Instructor
Tara Lin Couch, Ph.D., Senior Director, Dietary Supplement and Tobacco Services
Dr. Couch is a Ph.D. Analytical / Organic Chemist with over 25 years of diverse laboratory and regulatory experience in academic, field, contract, and manufacturing environments. She possesses exceptional analytical abilities as demonstrated also by her B.S. in Mathematics. She has served as the Study Director on numerous EPA and clinical studies as well as directed the Quality Control department at a pharmaceutical and dietary supplement manufacturing facility. The latter entailed directing all aspects of the quality control analytical and microbiological laboratories including management of the company Stability Program and Quarantine Area operations. Dr. Couch also provided scientific expertise and technical support for new product development, product reformulations, and on-going production challenges. She served as the scientific head of a Strength and Purity Verification Testing Program committee, which provided full label claim testing on dietary supplements to meet all Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) regulations and expectations of the FDA. Her talents were also utilized to evaluate and set raw material and finished product specifications and prepare product summaries (white papers) for dietary supplement products.
As a consultant, Dr. Couch has assisted numerous dietary supplement companies with the development, improvement, and implementation of strong Quality Systems that are scientifically sound, efficient, practical and compliant with all FDA regulations. She is an experienced speaker having presented numerous scientific and regulatory compliance lectures around the country, conducted in-house and external Dietary Supplement GMP trainings, and taught entry level to graduate level chemistry courses and laboratories at several academic institutions.
Mr. Fish joined EAS Consulting Group, LLC in November 2006 after ten years consulting for FDA regulated industries. He spent 33 years with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the last 6 years of that service as Director, Division of Field Investigations (DFI). He was responsible for general policy and guidance for the Agency’s domestic and international investigation activities. He also managed the foreign inspections’ operations. Prior to that position, Mr. Fish was Director of Compliance at the Nashville District Office and was also a Supervisory Investigator at the Nashville District Office. Mr. Fish began his career as an investigator in the Minneapolis District Office in 1962 and subsequently served as an Investigator at the Grand Rapids Residence Post and the Detroit District Office. Mr. Fish is experienced in all aspects of FDA regulated products. He has expertise in compliance matters and Current Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations (GMPs) as they relate to pharmaceutical, device, and biologics manufacture. Further, Mr. Fish is ISO 9000 Lead Assessor Trained and is an AFDO Certified HACCP Instructor. He is a sought-after expert, speaking at international events on FDA inspections and GMPs.
Tim Stewart is a Ph.D. chemist who advises clients on FTC, AG and FDA regulatory compliance issues such as Customs and Border Patrol, Import Alerts, State and Federal observations/violations, Consent Decrees, California Proposition 65 requirements, and vendor qualifications. Prior to consulting, he worked at Paragon Laboratories as a Quality Control Manager and researcher at both Harvard Medical School and the University of Southern California.