Clara graduated in Veterinary Medicine in 1995 from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Milan. In 2000 she obtained with Laude the title of Specialist in Applied Ethology and Pet Welfare and in 2003 the title of PhD. She is currently Associate Professor at the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences of the University of Milan and conducts behavioral examinations at the Behavioral Medicine service of the University Veterinary Hospital of Lodi. Author of numerous scientific publications as well as speaker at conferences and courses at international level, in 2005 she obtained the Diploma from the European College of Behavioral Medicine (ECAWBM) and the title of European Specialist in Behavioral Medicine. The research areas of particular interest are the behavioral pathologies of dogs and cats and the evaluation of the welfare of shelter dogs.

Jean-François earned his Ph.D. in Behavioral Ecology from the University of Maryland (USA) and joined Purina in 2011. His work focuses on applied pet behavior, behavior research, and communication. He has been instrumental in the development of the pet welfare and adoption programs at Purina's PetCare Center in France. Jean-François also serves on the local university animal ethics committee and recently led the clinical trial to complete the EFSA dossier to launch Calming Care in Europe.

Jenifer finished her Veterinary degree in 2010 and her residency program in Small Animal Nutrition in 2016. She is doctor (PhD) in veterinary medicine and has worked as an associate professor in pet nutrition in the Veterinary School of the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona (UAB) (Spain) where she was also managing the research line in pet nutrition of the Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service. She was in charge of the Small Animal Clinical Nutrition Service in the Hospital Clínic Veterinari (UAB). She joined Nestlé PURINA EMENA in 2017 and she is currently the Vet Health Care Professionals Scientific Affairs at Nestlé PURINA Europe. Jenifer has scientific communications in national and international congresses and publications in national and international peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Lisa Conboy-Schmidt joined Purina in 2011 and is currently Global Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Expert for Purina Research and Development. She holds a PhD in Neuropharmacology and a BSc in Pharmacology, from University College Dublin, Ireland. Lisa leads approval of new probiotic ingredients for Purina, ensuring their efficacy and safety compliance. She is also actively involved in driving global standardization for pet food nutrition through various trade associations.

She is bachelor in Veterinary Medicine from the School of Veterinary Medicine of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, where she also completed a Master's Degree in Veterinary Research and Food Sciences and the Phd. Diplomate by the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioral Medicine since 2008. Head of the Clinical Ethology Service of the Veterinary Clinical Hospital of the UAB and researcher in the Department of Animal Science and Food of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the UAB.

Miquel Montserrat earned his Veterinary Medicine degree in 2019 and completed his PhD in Animal Nutrition in 2024 at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, focusing on prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics for dogs and cats, resulting in several scientific publications. He gained additional experience in companion animal clinical nutrition and pet nutrition research during his stays at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Utrecht University. Since 2023, he has served as the Science and Nutrition Lead at Nestlé Purina PetCare, providing technical support in pet nutrition across European markets.

Dr. Ragen McGowan is the Director of Digital Product Development at Purina. She has over 25 years of experience in animal behavior research, the last 16 of which have been with Nestlé Purina using a holistic approach incorporating behavior, physiology and endocrinology to quantify affective states in dogs and cats. She aims to develop products that cater to different behavioral needs of pets, including focus on the impact of nutrition on behavior via the gut-brain axis, new insights into the emotional lives of pets and understanding the human-animal bond from the pet’s perspective. Ragen earned a B.S. in Zoology, a B.A. in Foreign Language & Literature and a PhD in Applied Ethology from Washington State University. Her PhD research focused on Contrafreeloading, in grizzly bears, laying hens and mice. Prior to joining Nestlé Purina, Ragen held a post-doctoral research position at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden, where her research focused on the study of emotionality in dogs. This included exploring Cognitive Bias and the ‘Eureka Effect’ in dogs. She is now bringing her knowledge of animal behavior and emotions into the digital space to better connect owners with their pets. Ragen has a passion for sharing her vast knowledge, speaking at a variety of events and contributing as a scientific expert for congresses, roundtables and podcasts.

Rosa Carbonell, Head of B2B & Veterinary Affairs at Nestlé Purina PetCare & FEDIAF President Rosa has held various leadership roles; she started her career in UNILEVER Spain, in the FIC (Food Industry Cleaning), then moved to Rhone-Mériuex as Marketing Director in Spain and was quickly promoted to European Marketing Director at Merial SAS in France, where she established marketing networks, developed strategies for key product portfolios, and coordinated product launches and business development. She decided to relocate to Spain and joined a new role as Specialist Business Unit Director at Nestlé Petcare España S.A., then she joined the European team in Switzerland as Head of Veterinary Channel EMENA where she developed a regional expansion model, implemented a new business model, and led the execution of growth, profit, and market share objectives. She moved to the international hub in Barcelona as Head of Veterinary Advocacy Zone Europe and recently she has been appointed as Head of B2B and Veterinary Affairs Zone Europe with focus on driving business transformation, creating a robust B2B strategy, recommending portfolio strategies, and developing strategic alliances and partnerships. She is currently FEDIAF President (European Petfood Industry) and member of the Board of Directors.

Sarah qualified from Bristol and spent four years in mixed general practice before setting up Behavioural Referrals Veterinary Practice in 1992. In 2018 she was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in recognition of her work in establishing Behavioural Medicine as a veterinary discipline. She is an RCVS and EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine. Sarah is an External Lecturer in small animal behavioural medicine on the veterinary undergraduate courses at Liverpool University and the University of Lancashire School of Veterinary Medicine. She is a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist and sees clinical cases across North West England. Sarah is the author of the Heath Model and promotes the concept of Comprehensive Veterinary Healthcare. She has a special interest in the interplay between emotional and physical illness in dogs and cats and particularly in the role of pain. She promotes the recognition of emotional health issues in companion animals and the role of the veterinary profession in safeguarding the welfare of animals in this context. Sarah lectures at home and abroad and is an author, co-author and editor of several books and papers.

Xavier Manteca Vilanova received his BVSc and PhD from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare from the University of Edinburgh. Currently, he is professor of animal behaviour and animal welfare at the School of Veterinary Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He has published extensively and is a diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine. Xavier has been member of the Animal Health and Welfare Panel of EFSA and has participated in several EU-funded research projects. His main area of expertise is the assessment of companion, zoo and farm animal welfare.