2012 Conferences in Review

Christine Teeple, Sarah Richards, Cindy Jones

Ann Harmon, Cindy Jones

George Wahl at the Colorado Aromatics Booth at the Lavender Festival

Dr. Cindy Jones talking on Biochemistry 101 at the SCC meeting

Before we get too far into 2013 I want to review some conferences I've been to this year. Since my kids are getting older its getting easier to take trips and get to educational events.

In April I went to the International Lavender Conference in Sequim Washington. This was fun for a number of reasons. I got to meet in person some colleagues I'd been working with in developing the United States Lavender Association (USLGA); Mary and Tim Bergstrom, Curtis Swift, Kathy Kimbrough, Sarah Richards and Christine Teeple, as well as making many more friends in the lavender industry. I also met Annie Harmon of Morning Myst Botanics who I'd been collaborating with and talking to for many years about distilling.

Summers were busy with farmers markets but we went to the Western Colorado Lavender Association's second annual Lavender Festival. This was our second time so we've been to all of them. My son and our foreign exchange student went with us and helped alot. Its a great festival with a great crowd.

We managed a trip to visit family in August. Then I went back to Grand Junction to attend the SW Lavender conference in September. At that meeting I talked on Using Distillates in Cosmetics. I toured some of the lavender farms their and visited with friends/colleagues again.

In November I went to the Intermountain West's Society of Cosmetic Chemists meeting in Salt Lake City. There I gave a talk on Biochemistry 101; a basic biochemistry talk that addressed the chemical groups of cosmetic ingredients. This was a great opportunity to meet with other cosmetic chemists and learn about more ingredients. I also had the opportunity to tour some manufacturing facilities.

I hope to take a few fun trips in 2013 as well, although nothing is definate yet.