TO SEE THE STAFF LISTED BY BUSINESS AREA USE THE LINKS BELOW:

Our Senior Management Team

• Earle R. Nestmann, Ph.D., President
• Ian C. Munro, Ph.D., F.A.T.S., FRCPath, Executive Vice President and Senior Scientific Consultant
• Ashley Roberts, Ph.D., Vice President, Food & Nutrition
• Karen Levins, Vice President, Chemicals
• David Bechtel, Ph.D., DABT, Vice President, New Jersey Office, Senior Scientific Consultant
• Peter Bailey, C.A., Senior Vice President, Corporate Operations
• Linda Dessaulles, B.A., CHRP, Director, Corporate Operations

Our large scientific staff team has the depth and flexibility to provide additional assistance and support to our clients’ own in-house regulatory and scientific staff. To view the staff profiles for additional staff members visit the appropriate business area links to the left of the Senior Management Team.

Earle R. Nestmann, Ph.D.
President

Dr. Nestmann is a recognized authority in toxicology with extensive experience in regulatory issues and risk assessment. Having joined Cantox in 1988, he also is Director of the Agri, Biotech and Consumer Products business group. Providing senior scientific guidance to clients on an international level, he serves as the Canadian agent for regulatory purposes while also providing litigation support and expert witness services.

Having edited several books on risk assessment and recombinant DNA methodology, Dr. Nestmann has also published more than 150 scientific papers in the fields of toxicological evaluation, risk assessment, mutagenesis, and microbial genetics.

As a member of several national and international committees and panels, he has worked with the World Health Organization, the U.S. National Toxicology Program, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Ontario Biotechnology Advisory Board, and numerous trade associations. He previously served as President of the Genetics Society of Canada and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Type Culture Collection and of the Board of Directors of the York University Alumni Association.

Prior to joining Cantox, Dr. Nestmann, as a research scientist at Health Canada in the Environmental Health Directorate, was responsible for a laboratory program in genetic toxicology, contributing to the development of regulatory policies for the use of genotoxicity data and for assessment of potential risk from genetically engineered micro-organisms. As a Manager of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs for a major international chemical producer, he gained experience in developing and evaluating safety programs for pesticides, food additives, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals.

Dr. Nestmann received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from York University for work in microbial genetics, chemical mutagenesis, spontaneous mutation, and anti-mutagenesis. His B.S. degree is in biology from Marietta College. He also taught courses including genetics, microbiology, and natural and environmental sciences as an Assistant Professor at York University.

Ian C. Munro, Ph.D., F.A.T.S., FRCPath
Executive Vice President and Senior Scientific Consultant

Dr. Munro is an internationally recognized authority on toxicology and has more than 35 of years experience dealing with complex regulatory issues related to product safety and risk assessment. He has in excess of 150 scientific publications in the fields of toxicology and risk assessment to his credit. Dr. Munro formerly held senior positions at Health Canada as Director of the Bureau of Chemical Safety and Director General of the Food Directorate, Health Protection Branch.

While with the Health Protection Branch, Dr. Munro was responsible for research and standard setting activities of the Branch related to microbial and chemical hazards in food and the nutritional quality of the Canadian food supply. He contributed significantly to the development of risk assessment procedures in the field of public health, both nationally and internationally, through membership on various committees.

A past member of the Board of Directors of the Toxicology Forum, Dr. Munro also holds memberships in the Society of Toxicology and the American College of Toxicology. He has served on numerous national and international committees, including those of the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Munro is a graduate of McGill University in biochemistry and nutrition. He also holds a Ph.D. from Queen's University in pharmacology and toxicology. Dr. Munro is a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, London. He was also Director of the Canadian Centre for Toxicology from 1983 to 1992 and is a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Ashley Roberts, Ph.D.
Vice President, Food & Nutrition 

Dr. Roberts, joined Cantox in 2001 as an accomplished Regulatory Toxicologist with extensive knowledge in both European and international regulatory affairs. As Director of the Food & Nutrition Group, his considerable experience in designing, conducting and reporting pre-clinical and clinical research studies for food ingredients, additives and contaminants allows clients to be reassured they are in good hands.

He advises and assists our international clients with issues that are scientific, regulatory and toxicological in nature. In addition, he is able to assist in designing and developing scientific research programs, as well as developing regulatory strategies for food additives, foods that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS), and novel foods.

During his time in industry and academia, he has published a number of papers in peer-reviewed journals, primarily in the area related to mechanisms of toxicity and pre-clinical/clinical pharmacokinetics.

Prior to joining Cantox, Dr. Roberts worked in the area of scientific and regulatory affairs for a multi-national food company for more than 10 years. He previously worked in two leading European contract research organizations conducting drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics studies and phase I clinical trials.

Dr. Roberts received his B.Sc. with honours in biochemistry from the University of London and a Ph.D. in clinical pharmacology /toxicology under the guidance of Professor A. Renwick OBE from the University of Southampton. He then completed a post-doctoral fellowship in metabolism and pharmacokinetics, also from the University of Southampton. During his time in the food industry he was an active member of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) and was chairman-elect of the International Sweeteners Association’s Safety and Regulatory Committee.

Karen Levins, B.Sc.
Vice President, Chemicals

As a regulatory toxicologist with over 17 years experience, Ms. Levins helps the chemical industry understand and comply with global regulations controlling the manufacture, import, distribution, and use of new and existing products. To date, Ms. Levins has delivered practical advice and regulatory success to more than 500 clients. Given her dynamic style and wisdom, she is a popular speaker at domestic and international conferences on chemical control regulations.

