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Angela Dodd

5 Tips to Keep Your Digital Presence Fresh

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Woman Looking At LinkedIn

Gone are the days where a paper resume is the only thing an employer sees before bringing in a candidate for an interview. According to a 2017 CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. In today’s digital age, where a cursory google search can say more about your reputation than your cover letter, it’s more crucial than ever to maintain a strong digital presence that speaks to your personal brand and values. If you want your online presence to set you apart, here are five tips you can act on today.

Create an Online Portfolio

An online portfolio is a place to share accomplishments and experience when you want more than just a standard resume. In addition to showcasing your career accolades, you can also share examples of your recent work, including images you’ve designed, links to recent work, or a more in-depth explanation of that big project you just finished. If you need some inspiration, check out these sites. Or, if you need expert advice on how to showcase your skills, The Everyday Real has you covered.

Utilize LinkedIn

The odds are good if you’re reading this article that you’re one of the over 700 million people on LinkedIn. But are you utilizing the platforming for all it’s worth? These quick tips will you get the best bang for your buck on this professional network:

  • Your profile photo should be professional and industry appropriate. Keep it current, face straight on to the camera with your hair out of your eyes, and make sure there’s adequate lighting with a neutral backdrop.
  • Update your status regularly with professional updates, what you’ve been reading, what you’re looking forward to, and what’s going on in your company or role.
  • Make your profile public and available for others to view. This is especially important if you’re actively applying for jobs.
  • Resharing articles is a great way to show others what you like and find interesting. When you share meaningful content, it helps paint a picture of who you are as a person and a professional.
  • Publish your own articles to position yourself as a thought leader in your field.

Google Yourself

You need to do this because recruiters and hiring managers definitely are. Googling yourself will give you the heads up on how others will perceive you based on your search results. Be sure to do this in a private window, so the results aren’t customized based on your search habits or location. If there’s a link or photo associated with your name that you’d rather not be, dig a little deeper to remediate the situation or remove it.

Keep Your Social Media Appropriate

Your social media is all about you and your life, as it should be. It’s a representation of your personal brand. But when you’re applying for jobs or networking with new connections, be mindful of the fact that they will likely look you up on Instagram. If there’s something you wouldn’t want your grandparents to see, consider making your profiles private. The best rule of thumb is to keep it clean or keep it private.

Maintain an External AND Internal Digital Presence

When you initially think about your online reputation, your mind probably turns to Facebook and LinkedIn. But don’t forget, a huge piece of the puzzle is internal at your company. Maintain a presence and be active on your company’s internal communication channels. Fill out your information on your company’s platforms and add a photo to your email account. Be active, be present, and be a part of the conversation.

How to Set Yourself Up For Success When Making a Change

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New Mindset New Results

Change is hard. Whether you’re trying to make a lifestyle or career change or quit a bad habit, it can be difficult to make the necessary changes to achieve your desired result. Take your health, for example. Say your doctor recommends that you lose a few pounds for optimal health, and you both decide that means losing ten pounds. So you choose to eat healthier and exercise, which you do for a few days before you fall back into old habits and decide it’s too hard, so you’ll live with the extra weight.

So why is it that we struggle to make changes even when we know they’ll contribute to our success? A big reason is that we often see change as a single result. We think we make one change today, and that’s it, but that’s rarely the cause. Changing our behavior is a gradual process that requires our continuous attention. Our perception of change significantly affects how successful we are in achieving our goals.

There are a few ways we can set ourselves up to make changes successfully. The next time you’re confronted with making a change, try these tips.

Know Your Why

As with many things in life, knowing why you’re doing something can propel you in the right direction. Keeping your good intentions and purpose front of mind will help you to refocus when you stray off track (because it’s bound to happen) and when you want to quit. Remember your reason for wanting to make the change and revisit it often.

Stay Positive

When we associate change with negative emotions, like difficult or expensive, we’re setting ourselves up to fail. Reframe your way of thinking and consider the change as rewarding or as an investment instead. Keeping a positive mindset will help you take on the challenge with excitement instead of dread. 

