I am a passionate animal scientist with over a decade of experience communicating science-based solutions to end users. I thrive on learning new things and connecting others with practical knowledge and ideas to drive animal performance and health.I cultivated a deep understanding of animal nutrition and intense intellectual curiosity throughout my career. I designed and implemented optimal nutrition strategies, drove improvement in farm execution, analyzed production data, and developed science-based educational programs for diverse audiences as a Swine Nutritionist for the Carthage System (2016-2023). There, I helped bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical application for our farm production and leadership teams.I developed and executed scientific research protocols to better understand the effects of nutrition and production practices on pig health and performance as Director of Research at Swine Vet Center (2014-2016). I successfully developed and delivered robust presentations for each trial which highlighted practical and actionable insights to pork producers.My educational journey reflects my commitment to excellence and passion for education. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. from Illinois State University (ISU) in 2008. My M.S. research earned second place in the University-wide Fisher Outstanding Thesis Competition in 2010. In 2014, I earned my Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition at the University of Minnesota (UMN) where my dissertation revealed connections between dietary lipids on the health and performance of nursery pigs. I lectured and developed course content for the Swine Nutrition class at UMN for 2 semesters and was a teaching assistant for an Animal Nutrition class at ISU. My research has resulted in 10 peer reviewed articles, more than 20 abstracts, and coverage in popular media. I developed an intense passion for animals while helping on my family’s commercial dog operation and hobby farm where we raised goats, cats, and rabbits. My strong work ethic and sense of urgency for the task at hand were honed by working on my family's agriculture operations, participating in 4-H and FFA, and serving various roles in agriculture and food industries.I am excited to connect with professionals, organizations, and pork producers who share my dedication to advancing animal health and performance. Let's collaborate to identify opportunities, develop solutions, and drive sustainable success.