Jennifer Castro

About Jennifer Castro

Highly motivated, accomplished and results driven Research, Development, Quality & Innovation leader with over twenty years of experience in the food and beverage industry.Broad experience spans Product, Process, Package Development, Quality and Regulatory Management, and Innovation Leadership across multiple beverage categories including Sports Nutrition (Dairy & Plant Protein), Ready-to-Drink, Powdered Soft Drinks and Coffee-Proven leader with agility to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities in both start-up and established brand environments-Extensive experience and passion for managing and developing teams across all career stages, organization structures and geographies-Innovation leadership from concept to commercialization including development and maintenance of the Stage Gate Process-Quality Management including supplier assurance, co-manufacturer approval and management, specification, quality KPI and recall process development and leadership-Regulatory compliance responsibility including label and claims review for US and International markets in close collaboration with Legal.

Experience

1. Senior Director, Quality Assurance

   Leprino

   Nov 2024 — Present · Denver, CO, US

   Head of Quality Assurance at Leprino with responsibility for Cheese, Nutrition and Ascent Protein.

Education

• Manhattan University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Chemical Engineering

  1997 — 2001

• Manhattan University

  Master of Science (M.S.), Chemical Engineering

  2001 — 2002

Skills

• Product Development
• Leadership
• Supply Chain Management
• Food Science
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Haccp)
• Food Industry
• Process Engineering
• Beverage Industry
• Food Processing
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Quality System
• Product R&D
• Project Management
• Engineering
• Haccp
• Supply Chain
• Manufacturing
• Continuous Improvement
• Coffee
• Product Innovation
• Management
• Gmp