Start Small

When making changes, like in the health example above, we’ve been known to bite off more than we can chew, which sets us up for failure. Starting with small actionable steps helps us make progress toward change and makes us more likely to stick with it. Instead of saying you’re going to overhaul your diet and workout daily, try saying you’re going to eat three servings of vegetables today and go for a 15-minute walk. Once you’ve mastered those changes, make a few more small ones, and before you know it, you’ll have made more progress than you think.

Accept Failure

Failure is a part of the journey. The sooner we accept it, the sooner we can overcome it. Get accustomed to failing, readjusting, refocusing, and moving forward. Don’t let one failure or setback keep you from making a change to better yourself or your career. Reframe your thinking to see failure as a learning opportunity.

Stick to It

No matter how big or small, change is difficult, and more importantly, it’s a process. Remember to stick to it. Change won’t happen overnight. Often, it won’t even happen in a week or even a month. Keep your why in mind and keep moving forward. It may seem hard today, but every day you work toward your goal, it’ll get a little easier until it feels second nature.

Change is uncomfortable. It’s challenging and messy, and it takes a lot of work. But if you really want it and commit to it, we promise it’s worth it.

How to Be The Boss of Your Money

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Money is great. It helps us buy the things we need, like a roof over our heads and food on the table. It also affords us the opportunity to buy what we want, like a good bottle of wine or a plane ticket to a tropical destination. As the saying goes, money makes the world go round. But then why is it that we work every day to make money, and yet, we’re not always the best at taking care of it?

According to Charles Schwab’s 2019 Modern Wealth Survey, 59% of adults in the U.S. admitted to living paycheck to paycheck in 2019, and only 38% have built up an emergency fund. How can we take control of our money so our funds can flourish? Here are six ways you can be the boss of your money today.

Establish a Budget

There’s no shock here. You’ve heard countless times that you need a budget. But have you actually made one? Maybe it’s that task on your to-do list you keep pushing off. Well, now is the time to do it.

Start by looking at your bank statements for the past few months. Take note of how you spend your money and opportunities for savings. It may be time-consuming, but it’s worth it. The first step in taking control of your money is knowing where it goes.

Start Saving Something

If you’re living paycheck to paycheck and think saving is impossible, here me out. Saving something, no matter how small, is better than nothing. Start with setting $10 aside from each paycheck. Then after a couple of months see if you can bump it up to $20. Any little bit you can set aside to an emergency fund will help when unexpected expenses arise because they always do.

The biggest bang for your buck when it comes to saving is a 401(k), especially if your employer offers a match. That’s essentially free money in your retirement account. Try to contribute the minimum amount to receive your employer’s match, so you’re not leaving money on the table.

Get Acquainted with Your Debt

Debt sucks. Plain and simple. But the only way you can do something about it is to face it head-on. This means getting real about how much you owe. Pull up statements for your credit cards, student loans, mortgage, medical bills, and whatever else you owe. Take inventory of your balances and interest rates, and then make a plan.

There are two basic strategies you can use to approach your debt: the debt snowball method or the debt avalanche method. In the debt snowball method, you pay the minimum balances on all your accounts and start contributing any extra funds to your lowest balance. Then once your smallest balance is paid off, you take that money and start paying off your second lowest balance until you’re debt-free. The debt avalanche method uses a similar concept, except instead of focusing on your smallest balance first, you concentrate on your balance with the highest interest rate and then the second-highest interest rate, and so on. Debt is personal, so whichever method you choose is entirely up to you.

Spend Within Your Means

This seems simple enough, but the hard part is actually doing it. Spending within your means simply means don’t spend more money than you bring in. Be smart with your money and stick to your budget. Understandably, you may need to use credit cards to pay for unexpected expenses that you can’t cover with your emergency savings, but defaulting to using your credit card shouldn’t be the norm.

