About Us
Biosecurity Advisors
Who We Are
Biosecurity Advisors is a consulting firm focused on protecting the food supply chain from biological threats, contamination, and infectious disease risks. We provide strategic guidance, scientific expertise, and regulatory insight to help agricultural producers, food processors, and government entities prevent, detect, and respond to biosecurity threats.
Our work bridges agriculture, public health, and national security to ensure food safety from farm to table.
James “Rick” Greenwood, PhD.
Co-Founder | Infectious Disease & Epidemiology
Dr. Greenwood holds a PhD in infectious disease microbiology and an MPH in epidemiology. He is currently a faculty member at the UCLA School of Public Health and is also a long-time organic avocado grower in California. He previously served on the USDA Hass Avocado Board.
In addition to his agricultural roles, Dr. Greenwood has extensive experience in infectious disease control. He served as Director of Disease Control for Orange County, California, and later as a Science Advisor for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Due to his expertise in foodborne disease, Dr. Greenwood is frequently engaged as an expert witness in foodborne illness trials. He has also provided specialized support to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles FBI District Office as an adjunct advisor addressing bioterrorism threats.
Gerard (Jerry) D’Amore
Co-Founder | Agricultural Operations & Supply Chain
Gerard D’Amore began his agricultural career in Saudi Arabia, where he built and managed greenhouse operations using hydroponic growing practices to produce fourteen varieties of fruits and vegetables.
After returning to the United States, he established and operated a greenhouse business designing, building, and managing facilities that produced a wide variety of vegetables. He marketed and sold production to major retail outlets across the U.S.
Mr. D’Amore later joined Chiquita, relocating to Izmir, Turkey, where he was responsible for developing the Black Sea region and establishing Eastern European sales and distribution networks. Upon returning again to the United States, he became a Vice President at Driscoll’s Strawberry Associates, focusing on sales, marketing, and logistics within the berry category.
In 2014, he joined Dole Fresh Vegetables, directing blueberry sourcing for the company. Based on this experience, he formed a consulting company specializing in berry-related issues, primarily business development and management of cold chain integrity.
Technical Advisors
Donna M. Rimar, JD
Technical Advisor
Donna M. Rimar holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, with a concentration in physiology. She began her career in cancer research at Litton Bionetics working on projects for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Cancer Institute.
Ms. Rimar was later recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), where she spent 33 years serving as both an intelligence analyst and program manager across the Directorate of Intelligence, Directorate of Operations, and Directorate of Science and Technology. She also served on the CIA Director’s staff during the transition to the newly created Directorate of National Intelligence (DNI).
Throughout her career, she was responsible for writing and managing all-source intelligence analysis and received numerous awards for exceptional performance, including Exceptional Performance Awards and a DCI Intelligence Community Award.
Following her retirement, Ms. Rimar attended Northwestern California University School of Law, earning her Juris Doctor degree in 2023.
Dr. Sydney M. Harvey, PhD
Technical Advisor
Dr. Sydney M. Harvey earned her PhD in infectious disease microbiology from UCLA and completed a post-doctoral fellowship with the FDA. During this time, she accompanied FDA inspectors in evaluating food production facilities for compliance with best practices and trained FDA laboratory staff in microbial detection methods.
Dr. Harvey later became Scientific Director of Microbiology for Nichols Institute (now Quest Diagnostics). After relocating to Los Angeles, she served as Laboratory Director for the Los Angeles County Public Health Department and as a faculty member in UCLA Epidemiology.
During her tenure, Dr. Harvey was President of the California Association of Public Health Laboratories, a member of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, and Director of the Los Angeles County Laboratory Response Network, with a focus on bioterrorism preparedness. She has authored numerous publications in infectious disease, particularly in the isolation of microbes from food.
Our Focus
- Agricultural production systems
- Food safety and biosecurity
- Infectious disease prevention
- Regulatory and compliance support
- Risk assessment and preparedness
Our Experience
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Academic and public health institutions
