10 PepsiCo R&D leaders
Susan Licker, Sr. Director, Global Foods R&D Project Management Office and Change Management at PepsiCo, is one of these PepsiCo R&D leaders, who hold director and senior director roles in the company's research and development organization. A reader can learn how R&D leaders work at PepsiCo from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Andrea Edwards
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director, Food North America · PepsiCo
Andrea Edwards has been R&D Director, Food North America at PepsiCo since March 2025, based in Plano, Texas. Andrea Edwards was Director, Portfolio Transformation & Growth at PepsiCo from 2022 to 2025, Director, Breakthrough Innovation there in 2022 and Director, Product Function there from 2018 to 2022.
Daniel Estrada
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director - Science Platforms · PepsiCo
Daniel Estrada has been R&D Director - Science Platforms at PepsiCo since July 2026, based in Plano, Texas, and is also listed as Global R&D Sr. Manager - Portfolio Stewardship there since June 2024. Daniel Estrada was Associate R&D Principal Scientist at General Mills from 2022 to 2024 and describes a Ph.D in Food Science and developing solutions for the weight management consumer.
Grace Feng
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director, Global Science Platform · PepsiCo
Grace Feng has been R&D Director, Global Science Platform at PepsiCo since February 2025, based in Valhalla, New York. Grace Feng was R&D PMO Director at PepsiCo from 2022 to 2025 and R&D Director, Ingredient Discovery and Application there from 2018 to 2022, and was Platform Director, R&D Global Hydration Innovation at PepsiCo from 2015 to 2017.
Jennifer Tartaglia
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director · PepsiCo
Jennifer Tartaglia has been R&D Director at PepsiCo since July 2023, based in the New York City Metropolitan Area. Jennifer Tartaglia was Director, Flavor Creation - Sweet at Takasago International Corp. (USA) from 2018 to 2023 and held the title Flavorist there from 2007 to 2023.
Maria Pradal
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director - PFNA · PepsiCo
Maria Pradal has been R&D Director - PFNA at PepsiCo since April 2024, based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and was R&D Sr Manager - PFNA there from 2022 to 2024. Maria Pradal was R&D Region Manager at PepsiCo from 2018 to 2020 and describes an R&D background that merges culinary and scientific competences in product development.
Michael Eisenmenger Ph.D.
LinkedInExperience: Director: R&D PepsiCo Foods North America Seasonings, Flavors & Ingredients · PepsiCo
Michael Eisenmenger has been Director: R&D PepsiCo Foods North America Seasonings, Flavors & Ingredients at PepsiCo since August 2026 and has also held the title Director: R&D Global Advanced Ingredient Sciences Group there since January 2024. Michael Eisenmenger describes leading a team that delivers seasonings, flavors and ingredient solutions for PepsiCo Foods North America.
Susan Licker
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Director, Global Foods R&D Project Management Office and Change Management · PepsiCo
Susan Licker has been Sr. Director, Global Foods R&D Project Management Office and Change Management at PepsiCo since January 2023, based in Plano, Texas. Susan Licker was Sr Director R&D PepsiCo Foods North America - Quaker and Permissible Frito-Lay Snacks at PepsiCo from 2020 to 2022 and Sr Director Global Snacks R&D Platform there from 2015 to 2019.
Thomas Trezza
LinkedInExperience: Director, Research & Development · PepsiCo
Thomas Trezza has been Director, Research & Development at PepsiCo since March 2012, based in Plano, Texas. Thomas Trezza was Sr. Research Manager at PepsiCo from 2007 to 2012 and held the title Principal Scientist/Project Scientist/Research Scientist at Frito-Lay from 1999 to 2006.
Vamshi Puppala
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director · PepsiCo
Vamshi Puppala has been R&D Director at PepsiCo since January 2023, based in McKinney, Texas, and held the same title there from 2020 to 2023 and from 2015 to 2018. Vamshi Puppala was R&D Sr. Manager at PepsiCo from 2014 to 2015 and Senior Principal Scientist there from 2011 to 2013.
Zachary Caplan
LinkedInExperience: R&D Director, Pepsi-Starbucks North American Coffee Partnership · PepsiCo
Zachary Caplan has been R&D Director, Pepsi-Starbucks North American Coffee Partnership at PepsiCo since January 2023, based in Yonkers, New York. Zachary Caplan was Director Of Research Development, Global Hydration & Adult Refreshment at PepsiCo from 2020 to 2023 and describes leading innovation platforms from ideation to launch, including LIFEWTR, Bubly, Frappuccino and Double Shot Energy.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose own R&D area, such as foods, ingredients, science platforms or beverages, sits closest to the decision you face. Check the start dates of each role to see how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current R&D role, and what did you learn from it?
- 02How do you decide which research or product development projects your team takes forward?
- 03How have you built and developed the R&D team that reports to you?
Reaching PepsiCo R&D leaders
How can I contact one of these PepsiCo R&D leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: PepsiCo, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
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Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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