Gain an Understanding of Taxes

Taxes can seem overwhelming, but unfortunately, they’re unavoidable. You don’t need to be an expert, but it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of your taxes. There are a lot of great resources online, like this set from Investopedia. If that still feels like too much, find a tax professional or accountant who can help walk you through it.

Remember, You’re in the Driver’s Seat

When you’re trying to be the boss of your money, the biggest thing to remember is that you’re in the driver’s seat. It’s your money, after all, and you need to take ownership of it. That includes how much you make, how much you spend, and how much you save. Hold yourself accountable to leveling up, so you can have a brighter and more prosperous future.

What Does A Sustainable Food Industry Look Like in 2021?

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Woman in a field taking notes

“As goes the fate of women, so goes the fate of the world”

Mars, Danone, McDonalds… all household names. And yet, we’ve had no idea how sustainable or environmentally friendly they truly are. For many years the food industry has been held unaccountable for its environmental impact, or at least far less accountable than its counterparts in oil, gas and transportation.

No longer. The 3 major corporations I just mentioned all boast exceptionally demonstrative Directors of Sustainability. What’s more? They are all female!

So what does 2021 bring the changing landscape of the food and beverage industries? The founder and Chair of the UK’s Meat Business Women, Ms. Laura Ryan, has highlighted that “diversity and gender balance should be at the heart of any sustainable and profitable business.”

Ryan, like many other industry leaders, cites equality as a pivotal influencer in the development of a more sustainable future. The UN itself has made gender equality the fifth agenda under their Sustainable Development Goals, explaining that “women often have a strong body of knowledge and expertise that can be used in climate change mitigation, disaster reduction, and adaptation strategies. Furthermore, women’s responsibilities in households and communities, as stewards of natural and household resources, positions them well to contribute to livelihood strategies adapted to changing environmental realities.”

Companies such as Hain Celestial are already leading the way, supporting farms, independent growers and food production plants in sustainable ways across the globe. One of the best examples is a Diana Food banana production site in Pasaje, Ecuador. Diana Food applies high standard sustainable farming methods (organic, community well-being, environmental footprint) in close collaboration with their producers: “Quality, food safety, and transparency are all part of our production process, from farm to fork.” If one of the biggest banana producers in the world can support a sustainable future for its workers and it’s wider environment, surely more can follow suit.

In fact, some have! An editor’s favorite is Copper Cow Coffee. Brainchild of Vietnamese-American, Debbie Wei Mullin, based in LA – Copper Cow Coffee is waving the flag for both female-run and sustainable businesses.

“Sustainability is extremely important to Copper Cow Coffee and what sets us apart from many other consumer coffee brands out there. We exclusively source from socially responsible, sustainable, organic farms in Vietnam and pay above the market rate to ensure that these farming communities can thrive and grow. We also use 100% biodegradable filters and recyclable packaging to drastically reduce our environmental impact.”

As one of the 2% of female-owned companies, globally, Copper Cow Coffee is the prodigy of combining female food industry mavericks, with sustainable and future conscious agendas. 

Fortunate enough to be exposed to all facets and nuances of this industry – we’ve seen a plethora of highly-qualified and exceptionally effective women take the sustainability baton and wield it with pride… now, we want you to know about them too! Get ready to be fired up, inspired and sending off LinkedIn connection requests left, right and center….

Paloma Lopez – Global Strategy Lead, Kellogg’s Masterbrand at Kellogg Company @palomalpez

Paloma is an incredible leader using innovation, brands, and people power to drive sustainable growth. With an expertise in the food industry, she works to create value for people along the supply chain and for the natural places that are touched along the way.

Jessica Sansom – Former Head of Sustainability for Innocent Drinks

Jessica is a leader in building sustainability strategies for the food and beverage industries and balances looking at packaging, water management, carbon management, workers’ rights and sustainable agriculture, just to name a few.

Elaine Strunk – Director of Global Sustainability for McDonald’s @ElaineStrunk

Elaine is driving change at scale through McDonald’s global network. Elaine’s expertise is at the intersection of technology, business and design to create positive change in the food industry.

