April 27-29, 2026

All Speakers

Dog and cat food research experts who will present at Petfood Forum & Petfood Essentials

Sarah Andereck
Pet Account Manager
IFF
Sarah Andereck is a seasoned commercial leader whose career spans the full food ecosystem — from pet nutrition to agriculture, human food and now, in her sales role, back to pet. She began her journey in pet food marketing at AFB International before expanding into agriculture and animal nutrition through marketing roles at Novus International. Andereck then transitioned into the human food and beverage space, serving as the global digital communication lead at IFF. Most recently, she made a purposeful shift from marketing into sales, taking on the role of pet account manager at IFF, getting to her first passion: the pet food industry. And though her career path has taken many turns, there have been constants: passion for customers, organization and great mentors who act as guideposts along the way.
Date/TimeTitle
Wed Apr 29
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Closing session: It’s an experiment! Musings on leadership, creativity and careers
KCCC Halls C-E, Tech Talk stage

“The people who are happiest in their career path treat their careers as an experiment, not an identity.” Within this statement lives a world of possibility to try new things, explore curious questions and continue to grow in a career that brings you joy and fulfillment. Bridget Meadows, owner of Bridget Meadows Coaching and a pet food industry veteran, examines the concept of experimental thinking within a career and how it can powerfully shift your mindset, build your resilience and open up new possibilities for happiness at work.  A panel of professionals who have made such career pivots will share their experiences, including Sarah Andereck, pet account manager, IFF; Brooke Eiler, sales manager, North America, IQI; and Brenda Knapp, director of nutrition, Simmons Pet Food.

Organized by Women in Petfood Leadership, which is sponsored by AFB International, Balchem PetShure, Camlin Fine Sciences, Coperion, Extru-Tech, Heartland-Progan, Kerry, the Peterson Co., Simmons Pet Food, Wenger and Zinpro.