Conference Schedule
Monday, November 17
Session 1
6:00 am - 6:00 am
HYGIENIX™ PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: Fundamentals of Absorption Systems and Opportunities in Adult Incontinence
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Moderator: Jim Robinson, Principal, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC
Fundamentals of Absorption Systems and Opportunities in Adult Incontinence
Jim Robinson, Principal, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC
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Coffee & Networking Break
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
HYGIENIX™ PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: Innovations in Menstrual Care
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Moderator: Heidi Beatty, Chief Executive Officer, Crown Abbey, LLC
Innovations in Menstrual Care
Heidi Beatty, Chief Executive Officer, Crown Abbey, LLC
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Coffee & Networking Break
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
HYGIENIX™ PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: Baby and Infant Care Market Dynamics
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Moderator: Natalia Richer, Market Research & AHP Consultant, Diaper Testing International
Baby and Infant Care Market Dynamics
Natalia Richer, Market Research & AHP Consultant, Diaper Testing International
Learn More »Irene Richer, Director of Laboratory Operations, Diaper Testing International
Learn More »Jacobo Levin, R&D and Quality Control Manager, Diaper Testing International
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HYGIENIX™ 2025 WELCOME RECEPTION
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Tuesday, November 18

Breakfast Connections
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Start your day with a continental breakfast each morning before the conference and engage face-to-face connections with your customers, business prospects and peers. INDA’s staff can help make any introductions you need – just ask us.
Welcome
8:30 am - 8:45 am
Moderator: Tony Fragnito, President, INDA
THE ILLUSION VS REALITY OF AHP ENTREPRENEURSHIP – OVERCOMING START-UP HURDLES
8:45 am - 9:15 am
Moderator: Connie Mattox, President, NextGEN PCS
Entrepreneurs in Women’s Health: The dual challenge of surviving and scaling
Rachel Braun Scherl, Managing Partner, Entrepreneur, SPARK Solutions For Growth
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PANEL DISCUSSION: THE ILLUSION VS REALITY OF AHP ENTREPRENEURSHIP – OVERCOMING START-UP HURDLES
9:15 am - 10:30 am
Moderator: Connie Mattox, President, NextGEN PCS
Panelist
Marilyn Califano, CEO, Hempress Hygienics
Learn More »Greta Meyer, Co-Founder/CEO, Sequel
Learn More »Janette Villalobos, Ph.D., Director of R&D, Frida Baby
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Coffee & Networking Break
10:30 am - 11:00 am
ECONOMIC REALITIES: PROFIT, PRESSURE, AND POSSIBLITY
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Moderator: Nick Carter, Head of Innovation, Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Co. KG
Trade and Protectionism in the U.S: Responding to Policy and Legal Uncertainty
David Olave, Associate & Trade Policy Advisor, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
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Unpack the Transformative Forces in the Global Disposable Hygiene Industry
Liying Qian, Global Industry Manager – Tissue and Hygiene, Euromonitor International
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Growth Strategies in a Year of Economic Turbulence and Consumer "Softness"
Pricie Hanna, Managing Partner, Price Hanna Consultants LLC
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Lunch (on your own)
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Lunch Around with Planera
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Moderator: Olivia Ahn, MD, Co-Founder, Planera
Take advantage of this extra networking opportunity to enhance your conference experience over lunch. Expand your network and get to know your fellow attendees over the lunch break. Lunch Around opportunities will be available to registered HYGIENIX attendees on Tuesday, November 19 The Tuesday Lunch Around table will be hosted by Olivia Ahn, MD, co-founder of PLANERA and creator of FLUUS – the market’s first certified flushable and completely biodegradable sanitary pad. Space is limited; please register in advance. Details regarding your table will be available onsite at the registration desk. $95/person. Space is limited.

Coffee & Networking Break
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION: SERVICING THE SHIFT - PRIVATE LABEL AS A GROWTH ENGINE
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Moderator: Heidi Beatty, Chief Executive Officer, Crown Abbey, LLC
From Flexibility to Sustainability: The Private Label Advantage
Shayan Longi, CFO, Confitex Technology Ltd
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The Market for Reusable Hygiene Products
Mark Snider, Chief Market & Industry Analyst, INDA
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Innovation, Collaboration and Service
Travis Robbins, President, WPT Nonwovens Corp
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FINDING GROWTH: PAWS & PLANET
2:50 pm - 3:30 pm
Moderator: Heidi Beatty, Chief Executive Officer, Crown Abbey, LLC
Paws, Pads, and Performance: The Role of Nonwovens in Pet Care Innovation
Kyra Dorsey, Ph.D., Principal, Glory Group LLC
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Africa’s Circular Hygiene Revolution: Africa’s Emerging Role as Supplier, Manufacturer, and Sustainability Leader in Hygiene
Raymond Chimhandamba, Director, Handas Consulting
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Coffee & Networking Break
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
2025 HYGIENIX INNOVATION AWARD™ PRESENTATIONS
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Moderator: Eva Welsh, Evolon Market Manager - North America, Freudenberg Performance Materials
INDA LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD
4:30 pm - 4:45 pm
Moderator: Tony Fragnito, President, INDA
INDA Lifetime Service Award Recipient
Carl Cucuzza, President/Managing Partner, Teknoweb NA LLC
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LIGHTNING TALKS
4:45 pm - 5:15 pm
Moderator: Wes Fisher, Director of Government Relations, INDA
RECEPTION & EXHIBITS
5:15 pm - 7:15 pm
Wednesday, November 19

Breakfast Connections
8:00 am - 9:00 am
DISRUPTION AHEAD: MISINFORMATION, REGULATION, AND TESTING IN ABSORBENT HYGIENE
9:00 am - 10:40 am
Moderator: DeeAnn Nelson, Ph.D., Principal, Nelsonz Consultants LLC
Misleading Studies, State Legislatures, and the FDA-Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Absorbent Hygiene Products
Gia Komst, Deputy Director, BAHP
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Unpacking U.S. Absorbent Hygiene Regulations at the State and Federal Level
Wes Fisher, Director of Government Relations, INDA
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PFAS Contaminants in Feminine Hygiene Products
Chris Hudalla, Ph.D., President, ProVerde Labs
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Dragging Innovation Down: The Impact of Outdated Tests
Jim Robinson, Principal, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC
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Introducing the New Eczema Standard: A Breakthrough in Microbiome-Friendly Product Testing
Kristin Neumann, M.D., CEO, MyMicrobiome GmbH
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Coffee & Networking Break
10:40 am - 11:00 am
DESIGNED WITH THE CONSUMER IN MIND
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Moderator: Robin Beck, CEO, Mfg2Retail Fractional
More Than a Cycle: What Clinicians and Menstruators Want You to Know
Latasia Belin, Founder, Cycleology
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TBA
Brady Crandall, Founder, Youth Crews, Inc.
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Fewer Pressure Points, More Comfort: Elastic Solutions for Modern Baby Diapers
Marcel Gruendken, Ph.D, Senior Manager EMEA, MD&TS, R&D and Regulatory Affairs, Kuraray Europe GmbH
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Lunch (on your own)
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
WOMEN IN NONWOVENS (WIN) MEETING & LUNCHEON
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Moderator: Eva Welsh, Evolon Market Manager - North America, Freudenberg Performance Materials
Women in Nonwovens (WIN) envisions a vibrant, supportive community that empowers women in the nonwovens industry through mentorship, leadership, and collaboration—shaping a future where women thrive and inspire one another to lead with confidence, innovation, and purpose.

Coffee & Networking Break
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION: ABHYG CONSTRUCTION WITH NON-TRADITIONAL INPUTS
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Moderator: Dan Gardner, Director - Market Development Group, Valco Melton - USA

Coffee & Networking Break
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
FLUSHABLE BY DESIGN
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Moderator: Kyra Dorsey, Ph.D., Principal, Glory Group LLC
Revolutionizing Feminine Care: Transforming Packaging Through Flushable, Biodegradable, and Sustainable Solutions
Alex Abbott, Chief Revenue Officer, SmartSolve
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Setting New Sustainable Industry Standards: The Flushable Revolution
Olivia Ahn, MD, Co-Founder, Planera
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LIGHTNING TALKS
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Moderator: Kevin Conroy, Sr. Government Affairs Manager, INDA
RECEPTION & EXHIBITS
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Thursday, November 20

Breakfast Connections
8:00 am - 9:00 am
SUSTAINABLE BY DESIGN
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Moderator: Matt O'Sickey, Ph.D., Director of Education & Technical Affairs, INDA
Case Studies in Comfort: How Wool Brings New Performance to Diapers and Femcare
Alana Cheape, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, Woolchemy NZ Ltd
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Why Choose Hemp in Sanitary Pads? The Benefits for the Body and the Climate
Simone Westergaard, Founder, Mewalii ApS
Learn More »Frederikke Dahl, Founder, Mewalii ApS
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SAP-ily Ever After: Sustainable Absorbency Isn’t a Fairy Tale
Elizabeth Huth-Helriegel, Business Development Director, Soane Materials
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PBAT for AHP Applications
Steve Davies, Principal, Davies Advisors
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Unleashing Cellulosic Possibilities: A Collaborative Path Toward Sustainable Hygiene Solutions
Alexis Porcher, Business & Market Analysis Manager, Lenzing AG
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Revolutionizing Softness in Diaper Top and Back Sheets
Bodo Heetderks, Director Nonwovens Technology, Trutzschler Nonwovens GmbH
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2025 HYGIENIX INNOVATION AWARD™ ANNOUNCEMENT
11:00 am - 11:15 am
Moderator: Tony Fragnito, President, INDA