Mr. 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.

Mr. Foster, Chief Operating Officer, is passionate about all things organic. His experiences over 30 years in the organic sector are as diverse as the organic industry itself—farming in Oregon, serving on the National Organic Standards Board, organic inspection and certification management, organic business development, supply chain strategy, and change management, among others. John works across all areas of the agency and especially relishes working with innovative ideas and long-term strategic initiatives, bringing positive change through enterprising, impactful, and creative problem solving. A current focus area is expanding W&A’s advisory capacity to best serve all facets of the organic community, addressing near-term demands as well as long-term aspirations.

Ms. Phillips, Director of Business Development and Technical Affairs at Strengthening Organic Systems, LLC. Ms. Phillips brings a fusion of agricultural heritage, regulatory expertise, and organic certification expertise. With roots in a third-generation farm, education in animal science, and a lifetime of hands-on involvement in animal production, she approaches food production with a combination of traditional insight and an eye toward ecological health. Currently living on a small farm and continuing in the family beef production business, her practical experience enriches her professional endeavors. As a seasoned organic certification expert, Johanna champions equitable enforcement of regulations to support farmers and safeguard industry integrity. Her role in critical interagency fraud investigations underscores her commitment to strong organic standards. As a previous leader in the Idaho State Department of Agriculture and global sustainable certification leader Ecocert, formerly an OTA Board Member, she blends regulatory knowledge with industry foresight, offering valuable insights to professionals navigating organic agriculture laws.

Ms. Wyard has worked in organic certification and policy for over 28 years. Prior to SOS, she served for more than a dozen years as the vice president of Regulatory and Technical Affairs for the Organic Trade Association (OTA) where she worked on the development of policy strategy through regulatory engagement in the interest of OTA’s mission and its members. While at the trade association, Wyard was the lead developer and author of the association’s Organic Fraud Prevention Guide, now the industry standard reference for excellence in achieving integrity across complex organic global supply chains. In her early career, Wyard was an organic farmer, an organic inspector, and served as Oregon Tilth’s Technical Specialist in organic policy and technical review of materials for use in organic products. She holds an advanced degree in Fermentation Science, served on the OMRI Board of Directors for 12 years and was the North American representative on the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO).