OMRI Grows with New Staff

(October 24, 2013)  As OMRI continues to grow our service to the organic community, including the new OMRI Canada Review Program, we have been fortunate to retain an incredibly knowledgeable and talented staff. During the summer, OMRI made several changes to staffing structure and individual responsibilities. This included promoting many experienced staff into higher level positions, as well as creating new positions to support future growth, increased technical assistance and customer service.   

We would first like to welcome Kelsey McKee into the new position of Review Program and Quality Director. Kelsey holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University.  She has professional experience working as the Quality Assurance Manager in a certified organic food manufacturing facility, as well as laboratory experience working in a NELAC Institute-accredited environmental laboratory. Kelsey will provide internal support and leadership to the Review Program, while managing OMRI’s ISO accreditation and Quality System maintenance. We are also very fortunate to retain Lindsay Fernandez-Salvador’s incredible talent and expertise as OMRI’s new Technical Director. She will continue to work with certifiers and OMRI’s Advisory Council, while promoting and expanding OMRI’s technical and education programs and resources. Lindsay has served in many roles throughout her time here, most recently as Program Director, and we are grateful to have her diversity of skills.

OMRI is pleased to congratulate longtime Product Review Coordinators (PRCs) Andria Schulze and Amber Lippert on their recent promotions. As the Review Program Technical Manager, Andria brings a unique blend of excellent customer service and technical skills. New Inspections Coordinator Amber Lippert has received extensive training from the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA), and she undergoes regular organic inspections on her own family farm. Both Andria and Amber have been with OMRI for four years.
Several more new staff members have taken on important roles for OMRI. We are pleased to welcome Cameron Ference as Review Program Administrative Manager. Ana Negrete is OMRI’s newest PRC. She will be joined on the PRC team by OMRI’s own Tara Sistrunk, and we are fortunate to secure the talents of Sara Nienaber to replace Tara as OMRI’s new Application Specialist. Finally, we are pleased to welcome Daniel Nguyen as OMRI’s Project Assistant, and Marshelle Backes as Website Administrator. Both of these newly-created positions will help OMRI provide the best possible customer service and organic resources into the future.

Read more about all of our new faces and voices on the OMRI website.

Contact: Peggy Miars, Executive Director
(541) 343-7600 ext. 102