All Board members, with the exception of the CEO, are part-time.
Members are listed alphabetically after the Chairperson and CEO. The reference next to each member's name refers to the role specified in section 116 of the FSANZ Act which the member fulfils.
Ms Robyn Kruk AO (Chair) [s.121 (1)(a)]
Ms Robyn Kruk AO was appointed interim Chair of the FSANZ Board from 1 March 2026 to 30 June 2026.
Robyn Kruk AO has extensive experience as Chief Executive, Chair or Director of national and state policy, regulatory, conservation, research and service delivery agencies including Secretary of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, NSW Health and NSW Premier and Cabinet. She has played a key role in shaping health and environmental governance internationally, serving as an International Chief Advisor to the China Council for International Cooperation in Environment and Development. With a strong commitment to policy innovation, regulatory reform and service delivery, Robyn has worked extensively with Ministers, Chief Executives and leadership teams across Australia, New Zealand and State/Territory Governments.
She has been appointed by Australian and State/Territory governments to lead numerous national and state reviews, including most recently national COVID 19 responses, and regulatory settings for health practitioner registration, skills and qualifications for overseas trained health professionals. Robyn has served as Chair and/or Director of a number of government statutory agencies and not-for-profits including the NSW Virtual Viral Manufacturing Facility, the Australian Eating Disorders Research and Translation Centre and Mental Health Australia.
Robyn Chaired the FSANZ Board from 2016 to 2021. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in recognition of her work in mental health reform, environmental protection and food standards.
Dr Sandra Cuthbert (Chief Executive Officer) [s.116 (1)(b)]
Dr Sandra Cuthbert was appointed Chief Executive Officer of FSANZ on 31 March 2022 to 31 March 2027.
Sandra has extensive leadership, policy, corporate governance and stakeholder engagement experience across the public and private sectors. She has held senior roles with the Australian Government departments of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Finance and Agriculture and Water Resources, as well as Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
Sandra brings a practical understanding of the complex environment that FSANZ operates within, drawing on her experience managing the agency's stakeholder engagement, corporate and food safety functions between 2018 and 2021. She has a reputation for delivering outcomes on complex and time critical projects, most recently as the Assistant Secretary, Commonwealth-State Relations at PM&C.
Sandra has post graduate qualifications in science and law and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr Meika Foster [s.116(1)(c)]
Meika Foster is the Founding Director of Edible Research Ltd., which provides translational research services to the science sector, government organisations, and food and beverage businesses (including multi-national and small- and medium-sized enterprises). She is an independent member of the New Zealand Food Safety Science & Research Centre (NZFSSRC) Board.
Meika has a background in Law and Nutrition Science. Her research interests include the development of food and ingredient solutions that are beneficial for health and the environment, consumer science, Indigenous organisms research, the roles of micronutrients and phytochemicals in health and disease, the protection of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property, and novel food regulations.
Professor Palatasa Havea ONZM [s.116 (1)(ca)]
Professor Palatasa Havea (Tasa) started a new role in February this year as the Dean of Pacific Students' Success at Massey University, Palmerston North. He had a 26 year long successful research career in the dairy industry. His research focused on understanding how the molecular changes in dairy proteins can lead to the desired balance between being nutritional and functional ingredients in food products.
Tasa invented a number of patented technologies that bring tens of millions of dollars of annual foreign earnings to the NZ economy. He also brings a distinguished record of leadership in the Pacific community, serving on a range of boards, committees and reference groups including the Health Research Council, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development, and the Ministry of Pacific Peoples. In 2018, he received the Queen's new year's medal, NZ Order of Merit, in recognition of his services to the dairy industry and the NZ Pacific community.
Professor Lisa Houghton [s.116(1)(c)]
Lisa Houghton is a nutrition scientist and educator with over 25 years of experience across New Zealand, Canada and USA. Currently, she holds the position of Emeritus Professor at the University of Otago, where she remains actively involved in supervising research students and guest lecturing on nutrition and global health.
Lisa’s expertise extends to a wide range of areas in community and international nutrition, including nutrition assessment and surveillance, micronutrient deficiencies, maternal and child nutrition, food fortification, and nutrition-sensitive interventions. Notably, she served as the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre in Human Nutrition at Otago, playing a key role in developing evidence-based solutions to improve nutritional health outcomes across the Western Pacific Region.
Throughout her career, Lisa was led numerous projects on assessing and improving the quality of nutrition data and global health indicators in collaboration with the WHO, Gates Foundation and various NGOs. As a consultant and advisor, she continues to leverage her expertise in nutrition and food security to empower local teams and organisations in low resource settings in evaluating nutritional issues and co-designing targeted, food-based solutions.