Ms. Levins helps industry address challenging regulatory climates and demanding marketplaces, in a timely and cost-effective manner, by successfully directing the use of surrogate data, estimation methods, or waiver requests, to meet complex requirements for physical-chemical and toxicological information.

Given her wealth of experience in negotiating difficult regulatory clearances, Ms. Levins is routinely called upon by chemical companies, and their lawyers, to help address sensitive circumstances of non-compliance.

Ms. Levins is an active member of the Industry Coordinating Group (ICG) for the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and the New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR). She has supported bilateral and multi-stakeholder consultations concerning: the review and re-engineering of CEPA and NSNR; the application of CEPA and NSNR to products regulated under the Canadian Food & Drugs Act; the global harmonization of NSN requirements; the Mutual Recognition of Assessments (MRA) and Mutual Acceptance of Notifications (MAN) between governments; and the CEPA-mandated Categorization and Screening of the Domestic Substances List (CSDSL).

Ms. Levins joined Cantox in 1991 and holds a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Biomedical Toxicology from the University of Guelph. Her education has been extended through post-graduate courses in toxicology and business management. She is trained in the principles of Good Laboratory Practice and Good Clinical Practice (GLP/GCP), and she is a member of the Society of Toxicology of Canada, and the U.S. Society of Quality Assurance.

David Bechtel, Ph.D., DABT
Vice President, New Jersey Office, Senior Scientific Consultant

Dr. Bechtel, Managing Director of the New Jersey office, joined Cantox in 1994 as a recognized authority in toxicology, with emphasis on food and pharmaceutical safety, chemical carcinogenesis, risk assessment, and occupational hazard assessment.

As a Senior Scientific Consultant, with over 30 years as a toxicologist, Dr. Bechtel offers technical consultation in toxicology and regulatory compliance including issues management, global strategy development, client and regulatory liaison, business development and planning, project development, execution and quality assurance. Having addressed the safety of food additives; novel foods and ingredients; pharmaceutical products; and natural and industrial contaminants, he has also resolved occupational safety issues in manufacturing and laboratory settings through developing both chemical and material exposure assessment.

Prior to joining Cantox, Dr. Bechtel was the toxicologist of a major US food company, designing and managing a comprehensive pre-clinical and clinical safety testing program to obtain international regulatory approval for a new class of food ingredient. He also directed research on the plausible interrelationship between dietary components and cancer, providing critical commentary to regulatory authorities regarding the human health risks posed by mycotoxins.

Previously, at another leading international food company, he held senior positions in toxicology and industrial hygiene, being responsible for conducting safety and pharmacokinetic research on novel food additives, and the development of risk. As the Corporate Industrial Hygienist, he was instrumental in developing an occupational health and safety process for chemical and material exposures including on-going identification of hazards, exposure assessment, and risk management.

Dr. Bechtel earned an M.S. in Industrial Health and a Ph.D. in Toxicology from the University of Michigan.  He then became certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology in 1984.

Peter Bailey, C.A.
Senior Vice President, Corporate Operations

Mr. Bailey, the Vice President of Corporate Operations, is responsible in providing oversight and management of all administrative and financial functions for each of Cantox’s international locations.

Since joining the company in 1989, he has managed the areas of accounting, finance, human resources, information technology, information services, administrative support, as well as providing collaboration on marketing and graphics efforts. Working with staff in the above listed areas, Mr. Bailey ensures that all aspects of the organization are working smoothly and effectively, allowing for clients to receive the best possible support from their Cantox consultants. As adviser on contractual matters, he interacts with clients to provide the fairest agreement between both parties.

As a member of the Senior Management Committee, Mr. Bailey is responsible for reporting financial results on a monthly basis, while also providing analysis and advice on key strategic and business issues. As a Member of the Board of Directors, company Treasurer and Chair of both the Operations and Marketing Committees, he is informed of how all departments are operating and their level of efficiency. Whereas being a member of the Compensation Committee, allows him the opportunity to retain and grow the expert staff base by providing market driven compensation programs.

Mr. Bailey received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Guelph and has been a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario since 1983.

Ms. Dessaulles, the Director of Corporate Operations, joined Cantox in 1989. She is responsible for providing leadership for all international locations in the areas of human resources, management and strategy.

Ensuring that all human resources processes, programs and services meet the needs of the growing number of Cantox employees, Ms. Dessaulles consults management in the successful design, communication, implementation and maintenance of the organization. By providing general human resources support and expertise, she makes recommendations to identify, analyze and resolve human resources issues and needs within the organizations. Working closely with Executive management, Ms. Dessaulles has implemented performance measurements to guarantee that all staff are working at an optimum level and performing at the highest level for all clients.

To recruit and retain the best personnel for Cantox, she develops compensation programs that are market driven and market competitive. Providing guidance and coaching to managers in implementing corporate policies and procedures, Ms. Dessaulles also acts as an employee advocate by identifying employee issues and concerns and determining appropriate actions. To maintain a relevant office, she also directs and analyzes training and development exercises, oversees recruitment and selection, policy development, HR planning, HRIS development and maintenance as well as providing assistance with the general management of the Mississauga Office and supervision of administrative staff.

Ms. Dessaulles received her B.A. in Psychology & Sociology from Loyola (presently Concordia University) in Montreal and has subsequently studied for and received a CHRP designation.