Kate Wylie – Global Vice-President of Sustainability for Mars

Kate leads Mars Inc sustainable sourcing framework, socioeconomic impact strategy, work with the €120 million investment fund, Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming, and sits on Mars’ Sustainability Strategy and Policymaking Group.

Helen Browning OBE – organic farmer and chief executive, Soil Association (UK)

Helen was championing organic long before it went mainstream, ever since taking over her family’s farm in her twenties. Three decades on and she hasn’t looked back. Helen continues to run Eastbrook, a 1,500 acre mixed-holding organic farm, and is passionate about providing her animals with the best life possible. Alongside her role as a farmer she is also Chief Executive of the Soil Association, the UK’s leading food and farming charity. Helen has also put her name to two local ventures just around the corner from her farm in Swindon – the Chop House and the Royal Oak, both of which serve down-to-earth organic food sourced straight from the farm.

Kalpna Woolf – business leader and award-winning food writer

A former Head of Production for the BBC, Kalpna has founded her own media company, sat on the boards of charities and business partnerships and launched a program to help organizations promote diversity at the highest levels. But alongside her business credentials, Kalpna has a passion for food and has been driven to share this passion with others. She has been at the helm of food festivals, judged food awards, and is the founder of 91 Ways to Build a Global City, a Bristol-based initiative bringing the city’s 91 language communities together by using food to tell the stories of their traditions and culture. Kalpna is also the author of Spice Yourself Slim, a best-selling book on food and health that draws on her childhood of healthy, flavourful Asian cooking.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall

Globally, women are the core food purchasers. As ‘stewards of natural household resources’, women must be part of creating sustainable solutions in the supply chain. Over 70% of food buying decisions are made by women – making us vital change influencers in the ways in which we grow, manufacture and sell our consumable products. The women listed above are just a handful of those who are igniting the flame for our sustainable food future.

Do you know some more? We’d love to hear about the women YOU admire in the food and beverage industry, when it comes to creating a bold & bright future. Send us a note at contact@femalesinfood.community

7 Cool Jobs In The Food Industry & The Women Behind Them

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Women in Food Industry

Whether you’re looking to get started in the food industry or are exploring what opportunities are available to you, we have seven food industry jobs for you to check out. Plus, we have career stories from the awesome women behind the roles. The possibilities are endless!

Quality Engineer

What does the role do: A quality engineer oversees an organization’s manufacturing and engineering processes. They are responsible for designing and testing the company’s quality standards and processes.

The woman behind the role: Kathleen Trivette at General Mills. Learn more about her career journey into the food industry here.

How to get started: It’s best to have, at a minimum, an associate’s degree, but a bachelor’s degree is preferred. To move up the career ladder, you may need to obtain a master’s degree. Quality engineers acquire most skills through on the job training, including learning about the company’s processes and procedures. If you’re looking to grow in this role, starting in an entry-level position and working your way up would be the best place to start.

Senior Scientist

What does the role do: A senior scientist oversees a lab or the development of food products. They’re a research professional who demonstrates a strong understanding of the business, operations, food science, and the commercialization process. They assist in creating new products or technologies to help the business achieve its goals.

The woman behind the role: Gabriela Eyng at Rattin Mondelēz International. Learn more about her career journey here.

How to get started: A bachelor’s degree in food science, food process engineering, or chemical engineering is needed with a master’s degree setting you apart from other candidates. Previous experience with consumer packaged goods is usually desired.

Instructor and/or Private Chef

What does the role do: Instructors teach the art of cooking, including preparation techniques and cuisines, to those seeking degrees in culinary arts or those who are interested in expanding their cooking skills. Instructors can often leverage their expertise to also work as private chefs. Private chefs work independently to create meals and experiences for individuals or events.

The woman behind the role: Rachel Brumitt at Kinship Cooking. Learn more about how she got her start as an instructor and private chef and her perspective on the food service industry here.

How to get started: To become a cooking instructor or private chef, you’ll likely need formal culinary training. Depending on your state, you may also need a business license or catering license. Working in a restaurant to gain experience and expertise is a great place to start your career journey.

Category Manager

What does the role do: A category manager sells goods to the public or retailers. They work with marketing, research companies, supply chain, and commercial departments to implement and educate others on a common message and strategy. They’re responsible for vendor manager, product selection, product mix, product pricing, product display, marketing, planning, and inventory control.

The woman behind the role: Daniela Nath at CSCS. Learn about her career path and what accomplishments she’s most proud of here.

How to get started: Becoming a category manager typically requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in business, retailing, management, sales, or marketing. An MBA or master’s degree will set you apart from other candidates. Having previous experience in category management, merchandising, vendor relationships, product purchasing, financial analysis, or inventory control is preferable.

Owner

What does the role do: The possibilities are endless when it comes to being an owner. You can start your own restaurant, bakery, coffee shop, catering company, or whatever else your heart can dream.

The woman behind the role: Christina Whitney at The Confectionist. Learn more about how she started her own business here.

How to get started: The most significant thing you need to become an owner is passion and experience. There usually is no perfect or ideal time to start your own business. If you have the drive and the expertise, you can figure it out as you go.

Product Development

What does the role do: Product development involves a series of steps starting from the conceptualization of a product, and moves through the design, development, and marketing of a newly created or newly rebranded or design good or service. Designing or redesigning these products helps to meet the customers’ needs more effectively. Collaboration with multiple departments is needed throughout the process.

The woman behind the role: Liz Schmit at General Mills. Learn more about her role and expertise here.

How to get started: A bachelor’s or master’s degree in food science, food engineering, chemical engineering, or biology is most often required. You can begin at an entry-level position, like a Product Development Specialist, where any experience in product, packing, or process development will set you apart from the competition.

Director of Global Operations

What does the role do: A Director of Global Operations oversees and drives optimization for internal processes. They focus on global analysis, sales, and customer service. Since their role oversees all operations, they need to have a strong understanding of everything going on in the business. The range of responsibilities can vary based on the size of the organization.

The woman behind the role: Alyssa Badger at Highground Dairy. Learn how she became interested in the food industry here.

How to get started: A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a food industry-related field or business administration is most often needed. Previous experience in managerial positions is preferred, as is previous food industry experience. Working your way up the ladder within a company can help prove your skills and value.

Are you looking to network with professionals in the food industry? Join the Females in Food community! It’s a great opportunity to connect with women, learn more about jobs within the industry, and how women just like you got to where they are today.

Member Spotlight: Naomi Sundalius

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Naomi Sundalius

We are honored to recognize Naomi Sundalius for this months Females in Food member spotlight. Naomi has blazed a trail from Food Scientist to New Ventures Manager. Read this short Q&A to learn more about Naomi, her career achievements, and the advice she has for other women in the industry.

Q. Tell us about your current role/company.   

A. I am currently a New Ventures Manager at Bellisio Foods which is a role within our business development group in a blurry line of Marketing/Sales. Bellisio Foods is a frozen food manufacturer focusing on entrees and snacks (pizza snack rolls and small baked goods). We started over 30 years ago with one brand, Michelina’s and now have a portfolio of brands: Boston Market, Atkins, EatingWell, Authentic Asia and a couple smaller players making their entrances here and there. The New Ventures group is tasked with Asian Synergies, Growth Innovation and M&A/Licensing Opportunities.

