Abbey Hackenberg Kerper

About Abbey Hackenberg Kerper

Over 16 years of CPG experience and a proven track record of successfully leading cross-functional diverse teams, managing complex projects, and consistently delivering successful initiatives on budget and time. I have worked in fast-paced results-oriented environments where managing multiple projects simultaneously through transformation and change was essential. At Powered by FTGU, dba Our Home, I successfully led commercialization projects ranging from the integration of 40+ Good Health® Snacks, including product and brand refresh, as well as line extensions, brand portfolio optimization, and Private Label product launches at some of the top grocery retailers in the US. This was possible by working closely with cross-functional teams and providing clear project communication, deliverables, timeline, cost and feasibility, risk mitigation, and parallel pathing during cross-functional meetings and at Stage Gate presentations. In addition to project management tasks, I was also responsible for item set-up, creative review, customer portal completion, input into Sales decks, obsolescence management, and working closely with supply and demand planning to ensure supply chain continuity, safeguarding operations and maintaining production targets.My degree in Chemical Engineering taught me the importance of defining the problem, being curious enough to find the most efficient way to answer it, and distilling large amounts of information. The start of my carreer laid the foundation of quality and consumer. In 2011, I lead the companies first Hispanic based research and later transitioned to a Process Development role for Rowland Coffee integration. I created scientific processes, specs & standards and then integrated them into 3 New Orleans facilities: Relationship building, process education, new equipment specification, installation, and start-up.Discovery & Innovation expanded my knowledge of the fuzzy front-end through product launch for iconic brands, building resilience to change management. I managed the departments $12M budget, lead the optimization and facilitation of Technical Readiness Stage Gate process, Pillar lead for QA and HSE Key Element program (including USDA implementation), and IS Liaison.My personal development has been fostered through participation in the 2015 class of Torchbearers, completion of Leadership Certificates through Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management: Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness, and Women in Leadership, and corporate sponsored Leadership Book Clubs.

Experience

1. Manager, Project Management & Portfolio

   Eagle Family Foods

   Dec 2025 — Present

   Lead high-priority innovation and commercialization initiatives across the organization, enabling disciplined execution and strong cross-functional alignment within a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment- Lead multiple high-impact innovation and commercialization projects from concept through launch, ensuring on-time delivery, risk visibility, and stakeholder alignment- Apply and champion Stage-Gate methodology to drive disciplined decision-making, clear expectations, and consistent execution across cross-functional teams- Allocate ~50% effort directly managing priority projects while also owning portfolio-level planning, prioritization, and reporting- Manage and coach two project management direct reports; foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team culture- Partner closely with R&D leadership and cross-functional stakeholders (Marketing, Sales, Operations, Regulatory, Finance) to align on critical paths, resolve issues, and maintain momentum- Own visibility into the innovation portfolio, surfacing risks, capacity constraints, and tradeoffs to support executive decision-making- Leverage tools such as Smartsheet and Power BI to track progress, improve transparency, and enable data-driven conversations- Translate complex project and portfolio information into clear, actionable communications for teams and senior leadership- Identify and implement process and workflow improvements to increase speed, efficiency, and decision clarity- Support development and standardization of tools, templates, and workflows to improve consistency and scalability across the pipeline

Education

• Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University

  Women in Leadership Certificate

• Ohio University

  Bachelor of Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

  2007 — 2011

• Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University

  Coaching Certificate (In-Progress)

• Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University

  Management Essentials Certificate (In-progress)

• Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University

  Mindfulness for Effective Leadership Certificate

  2019 — 2019

• Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University

  Emotionally Intelligent Leader Certificate

  2018 — 2019