Confirmed Speakers

Aleksan (Alex) Shanoyan is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at KSU. His research is in the area of agribusiness economics and management with the focus on supply chain coordination, strategic management, and business development. His research projects have addressed issues across several industries ranging from dairy, meat, and vegetables to pet food, grain and biofuel in local, regional, and international contexts.

His most recent research projects examine contracting and vertical coordination strategies in beef and biofuel supply chains, resilience of agri-food systems, pet food product and marketing strategies, pet food ingredient and supply chain management, big data applications in agriculture, and facilitation of agri-food supply chains in developing economies.

Aleksan teaches courses in food and agribusiness management, marketing, and strategy at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Dr. Haley Larson is an Assistant Professor of Animal Nutrition and Health at Kansas State University’s Olathe campus, where she focuses her research and academic initiatives on advancing animal health, nutrition, and regulatory science. Her research translates results from In vitro gastrointestinal fermentation models to live animal field trials to improve the evaluation of feed ingredients and accelerate the development of innovative nutritional solutions for companion and production animals.

Dr. Larson also plays a key role in expanding industry-academic partnerships, having helped develop graduate programs that foster collaboration across the Kansas City Metro and beyond. Her efforts to enhance laboratory capabilities at K-State Olathe support applied, translational research, and her dedication to the campus’ animal health regulatory affairs initiatives has positioned K-State as a hub for regulatory education and workforce development.

She currently serves as the Director and Scientific Lead for the Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions (SRIS), a national partnership between the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and Kansas State University. In this role, Dr. Larson supports the development and maintenance of science-based regulatory frameworks essential to the safety, transparency, and continued innovation of the animal nutrition industry.

Jay Pokorny is the Director of Strategic Innovation for the Wenger group of companies (Wenger Manufacturing, Extru-Tech, and Source Technology). He has a combined 12 years of experience with Extru-Tech. Pokorny first joined the Extru-Tech family back in 1990 as an operator with ETI’s sister company, Star-Tech, Inc. He also has 20 years of experience with extrusion manufacturing companies such as Doane Pet Care/Mars Pet Care, Frito-Lay, Inc., Del Monte Pet Care, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Pokorny holds a bachelor’s degree in Feed Science & Management from Kansas State University. Pokorny’s primary role is to lead strategic equipment, process, and automation innovation efforts to expand and enhance the Wenger group’s product offerings within the company’s world markets.

Dr. Julia Guazzelli Pezzali received her Bachelor’s in Veterinary Medicine from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; her M.Sc. from Kansas State University, US; and her Ph.D. from the University of Guelph, Canada.

She joined Iowa State University in February of 2023 as an Assistant Professor, and in November of the same year, she returned to Kansas State University as an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Pet Food Program. In her current role, Dr. Pezzali teaches several classes, including “pet food processing”, “companion animal nutrition”, “graduate student seminar”, and co-teaches “feed and pet food experience”, as well as “introduction to feed and pet food”.

Throughout her academic career, Dr. Pezzali has conducted numerous research trials in basic and applied companion animal nutrition and pet food processing. Her current research program focuses on how processing techniques impact the nutritional quality of pet food, and on characterizing the impact of ingredients, processing conditions, and nutritional interventions on the digestion of nutrients and the metabolism of dogs and cats. The ultimate goal of her research is to support the pet food industry in developing sustainable products that promote the health and well-being of pets.

Leah Lambrakis is the Vice President of Research & Development, Nutrition and Scientific Affairs at Simmons Pet Food and Simmons Animal Nutrition. Leading a team of over 40 scientists, together they drive innovation in pet food formulation, nutrition, process engineering, and ingredient technology. Leah has a life-long passion for nutrition, health and wellness, and innovative advances on how to feed our pets better. Throughout her 25+ year career, Leah has built deep expertise in pet food science. In addition to her leadership role at Simmons, Leah is actively involved in the industry, serving as Chair of the Pet Food Institute's (PFI) Nutrition Subcommittee, as a Board Trustee for the Morris Animal Foundation, and recently joining the Pet Food Association of Canada's Board of Directors. Leah holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Animal Science and Animal Nutrition from the University of Guelph, Canada.

Dr. Lonnie Hobbs, Jr., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. Originally from Clarksville, TX, Lonnie has a diverse background in teaching, research, and community involvement.

Lonnie serves as the primary instructor for the Commodity Futures course (AGEC 420), and has extensive experience as a coinstructor for the Human Culture and Diversity course (GENAG 210). In his research, Lonnie specializes in agribusiness, marketing, pet food economics, teaching and learning, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). His research specifically focuses on analyzing current marketing strategies, customer behavior, and product demand to inform product design and marketing decisions in the food and agriculture industry, and particularly the pet food sector.

Beyond his teaching and research responsibilities, Lonnie plays a key role as a co-advisor for Kansas State’s Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) local chapter. He actively supports and mentors students, fostering a diverse and inclusive community within the field. Lonnie’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), as well as a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.