example, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) - Handler Representative 2010-2015, California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC) 2007-2013, and the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) Board of Directors 2000-2006. John currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). John is experienced in the development, implementation, and monitoring of National Organic Program standards for crop production, livestock, processing, wholesale, distribution, and retail operations. For the last two years, John and Wolf & Associates has focused on solving compliance problems and challenges for their clients related to new regulations under the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) initiative, speaking widely on the subject to numerous private and public sector audiences in the U.S. and abroad.
Diana Kobus | Executive Director | Pennsylvania Certified Organic
