Michele Perchonok

Michele Perchonok is an experienced professional in food science and space technology, currently serving as an Advisory Board Member at Obie & Ax Inc. since January 2022 and volunteering with the Institute of Food Technologists since 1982, where various leadership roles have been held. Between 2005 and 2017, Perchonok held multiple management positions at NASA, including Manager of the Human Research Program Science Management Office and Element Manager for Space Human Factors and Habitability, overseeing significant research portfolios and ensuring the development of safe food systems for space missions. Earlier experience includes roles at Riviana Foods and PepsiCo, where product development and sensory analysis were primary responsibilities, alongside academic work as an Assistant Professor at the National Space Biomedical Research Institute and teaching at Cornell University. Perchonok holds a Ph.D. in Food Science from Cornell University and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Brown University.