Nikeya Thomas

From Gray to Green: The Evolving Legal Landscape of Hemp Beverages, July 10 @ 9:00  - 9:45 am

Nikeya Thomas is the Program Manager for the Office of Hemp Enforcement with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  Ms. Thomas earned a bachelor’s in Food and Nutritional Sciences from North Carolina A&T State University and earned a master’s degree in Biosecurity and Food Safety from Virginia Tech. Before becoming a regulator, she worked in the manufacturing industry for several years and then in 2013 became a Food Safety Inspector with the Virginia Department of Agriculture. She has worked in food safety for over a decade and currently oversees the program responsible for the regulatory oversight and enhancement of the hemp products industry in Virginia, through policy and regulation development. She is a published author of nationally recognized research with The International Food Protection Training Institute and has worked collaboratively with the FDA on national recalls and research of food borne illness outbreaks. She calls Richmond, Virginia her home where she finds enjoyment in cooking, gardening and spending time with family and friends.