Fragrance Creators Association announced today that Katie Cross has been promoted to Director of Government Affairs.
Fragrance Creators provides comprehensive representation on behalf of the majority of fragrance manufacturing in the U.S. and Canada, as well as interests along the fragrance value chain through its highly diverse membership of approximately 60 large and small innovative companies. Under the association’s Government and Legislative Affairs Executive Committee, Cross helps to mobilize a network of over 75 government affairs officials from across the fragrance industry, strengthen Fragrance Creators’ expansive political footprint, and support the Congressional Fragrance Caucus. In the association’s efforts to advance bipartisan infrastructure legislation, mitigate supply chain challenges, and ensure the fragrance industry can contribute to a sustainable economy, Cross has effectively educated lawmakers and secured policy outcomes that reflect the industry’s goals of accelerating sustainable chemical innovation and responsible industry growth and longevity. Most notably, Cross has worked cross-functionally to support Fragrance Creators’ work in coordinating Congressional, White House, and scientific institute and allied industry support to advance EPA approvals of greener fragrance chemistries.
In her new position, Cross will continue to support Amanda Nguyen, Vice President of Government Affairs & Legal, while expanding the depth and breadth of the association’s advocacy work at both the state and federal level, and play a key role in the association’s outreach and coordination with allied trades. This move also supports Fragrance Creators’ growing industry affairs efforts currently being overseen by Nguyen.
“Katie’s passion for good policy, responsiveness, and her gifted ability to connect with legislators at both a state and federal level make her uniquely qualified to help lead our best-in-class government affairs advocacy team,” said Farah K. Ahmed, President & CEO, Fragrance Creators. “In her two and a half years of tenure, she has revamped our predictive analysis—rapidly providing members with first-to-know information and has been instrumental in shaping the association’s proactive and out-of-the-box approaches that have turned struggles into opportunity amid unprecedented challenges faced by the entire fragrance value chain.”
“Katie is a key asset to the association supporting our work with governmental leaders to advance policies that are good for people, perfume and the planet,” said Cynthia Reichard, Co-Chair, Fragrance Creators Board of Directors and Executive Vice President of Arylessence. “I greatly enjoyed working with Katie during my tenure as Chair of the Government and Legislative Affairs Executive Committee and look forward to continuing to do so, now as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, as she expands her impact in her new role.”
“Katie’s ability to procure and rapidly analyze information and help Fragrance Creators’ members predict what is coming around the corner is invaluable and gives every single member a real advantage in the marketplace,” said Robert M. Weinstein, Ph.D., Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. “I appreciate her care and values-driven approach to everything she touches, and I am thrilled with her well-deserved promotion.”
Cross joined Fragrance Creators Association in July 2019. Since 2015, she has been in the government affairs industry in various capacities, including as the Manager of Member Communications and Policy for the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors.