I am the Outreach Coordinator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Food Research Institute. In this role I coordinate research projects between food companies and researchers on campus. Additionally, I routinely educate food industry professionals, the public and students on the topics of food safety, food spoilage and general food microbiology. Prior to joining the University of Wisconsin, I was a member of the Kraft Foods department of Microbiology and Food Safety from 1998-2009. From 2009-2013 I was the senior microbiologist for Rich Products Corporation in Buffalo, NY. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Food Science, specializing in food microbiology and toxicology, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.