Division of Environmental Health Food Safety and Sanitation Program

AFPTF Quarterly Meeting Minutes

• October 21, 2025
• 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. (Alaska)

Roll Call

Jeremy Ayers, Carol Brady, Kimberly Stryker, Brian Himelbloom, Nathan Bruns, Robyn Hurley, Bobbie McDonald, Rachel Negron, Gavin Northey, Susan Sery, Rachel Spencer, Emily Garrett, Dena Cologgi, Chris Mariano, Tina Mayer, Heather Branvold-Faber

Meeting Notes

• Opening remarks and introductions, Kimberly Stryker
• Food Safety and Sanitation program update, Jeremy Ayers
  • Carol Brady started as the new section manager in August (the role that Lorinda previously held)
  • Three new staff hired; one in Fairbanks, two in Anchorage
  • The food worker card system had a denial of service attack in August and was not able to be used for more than a month; the system is now back online and has undergone some updates as part of ongoing modernization efforts
  • There are 65 food permits that may be affected by the typhoon in western Alaska; primarily school, Head Start programs, and convenience store and grocery store permits

Member Updates

• Office of the State Veterinarian, Dena Cologgi and Robyn Hurley
  • Working on disaster coordination related to pet evacuations
  • Grower training (remote) in January
• Brian Himelbloom
  • Part of a group that wrote and recently published food safety guidance for seaweed, patterned after seafood hazard guide
  • Participated in the recent smoked seafood school
  • Upcoming mariculture conference in March in Anchorage, mostly for growers
• Education and Early Development, Gavin Northey, Rachel Spencer, Chris Mariano
  • Anchorage School District was proactive in coordinating students from the typhoon evacuation and trying to find the best schools to keep siblings together
  • Preparing to share food safety plan with schools, plan provides instructions on HACCP, including receiving, storing, prepping, and how to cook and prepare foods
  • Contacting Head Start programs affected by the typhoon to provide support

Action Items and Closing Remarks

• Join us in January for our next quarterly meeting!

Next Meeting

• Quarterly Meeting
• January 27, 2026
• 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
• Virtual

Be sure to sign up for the Alaska Food Protection Task Force email list.