Loren D. Israelsen
Mr. Israelsen is Executive Director of the Utah Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), a trade association of dietary supplement companies committed to safety, science and quality. UNPA was founded in 1991 with the mission to create a new legislative model for the regulation of dietary supplements. This was realized by passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994. Since then, UNPA has worked closely with Congress, FDA and allied trade associations to assure full and proper implementation of DSHEA.
Loren Israelsen has been deeply involved in the commercial and regulatory issues facing the global dietary supplement industry since 1982. He has served as vice president/general counsel to the American Herbal Products Association, co-founder and counsel to the European American Phytomedicine Coalition (EAPC), industry liaison to FDA’s Expert Advisory Committee on Ephedra, issue manager for dietary supplements for the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD), a founding member and executive board member of the International Alliance of Dietary Supplement Associations (IADSA), industry advisor to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), and an expert panel member to IFT’s Functional Food Report published in 2005.
For years, he has worked closely with the leading academic institutions and publications in the natural health field, including sitting on the Board of Regents of Bastyr University, the Editorial Board of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, among others. Mr. Israelsen has authored over 150 articles, book chapters and has lectured in over 30 countries on dietary supplement and functional food issues. He is the recipient of the NBJ Lifetime Achievement Award, the NNFA President’s Award and the B.Y. Morrison Lecture and Medal. He was honored to be included in Natural Health Magazine’s 30th Anniversary Hall of Fame.
Mr. Israelsen received his B.S. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, from Utah State University. He attended the Oxford University Queens College Jurisprudence Program in Oxford, England and received his J.D. from J. Rueben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, where he also was elected president of the Student Bar Association.
Heidi Calder
Ms. Heidi CALDER brings 20 years of experience in the sports medicine and natural health fields. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with an emphasis in exercise physiology. She has also served as an instructor for the Utah Heart Association and worked at the LDS Hospital Fitness Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since 1987, she has been the executive assistant to Mr. Israelsen during her tenure at both Nature's Way and at LDI Group. She is a skilled gardener, chef and mother of three awesome boys.
Lindsay Wright
Ms Lindsay WRIGHT is UNPA’s able Director of Programs and Seminars. She manages many of the daily support functions at UNPA, including new client screening, meeting planning, building administration and executive assistant duties. In addition to holding a B.S. degree in Speech Communications from the University of Utah, Lindsay comes to us with experience in the fields of fitness and nutrition, finance, and the logistics of event planning, most notably as an assistant to NBC executives and media personalities during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Kira Olsen
Ms Kira Olsen serves as UNPA's administrative assistant. She assists in the planning and production of seminars and events, as well as the daily functions of administrative duties. Kira comes to us with a background in advertising and marketing. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor's degree in Speech Communications.