Alissa Gardner

About Alissa Gardner

I’m a Senior Research and Development (R&D) Manager in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) who leads and develops high-performing teams while delivering innovative products and streamlining processes. A Food Scientist by training, I have formulated, tested, and commercialized more than 30 products. → An adaptable leader who identifies the needs of my team, understands different perspectives, and builds consensus to complete the task at hand. → TEAM LEADERSHIP: 8 years of leading high-performing teams inclusive of hiring, onboarding, and mentoring.→ PROJECT MANAGEMENT: 15 years of directing R&D projects that span short-term production improvement projects to complicated, capital expansion and product development projects. → PARTNERSHIP BUILDING: 18 years of building customer, vendor, and co-manufacturing relationships. → Research & Development (R&D), Cross-functional Team Leadership, Project Management, Budget Management, FDA Compliance, USDA Regulatory Compliance, Formulation, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Innovation, Communications, Problem Solving, Market Research, Strategic Thinking, Co-manufacturing Relationships, Partnership Building, Food and Beverage

Experience

1. Director of Research & Development

   The Crump Group, Inc.

   Jan 2026 — Present · Nashville, NC, US

Education

• North Carolina State University

  BS, Microbiology

  2003

• North Carolina State University

  MS, Food Science

  2005

Skills

• Food Industry
• Food Manufacturing
• Food Microbiology
• Sensory Evaluation
• Ingredients
• Sap
• Tpm
• Product Innovation
• Quality Assurance
• Meat
• Food
• Food Processing
• Product Development
• R&D
• Haccp
• Food Science
• Food Safety
• Process Improvement
• Consumer Products
• Lean Manufacturing