The US Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC) have appointed Leslie Wada, a longtime research consultant for the council, as senior director of nutrition and health research.
In the newly created role, Wada will represent USHBC and NABC as an official spokesperson for both organisations, as well as the blueberry industry at large.
Wada will continue to manage USHBC’s multi-million dollar pipeline of health research projects as she has done for the past 12 years.
In her expanded role, she will have increased ownership and responsibility in leading the health and nutrition pillar of the USHBC’s 2021-2025 strategic plan, integrating the research projects and results with the council’s overall strategy in marketing and promotions.
“Leslie’s tremendous contributions over the years have helped blueberries earn the strong health halo that most of our target audiences recognise today,” said Kasey Cronquist, president of USHBC and NABC. “As a scientist and seasoned communications professional, Leslie is uniquely qualified to lead an important pillar of our strategic plan, leveraging health research and nutrition to further elevate blueberries as a beloved fruit among consumers, health professionals and more.”
“I’m excited to build upon the strong health research programme that we have started and be a part of ushering in a new and exciting evolution of the NABC/USHBC research programme,” said Wada. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with an all-star team and advancing our scientific pipeline with high-quality research that increases knowledge and awareness of the importance of blueberries in a healthy diet.”