Q.  How did you decide on a career in the food industry? What has your career path entailed? 

A. I wanted to do Food Product Development. As I was in high school deciding what to study in college, I thought about going for culinary arts or mechanical engineering and I feel like I made a decent compromise. I was a rare freshman Food Science student in the early 2000s (might be more common these days). I attended Michigan State University for my BS and Louisiana State University for my MS in Food Science. I did internships with Amway and Kellogg’s and started my career with Michael Foods. While at Michael Foods (and through the internships), I realized that the food scientists do not decide what to develop, that comes from marketing and so I started a part-time MBA at University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business. I did my MBA slowly over 5 ½ years while mostly taking one class per semester (including summer) so that I could stay focused on both work and school without making major compromises to either. While working on my MBA, I transitioned from Michael Foods to work at Bellisio Foods. I spent over 7 year in R&D Product Development at Bellisio Foods working on various projects and moving our office from one of our factories in Lakeville, MN to downtown Minneapolis a block from our corporate office. In 2018, I transitioned to a “marketing rotation” to gain hands-on cross-functional training and expertise I never would have gained staying in an R&D role. The New Ventures team decided to keep me as part of their team longer term to leverage my years of experience and connections with individuals across the company. When I started at Bellisio Foods, we were still owned by the original founder, Jeno Paulucci, he sold the company to a private equity group the day before he passed away in 2011 and in 2016, the private equity group sold us to Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods, a Thailand based company.

Q. What accomplishments are you the most proud of?

A. I am extremely proud of the work that our R&D team did in the creation and launch of the Chili’s at Home frozen line (we received IRI Pacesetters and Nielsen Breakthrough awards for this launch) as well as the EatingWell frozen line. But my proudest moment on both of those initiatives was handing them off to my first official employee and seeing her excel in the relationship with Brinker International (owners of Chili’s) and Meredith Publishing (owners of EatingWell Magazine). Sadly, the Chili’s line was discontinued in the last couple years due to reasons outside of the products themselves.  

Q. What are your areas of expertise for Females in Food members to connect with you on?

A. Product Development, Agile Development, MBA Benefits, Marketing through the lens of a Scientist

Q. What do you enjoy doing most in your free time?

A. Prior to COVID (and pregnancy prior to COVID but birthed in COVID), I enjoyed playing co-rec soccer – mostly defense. I am a crafty type person, enjoy cross-stitching, knitting, sewing, painting (mostly acrylic) and other creative activities.

Since I now have two boys (3 ½ and 6 mons), in my free time, I enjoy taking them for walks, playing with play-doh, kinetic sand, baths (swimming prior to COVID), playgrounds, etc.

Prior to college, I was an avid baker but haven’t done this as much in the last 20 years… although I did make my grandma’s carrot cake with cream cheesing frosting on Christmas.

Q. What advice would you give your younger self? Or What advice do you have for those who are just coming into the food industry?   

A. I would tell myself, be in the moment, don’t worry about the future, it has a plan for you and it possibly will be challenging along the way, but it will get you where you are meant to go.

For those coming into the food industry, take time to network, it is the connections that you have that make everything so much easier and so much more rewarding.

Specific to this group, try your best to empower other women. I have been suppressed by many women in their attempts to get ahead to know how much it can hurt.

** Learn more about the Females in Food Community and all the benefits by clicking here

Member Spotlight: Monica Ganley

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Monica Ganley

We are honored to recognize Monica Ganley this month for the Females in Food Member Spotlight. Her international career journey from CPG to owning her own company is nothing short of inspiring. In this short Q&A Monica opens up about how her career journey, lessons learned, and how she is serving the dairy industry in Latin America today.

Q. Tell us about your current role/company.   

A. Currently, I am the Principal of Quarterra Consulting and Advisory. Quarterra is a boutique strategy consultancy that helps food and agriculture businesses understand and capitalize on opportunities in Latin American markets. I decided to found the consultancy about five years ago after identifying a gap in the market. While consultants are plentiful, there didn’t seem to be many that were focused exclusively on Latin America and even fewer that could leverage a cross cultural fluency to build bridges with this specific region. Each of our engagements is unique, but our clients are most often interested in our help to execute market studies, perform investment analyses, and facilitate market visits.  

Q.  How did you decide on a career in the food industry? What has your career path entailed? 

A. I have been passionate about the food and agriculture industry for most of my life. When I was younger, I was very involved in 4H, raising livestock and participating in judging competitions up to the national level. Like many other animal lovers, I had originally wanted to be a veterinarian. However, when I began studying at Cornell University I was introduced to agricultural economics. I loved the idea of looking at food and agriculture from a quantitative angle, and ultimately received my Bachelors in that field.

