Mitzi Baum to Step Down as CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness

Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP) Chief Executive Officer Mitzi Baum has informed the board of directors of her plans to step down from her role by the end of the year.

“We are so grateful for Mitzi’s leadership and collaborative spirit since arriving at STOP and will be sad to see her go,” the board said in a statement. “We wish her all the best and look forward to her counsel and support in the years ahead.”

Baum joined STOP as CEO in May 2019 after a 23-year career leading food safety for Feeding America and working in the restaurant industry.

“Mitzi brought deep food safety knowledge to her role, passion for STOP’s mission and constituents, and zeal for collaboration with anyone who shares STOP’s goal of preventing foodborne illness,” said the board. “Mitzi has worked tirelessly and successfully with the staff and board to elevate STOP’s visibility and role as a national voice for food safety.”

Baum’s leadership made possible several new vehicles for collaboration on food safety:

• STOP has built an alliance with 20 major food companies to strengthen food safety culture across the food system, working in collaboration with STOP constituents and the Food and Drug Administration.
• STOP and Baum have been instrumental in the consumer-academic-industry coalition that is working with USDA and advocating for modernization of regulatory standards for Salmonella in poultry.
• On STOP’s behalf, Baum co-chairs a new Fresh Produce Coalition that includes major trade associations, consumer groups and state food safety organizations working together to strengthen both government and industry efforts to prevent produce-related illnesses.
• On behalf of STOP’s constituents, Baum advocated to have Cronobacter sakazakii, a deadly pathogen in infant formula, added to CDC’s reportable disease list.
  

The board said it is grateful for Mitzi’s work to make STOP a more visible and stronger organization than it was when she arrived. She led development of a new strategic plan and strengthened STOP’s communications program, social media presence and fundraising, including STOP 3000, an annual National Food Safety Education Month fundraiser.

“It has been an honor and privilege to lead Stop Foodborne Illness,” said Baum. “I have accomplished the organizational goals that the board and I had defined when I joined STOP; it is time to identify a successor to build upon the growth of the organization and be the next voice for safe food. It is with sincere gratitude that I thank my team and the board for the past five years. I look forward to continuing to work on these issues on behalf of everyone who eats.”

 The board said it is planning to conduct a search for Baum’s successor.