Kathryn C. Skaggs

Kathryn (Katie) Skaggs counsels clients in the regulation of food contact materials in a host of jurisdictions, including the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU), South America (particularly the MERCOSUR bloc), Canada, China, eastern Asia, India, the Middle East (GCC), Australia, and New Zealand. Katie assists companies in bringing to market new food contact materials, such as plastics, biopolymers, paper, adhesives, coatings, recycled materials, and components of these materials (antioxidants, colorants, and other additives and processing aids), through submissions to government agencies in the U.S. and abroad. She advises on various U.S. state legislation that impacts packaging, such as Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, toxics in packaging laws, green chemistry programs, green claims requirements, and California's Proposition 65.

In addition to her extensive experience with food contact regulatory matters, Katie is an active member of the firm’s Tobacco and E-Vapor practice, focusing on the regulation of these products in the U.S. and EU. She assists companies with Standalone Grandfather Submissions, Substantial Equivalence (SE) Reports, Product Quantity Change SE Reports, Premarket Tobacco Applications, and other submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products.

Katie is a contributing author to packaginglaw.com, which provides news and analysis of worldwide packaging regulations, and is frequently invited to speak at international regulatory conferences. In addition, she is the co-host of Food & Chemicals Unpacked, Keller and Heckman’s podcast regarding the legal and scientific issues surrounding the food, chemical, packaging, and related consumer product industries.

Katie has a background in public health (epidemiology, biostatistics, and chronic disease research), enabling her to fully engage with the technical aspects of regulatory work for Keller and Heckman's clients. Katie also has held faculty positions at the University of Rochester, American University, and Maryville University.

Awards

•Outstanding Graduate Award, American University Washington College of Law
•Senior Articles Editor, American University Law Review

Insights & In the News

USA on Display: How 'Made in America' Claims Are Regulated

05.29.2026
Podcast

Food & Chemicals Unpacked: Green Claims Games: A Challenge to California's SB 343

04.27.2026
Podcast

Food & Chemicals Unpacked: Back in the PPWR: Revisiting the EU Framework for Packaging Su...

04.01.2026
Podcast

Keller and Heckman Featured in RegWatch Briefs Series

In The News
05.28.2026