The July/August 2025 edition of FlexPack VOICE® magazine, produced by the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), focuses on workforce development. As the new co-chair of FPA’s Emerging Leadership Council (ELC), I checked in with the leaders of the ELC’s newly reorganized committees to get their insights on the topic.
The ELC now has two committees. The Education and Recruitment Committee is led by Chair Kara Stoney, key brand manager of packaging at Dow, and Vice-Chair Patrick Clark, vice president of product development and procurement at Bryce Corporation. The Advocacy Committee is led by Chair Emily Williams, sustainability and innovation partnerships leader at TC Transcontinental Packaging, and Vice-Chair Natalie Jardell, Flint Group’s sustainability and technical manager of key accounts packaging inks.
Here is what Stoney, Clark, Williams, and Jardell had to say about workforce development, along with some of my own insights. (An abridged version of this discussion is published in the magazine, and a digital version of the July/August 2025 edition can be found at here.)
Question: How does your company contribute to workforce development for the industry?
Kara Stoney: Dow’s Pack Studios in Freeport, Texas, is a connected platform designed to bring packaging innovation to market faster. It combines state-of-the-art facilities offering production scale equipment, labs, and testing capabilities. The goal is to allow partners throughout the value chain to accelerate the commercialization of sustainable packaging by quickly developing and testing concepts.
Patrick Clark: Bryce offers a workforce development program for high school students to introduce them to career opportunities in our field. Additionally, we provide externships for teachers from Memphis Shelby County Schools, giving them firsthand experience in the industry to better educate their students. One of our programs is called Converting and Beyond, which is designed to educate our employees, as well as our customers and suppliers, about the flexible packaging manufacturing process. These efforts help build a more informed and skilled workforce for the industry as a whole.
Natalie Jardell: Flint Group’s Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in Malmö, Sweden, offers educational opportunities for customers and industry professionals. The GIC allows the industry to benchmark products and trial innovations, allowing for faster commercialization of new solutions.
Alana Carr: Alpine is installing a new mono-layer blown film line at the University of Massachusetts—Lowell’s (UML) Test Center. UML is well known as a leader in polymer and plastics engineering and has countless alums working throughout the plastics industry. This collaboration will bring wonderful hands-on learning experiences to its students and present opportunities to recruit the next generation of engineers for our industry.
Emily Williams: TC’s interns participate in the FPA summer intern program. We recruit particularly from packaging schools for technical roles.
Question: Are you directly working on anything related to workforce development?
Patrick Clark: I am actively involved in workforce development, particularly through the summer internship program the ELC created. This program plays a key role in cultivating future leaders in the flexible packaging industry by providing students with relevant experience, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the industry while developing skills that are directly applicable to their careers. Additionally, by mentoring interns from member companies, we help them build professional expertise while developing a pipeline of future talent. This initiative is vital to our commitment to shaping the next generation of professionals who will drive innovation and progress within the industry.
Kara Stoney: Within the Education and Recruitment Committee, we are working to increase our engagement with universities and college students. The summer internship program has been highly successful. The program connects current interns with member companies, provides peer connections and mentorships, and includes a speaker series that features industry executives.
Natalie Jardell: I intend to volunteer as a small group leader within FPA’s summer internship program. I led a group [in 2024], and it is a unique opportunity to engage with those considering the flexible packaging industry.
Alana Carr: At Alpine, I design the presentations for our training programs and work closely with our engineers for all of the technical details. I am also participating as a mentee in the FLiP Mentorship Program run by the Future Leaders in Plastics (FLiP) Committee of the PLASTICS Association.
Question: Are there training programs you wish you had access to throughout your career?
Emily Williams: Since I come from a technical background, business operations and finance training would have been helpful without going all the way to a [Master’s in Business Administration]. I am now getting some training through the internal mentor/mentee program at TC.
Alana Carr: I wish the FlexPack Crash Course at PACK EXPO International in Chicago was available when I first started in the industry. It is an excellent way to learn the basics about flexible packaging and a great introduction to the manufacturing process.
Natalie Jardell: Since the foundation of my formal education is not printing technologies and graphic design, I would have benefited from the FlexPack Crash Course seminar to learn the basics of flexible packaging manufacturing.
Question: Anything else you would like to note?
Natalie Jardell: [The year 2024] was my first time volunteering to lead a small group in FPA’s summer internship program. While my role was serving and educating, engaging with these students and young professionals excited me more about our industry. It is evident this program benefits those entering the flexible packaging industry, but I believe I also benefited by learning from their experiences and points of view. I highly recommend volunteering for the summer internship program.
Kara Stoney: I have been honored to be a part of the ELC. It has been a wonderful experience to learn from my peers in the industry. This experience truly puts into perspective how many companies and experts it takes to make this industry more sustainable. I am looking forward to the next 10 years. If these are the leaders, we are in good hands.
Alana Carr is co-chair of the ELC and is the inside sales and marketing manager at Hosokawa Alpine American, Inc.
Sidebar: The ELC Leaders for 2025
The Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) has these new leaders for 2025 on its two committees:
Education and Recruitment Committee
Chair Kara Stoney is key brand manager for packaging at Dow. Stoney collaborates with various stakeholders to drive innovation and sustainable packaging solutions to support Dow and the industry’s sustainability goals. She has been in the industry for over a decade, working on sustainable packaging solutions that range from the quick-service restaurant market to consumer goods. She joined the ELC in 2023.
Vice-Chair Patrick Clark is vice president of product development and procurement at Bryce Corporation. Clark leads a team focused on sourcing and developing cutting-edge packaging solutions that deliver value to customers through sustainability, technical expertise, and strong partnerships. He has been with Bryce for over 10 years and has been an ELC member for two years.
Kara Stoney 
Patrick Clark
Advocacy Committee
Chair Emily Williams is the sustainability and innovation partnerships leader at TC Transcontinental Packaging. Williams takes the lead on packaging policy, external collaboration, and relationship management across the supply chain. She has spent 10 years in the packaging industry, with about four specifically in flexibles. She also joined the ELC in 2023.
Vice-Chair Natalie Jardell is Flint Group’s sustainability and technical manager for key accounts packaging inks. Jardell manages key customer initiatives and technical projects for North American and global accounts. She drives collaboration to support sustainability goals through customer engagement, internal stakeholders, and association work groups. She has spent nine years in the industry, entirely with Flint Group, and has been on the ELC for three years.
Emily Williams 
Natalie Jardell
The ELC Co-Chairs
The co-chairs of the overall ELC are Weston Harcourt, director of sales at TOPPAN Packaging Americas, and Alana Carr, inside sales and marketing manager at Hosokawa Alpine American, Inc. A profile of Carr can be found here, and a profile of Harcourt, here.
Alana Carr 
Weston Harcourt