Kaitlin Grady

Company: Independent Consultant

Job title: Sustainable Protein Industry Consultant & Advisor

Bio:

Kaitlin Grady is a trusted advisor and consultant in the protein industry, with a strong track record of building strategic partnerships and advancing innovation at the intersection of food, policy, and business. Her work spans across the alternative and conventional protein sectors, where she brings expertise in go-to-market strategy, public affairs, investor relations, and ecosystem development.

Kaitlin currently serves on the Advisory Board for The Future of Protein Production, where she provides strategic counsel on emerging trends, session development, and conference content to ensure timely, impactful programming. She is also part of the Executive Founders Program at the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, supporting Chicago’s scientific startup ecosystem through collaborative engagement and strategic networking.

Most recently, Kaitlin was the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Public Affairs at Clever Carnivore, where she led partnership strategy, managed investor relations through Seed and Series A fundraising efforts, and served as the company’s primary industry spokesperson. In this role, she also advocated for equitable public policy to support innovation across all protein categories.

Previously, she was Development Manager at the Good Food Institute, managing major donor relationships and securing $3–5 million annually in support of the alternative protein sector. She has also contributed her expertise in biotechnology, food science, and sustainability as a committee member for the Chapel Hill Alt. Protein Project at her alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her professional interests lie in shaping the future of food through collaborative innovation, policy, and strategic growth.

Seminars:

Panel Discussion: Beyond Regulatory Approval – What Are the Real Commercial Barriers Now? 3:30 pm

With regulatory pathways opening up, what are the actual challenges companies face in moving from approval to market-ready production? How do cultivated meat companies find and partner with CPGs, retailers, and foodservice operators who actually want to use their products? What do the economics really look like for companies that have gotten regulatory approval but…Read more

day: Conference Day One