Mr Craig Sahlin [s.116(3)(a)]
Craig Sahlin is a lawyer and public policy professional with 40 years’ experience in the public, community and private sectors. Craig worked for 15 years in food safety and regulation, playing a leading role in establishing the NSW Food Authority as Australia’s first paddock-to-plate food regulatory agency. During this period, Craig also played a leading role in national food policy and regulation forums, including serving as inaugural chair of both the Strategic Planning Working Group and the Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation.
Craig led development of the first Australian domestic standard and certification framework for organic and biodynamic products as inaugural Independent Chair of Standards Australia’s Organic and Biodynamic Products Committee, receiving Standards Australia’s 2009 Meritorious Contribution Award for this work. From 2016 to 2024 Craig served as a board member of the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority and then as an inaugural Commissioner of the NSW Independent Casino Commission. Craig now seeks to bring together his executive experience in food regulation and his board experience in liquor and gaming regulation to contribute to the work of FSANZ.
Dr Roscoe Taylor [s.116(1)(f)]
Dr Taylor is a specialist in public health medicine with a broad background in general practice, humanities and environmental science. He occupied the statutory position of Director of Public Health in Tasmania from 2002 - 2015 and was also Chief Health Officer 2012-15. He has continued to work across a number of jurisdictions, maintaining interests in environmental health, communicable diseases and chronic disease prevention.
Professor Anna Rangan [s.116(1)(a)]
Anna Rangan is a Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Sydney. She has over 25 years of experience in nutrition epidemiology and research, particularly in the assessment and monitoring of food and nutrient intake, population nutrition surveys, food composition, and dietary methodology. Her extensive record of publications spans nutrition, public health, and clinical research. Her teaching portfolio includes the current Program Director of the Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, where she lectures on dietary intake and nutritional assessment.
Anna is an active member of Dietitians Australia, serving as a Fellow and Advanced Practising Dietitian. She held the position of FSANZ Fellow until 2025 and represented various government and professional working groups and committees, including the Healthy Food Partnership Working Groups on portion size.
Ms Chandni Gupta [s116 (5)]
Chandni Gupta is the Deputy CEO and Digital Policy Director of Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) – Australia’s only dedicated consumer policy think tank. Chandni leads CPRC’s research and policy program, while also leading CPRC’s research stream on protecting consumers in a digital world. Her work includes exploring the consumer shift from the analogue towards the digital economy, the impact of deceptive and manipulative online design, and the key gaps that currently exist in Australia’s consumer protections. She is also a Churchill Fellow, having conducted international research on the impact of, and strategies to, mitigate harm from online deceptive design.
Prior to CPRC, Chandni has worked in state and federal agencies, including the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and has worked internationally both at the United Nations and at the OECD where she led global consumer policy development in product recall effectiveness. Chandni holds a Bachelor of Information Technology (with distinction) and a Master of Business (specialising in public relations). Chandni is currently a member of various expert advisory groups including for the Human Technology Institute, Consumers International, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Dr Michael Depalo [s116(4)(a)]
Dr Michael Depalo has more than 40 years’ experience in FMCG, spanning research and development, food manufacturing and regulations in Australia and internationally. He has extensive expertise in regulatory affairs, including compliance, standards development and evidence-based regulation. He represented the food industry in a number of capacities at the Allergen Bureau, the Gains and Legumes Nutrition Council and the Healthy Food Partnership. Michael has also served in a range of board and committee roles, including on the Health Nutrition and Scientific Affairs Committee of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, and most recently as Board Chair of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST). He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from UTS and a PhD in Biotechnology from UNSW. Michael is also a Fellow of the AIFST.
Dr Geoffrey Annison [s116(4)(a)]
Dr Geoffrey Annison is a senior food industry scientific and regulatory expert with more than 40 years’ experience across the Australian and international agrifood sector. His career spans senior leadership, research, policy development and governance roles across primary industry, food manufacturing, industry representation, R&D, and academia.
Dr Annison’s most recent executive role was as Deputy Chief Executive of the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), a position he held until December 2022. In this role, he led the development and advocacy of food industry policy, with a particular focus on Australia’s food regulatory system and its interaction with industry, government and the wider stakeholder community.
Representing the AFGC, Dr Annison contributed to major national food and health policy initiatives and served on numerous federal and state government advisory committees addressing issues as diverse as food safety, food risk assessment, food labelling and consumer choice, food security, international food trade, and research, development and training policy.
During the COVID 19 pandemic, as Acting CEO of the AFGC, Dr Annison played a key role in addressing supply chain challenges, advising governments on maintaining food production and distribution, and engaging regulators on temporary regulatory flexibility to support food security.
Since retiring from full time executive roles, Dr Annison has worked as an independent consultant to the food and retail sectors, advising on regulatory policy, product safety, innovation and marketing, board governance, supply chain due diligence, and environmental and sustainability claims.