Our Staff

Our staff includes veteran industry experts who offer personalized, concierge-level support to our members for support when needed. IBA goes the extra mile to help its members succeed. Please contact us with questions about IBA membership benefits, programming, or to get more involved in IBA.

 Learn about our commitment to our members

Meet the Team

	Don Frey President/CEO Don has over 35 years of experience in the Personal Care and Cosmetics business. His professional experience has spanned many companies and brands, both large and small, including Procter & Gamble, Cover Girl, Gillette, Jafra Cosmetics, Avon, Method, and The Honest Company. Don has been active in industry nonprofit organizations, having served in volunteer leadership roles at IBA, Beauty Industry West, and Cradle2Cradle. Don has been leading the Independent Beauty Association since 2022.
	Liz Gill Director of Business Development A beauty industry veteran with 25 years of experience,  Liz has worked in various sectors of the beauty industry including color cosmetics, home fragrance, professional beauty distribution, and contract manufacturing focused on start-up brands.  Passionate about all things beauty, she has a unique perspective on the needs of different company types within the industry due to her professional background.  Liz looks forward to working with IBA members for a personalized experience, ensuring that all meaningful services and membership benefits are maximized by each member.
	Akemi Ooka Vice President of Global Supply Chain & Sustainability Resources Dr. Akemi Ooka has a Ph.D. in Chemistry and over 20 years in the CPG industry, from Fortune 500 companies to small startups. Akemi’s experience ranges from product development to sourcing and supply chain transformation at companies including J.R. Watkins, method, and The Clorox Company. Akemi now leads IBA’s Global Supply Chain and Sustainability Resources programming, education, and advocacy.
	Reema Patel Director, Export Program Reema Patel’s regulatory affairs experience ranges from the global cosmetics-drug industry, human subjects research, and clinical investigation. Reema holds a Master’s in Public Health. She is now IBA’s Export Manager, overseeing the Certificate Program and supporting members with smooth international expansion.
	Meredith Petillo Vice President of Technical-Regulatory Affairs Meredith Petillo brings over 15 years of experience in cosmetic regulatory affairs, legal advertising claims, product testing and product development to support IBA member companies with regulatory and technical solutions to grow and thrive. She holds a BS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and an MS in Regulatory Affairs for Drugs, Biologics & Medical Devices. Meredith leads IBA’s Technical and Regulatory programming, education, and advocacy.
	Malia Hernandez Document Specialist Malia Hernandez is a seasoned professional in business administration and management, with a background in compliance, marketing, and sports entertainment. Malia handles the end-to-end processing of export documentation to the Export Certificate Program.
	Neva Lindell Associate Program Coordinator Neva holds an MBA and a BS in Journalism. Her experience has focused on smaller organizations, including entrepreneurial for-profits and a variety of nonprofits, including serving as a nonprofit board member. Neva supports the Export Program and communications.