Organisational Structure

At foodfacts.org, we are committed to transparency, independence, and rigorous editorial standards. Our work is organised across two core teams: the Research Team and the Management and Outreach Team. This structure reflects a clear separation between fact-checking and other types of content such as opinion writing, outreach, and fundraising — because fact-checks must adhere to strict editorial and methodological guidelines, and are published only after a robust review process.

Research Team

The Research Team is responsible for producing all fact-checking content. This includes selecting which claims to investigate, conducting research, reviewing sources, and publishing articles that meet our internal accuracy and transparency standards.

Elise and Isabelle originally co-developed our internal fact-checking guidelines and publication process.

Leadership

Our research team is currently led by:

• TJ Waterfall (Director of Nutrition and Editor-in-Chief)
  
  

The Editor-in-Chief holds editorial responsibility and final decision-making for all published fact-checks. The role includes:

• Selecting claims to investigate, based on engagement or public confusion.
• Reviewing and approving the structure, verdict, and balance of all fact-checks.
• Ensuring adherence to our internal guidelines.
• Reaching out to the authors of claims being fact-checked.
• Reviewing readers’ feedback and complaints to discuss during editorial meetings with the rest of the Research Team.
• Training and mentoring volunteer fact-checkers.
• Conducting research to help to establish which topics may warrant further exploration through features or guides (on topics related to nutrition, health and/or media literacy).

Editorial Independence

Our advisors may offer technical guidance or suggest areas of concern, but they do not participate in editorial decisions or final verdicts. Final responsibility for all published fact-checks rests with our Research Team. 

Current Research Team

Our fact-checking team includes:

• TJ Waterfall (Editor-in-Chief)
• Aenya Greene (Registered Dietitian, Expert Reviewer)
• Aisling Hayes (Volunteer, Researcher, Fact-checker)
• Isabella Dos Santos Tobón (Volunteer, Researcher, Fact-checker)
• Bridgeen Doherty (Volunteer, Researcher, Fact-checker)
• Louise Lacey (Volunteer, Researcher)
• Khrystal Walcott (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Karin Weigelt, PhD (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Nina Kratky (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Emily Conrad (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Matthew Unerman (Researcher, Fact-checker). Matt is also part of our management team
• Verity Thomas (PhD student - placement, Researcher, Fact-checker)
• Lisa Wong (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Jessamy Sara (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Margriet Schouten (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
• Issy McLaughlin (Volunteer, Fact-checker)
  
  

All of our fact-checkers contribute as volunteers and are trained to meet the standards set out in our How We Fact-Check process.

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Management and Outreach Team

Our management and outreach team supports the long-term mission, reach, and sustainability of foodfacts.org. This team handles fundraising, partnerships, strategy, community-building, and communications.

Leadership

• Robbie Lockie – Managing Director & Founder (Team Lead)
  
  
• Matthew Unerman – Founder Associate and Operations Lead

• Salvatore Melidoro - Strategic Operations Advisor

This team may contribute additional content to the site, such as opinion articles or special features, but they do not participate in the final editorial decision-making related to our fact-checking process.

In addition to the core leadership team, we collaborate with volunteers who contribute to specific areas of our outreach and platform development, such as social media content management and volunteer coordination.

Any outreach or media content created by members of this team is clearly distinguished from editorial fact-checks.

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