After Cornell I had my first foray into the dairy industry when, thanks to an introduction from my professor, I received the opportunity to work at Leprino Foods as a Dairy Economist. At Leprino Foods I had the privilege of working with many smart and talented people and picked up what would become a passion for the dairy sector which persists until today.

Following several years at Leprino Foods I decided to go back to school to get my MBA at the University of Chicago. During that time, I completed a summer strategy internship with MillerCoors that gave me a taste of the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) world. After completing my MBA, I decided to take a geographical leap and I accepted a role in Corporate Finance with PepsiCo Foods in Buenos Aires and moved to Argentina.

I worked on organizational design and capital expenditure projects with PepsiCo for a few years before deciding that I wanted to pursue a long-held dream of mine to strike out on my own. In 2015 I founded Quarterra and have been working on developing the consultancy ever since.

Q. What accomplishments are you the most proud of?

A. I am most proud of having had the conviction to take the plunge and found Quarterra when I did. Though I had long hoped to one day be my own boss, I always expected it to happen much further down my career path. But fate pays little heed to our own timetables, and I arrived at an inflection point in my career where working for myself would allow me to pursue some personal and professional objectives. There were a million reasons to put off the decision to go solo, but I am proud that I had enough self-belief to give it a shot and go after something that I really wanted.

Q. What are your areas of expertise for Females in Food members to connect with you on?

A.  I love networking and meeting new people so I would be enthusiastic to connect with other members of the Females in Food community. Geographically speaking, I spend most of my time working on Latin America so if any members want to speak about the region, I would love to engage. Though the majority of my work is within the dairy industry, I try to keep my finger on the pulse of other sectors as well.

I am also happy to share more details about my experience moving abroad and starting my own consultancy if that could be interesting to other members.

Q. What do you enjoy doing most in your free time?

A. I am an avid horsewoman and amateur polo player which is part of the reason I was particularly drawn to Argentina, the polo capital of the world. I keep a string of ponies here in Buenos Aires and play as often as I can. If you want to see me at my happiest, come find me at the barn. Besides my horses I also love to travel and have used my time during quarantine this year to expand my cooking skills.

Q. What advice would you give your younger self? Or What advice do you have for those who are just coming into the food industry?   

A. When we are young, I think it is easy to believe that there are only a finite number of career paths, when in reality the options for having meaningful professional experiences are endless. I would tell my younger self to recognize the value of traditional careers but not be shy about designing a life that works for me, even if it is not traditional or linear. Also, maybe finish paying off your student loans before striking out on your own. 😉 One of the reasons that I love the food industry is that I find people are exceptionally willing to lend a hand to those who are just starting out. For those people just coming into the industry I would encourage them to fully take advantage of this unique characteristic of the sector. In my experience, people are often more than happy to have a coffee or a zoom chat to share their experiences and see how they can help you.

Member Spotlight: Lisa Buckentine

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Lisa Buckentine

We are honored to recognize Lisa Buckentine this month for the Females in Food member spotlight. In this short Q&A Lisa opens up about her career journey in the dairy industry, greatest achievements, and advice she has for others.

Q. Tell us about your current role.                                                                                               

A. I am a Senior Merchandiser with Dairy Products, Inc. My focus is on butterfat markets and I spend my days supporting our customers and suppliers by helping them execute on sales, purchasing and risk management strategies.

Q.  How did you decide on a career in the food industry? What has your career path entailed?

A. When I started out at Iowa State University (Go Cyclones!) as an Ag Business major I wanted to be a grain trader and applied for an internship with Gavilon (at the time ConAgra Trading Group). Through that internship I was exposed to the dairy products trading group. I really enjoyed it and the exposure it gave me to the food industry and was fortunate to be offered a full-time job as a Dairy Products Trader Trainee once I graduated. I have continued to build depth and expertise in dairy ingredients over the last 10 years and am now a Senior Merchandiser for Dairy Products Inc, the dairy industries unrivaled leader in supplying premium dairy ingredients, specialty services and peace-of-mind risk management programs.

