ILENE V. SMITH, MS, RD, PRINCIPAL, I ON FOOD
Ilene Smith loves food. Not just in the foodie “I love to cook and eat in hot restaurants way.” Ilene truly has a passion for everything there is to know about food – from how it is made to how it is marketed, from how consumers view food to how influencers form their opinions about food and the food industry.
Ilene has tapped into that passion professionally, combining her expertise, knowledge and skills in food, nutrition and public relations to create game-changing communications strategies for leading companies and organizations in the food industry. Among the companies and organizations Ilene has counseled are McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, Quaker, Kellogg, Wendy’s, the Almond Board of California, Silk soy products, the California Strawberry Commission, the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and ConAgra.
As a senior counselor, Ilene has worked with companies to shift corporate reputation, build brand stories, deliver influencer support and endorsement and drive business results. She has overseen the execution of major media events, scientific symposia, brand and product launches, and client news bureaus.
As a former journalist, Ilene understands how to craft client stories that resonate with desired audiences, whether they are consumers, consumer media, health professionals or influencers, and to develop media strategies that deliver results that meet client objectives.
Ilene also uses those skills to help companies tell their stories through chef-centered media events through her company, Dishing with the Media.
Ilene is widely considered a thought leader in the field of food communications and is asked to speak on the topic at industry conferences and to write articles for professional publications. She has served on the executive committee of Dietitians in Business & Communications for the past three years and is currently its chair-elect.
Ilene holds a masters degree in Nutrition and Applied Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelor of arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from New York University. She is a registered dietitian and member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Ilene has tapped into that passion professionally, combining her expertise, knowledge and skills in food, nutrition and public relations to create game-changing communications strategies for leading companies and organizations in the food industry. Among the companies and organizations Ilene has counseled are McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, Quaker, Kellogg, Wendy’s, the Almond Board of California, Silk soy products, the California Strawberry Commission, the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and ConAgra.
As a senior counselor, Ilene has worked with companies to shift corporate reputation, build brand stories, deliver influencer support and endorsement and drive business results. She has overseen the execution of major media events, scientific symposia, brand and product launches, and client news bureaus.
As a former journalist, Ilene understands how to craft client stories that resonate with desired audiences, whether they are consumers, consumer media, health professionals or influencers, and to develop media strategies that deliver results that meet client objectives.
Ilene also uses those skills to help companies tell their stories through chef-centered media events through her company, Dishing with the Media.
Ilene is widely considered a thought leader in the field of food communications and is asked to speak on the topic at industry conferences and to write articles for professional publications. She has served on the executive committee of Dietitians in Business & Communications for the past three years and is currently its chair-elect.
Ilene holds a masters degree in Nutrition and Applied Physiology from Columbia University and a bachelor of arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from New York University. She is a registered dietitian and member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.