In Memoriam, Dr. Donald Mattison (1944-2026) Dr. Donald Mattison passed away at his home in Columbia, South Carolina on Sunday, March 22, with his family present. Don joined Risk Sciences International (RSI) in 2012 as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, following a distinguished career spanning government, academia, and clinical practice in the United States. During his time at RSI, he contributed to 47 scientific publications and served as a trusted mentor and colleague to many across the organization.

Dr. Natalia (Natasha) Shilnikova is a Senior Health Risk Analyst at Risk Sciences International (RSI), where she has contributed since 2011 to some of the organization’s most analytically demanding and policy-relevant projects. With a background in medicine and a PhD in medical sciences, Dr. Shilnikova specializes in the synthesis of epidemiological evidence, human health risk assessment, toxicology, and critical literature reviews—applying her expertise across a spectrum of regulatory and public health priorities.

As a Microbiologist with Risk Sciences International, Dr. Sattar contributes his deep expertise in pathogen ecology, environmental microbiology, and infection control technologies to support RSI’s work in health risk assessment and risk mitigation. His insights guide RSI’s contributions to evidence-based disinfection strategies, microbial exposure modelling, and policy-relevant evaluations of infectious disease risk across water, air, food, and surface-contact pathways.

Dr. Cote is an Associate Expert at Risk Sciences International, where she brings world-class expertise in environmental health risk assessment, risk management, and science-informed public policy. She contributes to projects that require strategic application of risk methodologies to environmental, occupational, and chemical exposure issues—often at the intersection of regulation, sustainability, and health protection. Her work with RSI benefits from her deep understanding of both U.S. and international regulatory environments and her commitment to advancing decision-making through transparent and defensible science.

Dr. Paul Stanish joined Risk Sciences International (RSI) in 2021 as a Risk Analyst, where he plays an essential role in advancing data-driven risk practices. Leveraging his strong background in chemistry and nanotechnology, he supports clients in building modern data cultures grounded in causal inference, machine learning operations (MLOps), and organizational performance measurement. His work ensures that risk frameworks not only incorporate emerging technologies but are also scalable and operational within institutional settings.

Dr. Emma Hartnett is Vice-President, Risk Modelling and Simulation at Risk Sciences International (RSI), where she has been a foundational member since its inception in 2006. A globally recognized authority in quantitative risk assessment (QRA), she specializes in developing risk models and decision support tools for complex public health and safety challenges across biological, chemical, and environmental domains.

Greg Paoli earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Waterloo, specializing in engineering and systems design. His early career involved diverse research projects at the University of Waterloo's Institute for Risk Research. Greg later founded Decisionalysis Risk Consultants in 1997 and co-founded Risk Sciences International in 2006. He has served on multiple high-profile committees, including those under the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. As CEO of Risk Sciences International, Greg focuses on risk-based regulatory transformations and has developed enabling technologies like FDA-iRISK. His work spans various sectors, from food and chemical safety to public health, and he continues to contribute to the advancement of risk-based decision-making methodologies.

Dr. Shintaro Hagiwara is a Risk Analyst and Statistician at Risk Sciences International (RSI), where he contributes cutting-edge statistical insight to risk assessments, particularly in chemical safety and public health. Since joining RSI’s technical team in 2018 and transitioning to a full-time role in 2023, he has applied his deep quantitative knowledge to building theoretical foundations and developing statistical software. Notably, he created the database-calibrated assessment process (DCAP) and the enhanced value-of-information (VOI) framework to aid in evidence-based regulatory decision-making, both of which have been reviewed by the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC). His applied statistical work provides assessments and tools to derive PODs for chemicals such as inorganic arsenic and fluoride to support both Canadian and international regulatory bodies.

Andrew’s focus since retiring from the Canadian federal public service has been to help clients improve digital service delivery by maximizing the use of their data holdings and assisting government regulators in adopting risk-based compliance models derived from data on the individuals or businesses they oversee. This often involves developing risk models and determining how these models can be practically applied in the client’s daily operations.

Cemil ‘Jim’ Alyanak joined Risk Sciences International (RSI) in 2018 and serves as Vice-President, Communications and Strategic Initiatives. In this senior leadership role, he leads RSI’s risk communications practice, drives cross-cutting initiatives, advances strategic in-house projects, and expands the company’s international presence and partnerships. As creator of CRAFT (the Collective Risk Action Framework and Toolkit) and the Global Risk Census, Alyanak has helped establish RSI as a global innovator in stakeholder- and constituency-centered risk engagement. His expertise in perception analysis and communications strategy enables RSI to address complex challenges across public health, regulatory affairs, environmental risk, and humanitarian crisis response. From pandemic-era messaging to multistakeholder workshops and regulator support, his work consistently focuses on aligning message, audience, and outcomes that can be measured. Recognized for his ability to navigate cross-cultural contexts and indigenous knowledge systems, Alyanak has worked extensively on in-region projects with local and indigenous communities worldwide. This grassroots experience informs his current portfolio, which includes collaboration and consensus-building projects that unite stakeholders and constituencies in addressing both shared and similar risks. He also provides regional, federal, and international policy guidance to companies and governing bodies seeking to design risk-informed policies, instruments, and frameworks. Drawing on extensive emergency preparedness and disaster response experience, Alyanak now leads RSI’s Disaster and Emergency-related projects, advancing practical, risk-based solutions to complex emergencies and strengthening resilience across sectors.