Cathy Enright, PhD

Title

President and CEO

Company

Pet Food Institute

Roundtable Discussion:

CEO roundtable: attracting and retaining talent in the hyper-competitive pet food industry – Constantly changing regulations, consumer preferences and a retail landscape, combined with not so favorable demographics and cultural phenomena upending the way in which we view work – who will do the critical jobs working in and leading pet food companies in the future? A panel of CEOs, human resources and academic leaders share their insights on how they go about recruiting and retaining the best people in a hyper-competitive market. The panel also imparts meaningful and relevant career advice on how to best position yourself for your next career challenge.

Experience:

Enright joined the Pet Food Institute (PFI) in April 2015 as its president and CEO, where she is responsible for industry leadership and advocacy on legislative, regulatory and public affairs issues. PFI’s members represent 98% of the dog and cat food made in the US. Enright is the past executive vice president of the food and agriculture section in the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the architect of the GMO Answers communications initiative. She also led the federal government affairs office of the Western Growers produce association. Enright began her policy career in the federal government, first at the US Department of State, then for 12 years negotiating agricultural trade agreements, most recently as deputy assistant US trade representative. At USTR, she negotiated the SPS chapter of the Korea Free Trade Agreement and US beef export agreements. Enright also served as the US representative to the World Trade Organization’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee. Before joining USTR, she served as USDA assistant deputy administrator in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, where she was the chief negotiator for the resolution of phytosanitary trade barriers impacting grains, produce and forestry and nursery products. Enright earned a doctorate in biochemistry from the State University of New York and completed her post-doctoral training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.