International Association for Food Protection Holds 2026-2027 Secretary Election

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Des Moines, Iowa – The International Association for Food Protection is proud to announce
Dr. Martin Duplessis and Dr. Maria Hoffmann as candidates for the position of 2026–2027 Secretary. The elected Secretary will assume his or her position following IAFP 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana, in July and will serve a five-year term of successive positions. Electronic ballots will be provided to all Association Members, and the election will remain open through March 3, 2026. Election results will be announced in March on the IAFP website, in the April IAFP Report, and in the May/June issue of Food Protection Trends.

Dr. Martin Duplessis has served since 2019 as Director of the Bureau of Microbial Hazards within Health Canada’s Food and Nutrition Directorate in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Duplessis leads a nationally- and internationally-recognized team that sets Canada’s food safety and guidelines, delivering science-based risk assessments, and advancing food safety education and outreach. Under his leadership, the Bureau’s scientists are driving progress and innovation in microbial hazard characterization and developing detection methods for foodborne pathogens. This work strengthens public health protection and informs food safety policies in Canada and globally. 

Dr. Duplessis began his career at Health Canada in 2007, working in food emergency preparedness and response, and scientific advisory roles before advancing into leadership positions within the Food and Nutrition Directorate. Prior to his current role, he served as Director of the Bureau of Product Review and Assessment within Health Canada’s Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate (2017–2019). Since 2019, he has headed Canada’s Delegation to the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), providing strategic leadership and representing Canada’s interests on the global stage.

An active IAFP Member since 2015, Dr. Duplessis currently serves on the Journal of Food Protection Management Committee. He has served on the ad-hoc Awards Committee and the Developing Scientist Awards Committee, and served four years on the IAFP Program Committee, including as Chair in 2021. Dr. Duplessis has organized and presented symposia, delivered poster presentations, and actively supported PDGs. He has also served as a long-time mentor for students and early-career scientists.

Dr. Duplessis holds a B.S. in Microbiology and a Master’s and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, all from Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec.

Dr. Maria Hoffmann is a Genomics Research Scientist in the Human Foods Program at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Washington, D.C., where she leads nationally- and internationally-recognized initiatives to advance the genomic epidemiology of foodborne pathogens. Her work has helped shape the modern era of food safety genomics. She established the FDA/HFP’s long-read sequencing program and played a foundational role in developing GenomeTrakr, the global whole genome sequencing (WGS) network that has transformed outbreak traceability.

Over the past two decades, Dr. Hoffmann has worked at the intersection of science, public health, and food safety policy, developing advanced genomic methods, building global networks, and strengthening outbreak detection through WGS. Her research focuses on precision genomics, including antimicrobial resistance and stress tolerance detection, as well as foodborne pathogen survival and persistence within food systems. She began her public health career at the Institute for Hygiene and Environment in Hamburg, Germany, before joining the FDA in 2007.

Dr. Hoffmann has been an active IAFP Member since 2014 and is consistently recognized for her leadership and service. She has organized the annual Whole Genome Sequencing Workshop since 2016; convened numerous symposia and roundtables; and supported multiple Professional Development Groups (PDGs). She has also served as chair, reviewer, and judge for the Larry Beuchat Young Researcher Award; served on the Nominating Committee; and contributed four consecutive years to the Program Committee, including chairing the 2025 Annual Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Hoffmann earned her Master’s in Food Chemistry and Ph.D. in Microbial Genetics from the University of Hamburg.