Q. What accomplishments are you the most proud of?

A. I am proud of the outstanding team of traders that I have been able to work with and build a strong business and reputation with over the years. I’m also proud of completing my Masters in Economics and Masters in Business from the MSMBA in Agribusiness at Purdue and Indiana program.

Q. What are your areas of expertise for Females in Food members to connect with you on?

A.  Reach out to me with questions on commodity dairy markets, procurement, sales, risk management and logistics. I get to touch a lot of pieces of the commodity dairy industry and would love to visit about markets or discuss a unique challenge you are facing in your business that we may be able to help with.

Q. What do you enjoy doing most in your free time?

A. My husband and I moved to a new home in the country in February and I have really enjoyed gardening this summer (both flowers and vegetables). We also live near a beautiful trail where I enjoy walking our dog and biking in the evenings.

Q. What advice would you give your younger self? Or What advice do you have for those who are just coming into the food industry?   

A. Remember that no one has all the answers! It can be intimidating starting out in an industry where you have little to no experience, but remember no one, no matter how many years they have been in the business, has all the answers. We are all just doing the best we can with the information we have, and sometimes the information YOU have can be just as valuable, regardless of your experience level.

*Learn more about the Females in Food Community and become a member by clicking here.

Member Spotlight: Amanda Lock

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Amanda Lock

We are excited to feature Amanda Lock for the August Females in Food member spotlight. Amanda’s inspirational leadership, willingness to help others, and positive energy have been at the forefront of her career in Human Resources. In this short Q&A, she opens up about her career journey, accomplishments, and the advice she has for those starting their career in F&B.

Q. Tell us about your current role.                                                                                               

A. In my current role I am the HR Business partner for my Business Group in the Americas with DSM.

Q.  How did you decide on a career in the food industry? What has your career path entailed?

A. I like to say the food industry found me and it’s been history since.  I started my career at a Cargill beef processing facility in Milwaukee as an HR Associate.  I took on different roles with increasing responsibility during the five years I was at this site.  From here I had the opportunity to move and transfer to another business in Charlotte, NC.  Here I had multi-site and union responsibility which was new to me, while still supporting the manufacturing teams.  After a couple years in Charlotte I moved to Minneapolis where the headquarters were and was able to support different functions in the business and currently I am back Milwaukee, working for DSM as the People and Organization Business Partner for all functions in the Americas.

Q. What accomplishments are you the most proud of?

A. I am most proud of my resilience and perseverance.  I’ve faced several professional challenges within a short period of time, like working through a federal audit, immigration concerns with our workforce, and a union campaign.  I’ve been a part of a couple of teams to successfully negotiate union contracts.

Q. What are your areas of expertise for Females in Food members to connect with you on?

A.  I have plenty of experience with employee relations and conducting investigations.  I am passionate about employee development and finding solutions to help individuals and organizations.  I am trained in using the 9-box tool as well as the leadership tool, Management Drives.

Q. What do you enjoy doing most in your free time?

A. It’s hard to pick one thing, but since I am a people person it would be spending quality time with my family and friends having great experiences.

Q. What advice would you give your younger self? Or What advice do you have for those who are just coming into the food industry?   

A. Advice I would give to my younger self is to find and use my voice more.  Working in male-dominated industries can be intimidating but the leaders want to hear your voice.  To someone coming into the food industry I would say learn as much as you can.  Volunteer to be on different projects and task force.  Get to know the employees and don’t be afraid to take risks, whether that is applying for a new job or moving to a new city where you don’t know a soul.  It is so rewarding!

Member Spotlight: Tori Boomgaarden

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Tori Boomgaarden

We are honored to recognize Tori Boomgaarden for June’s Females in Food Community Member Spotlight. An expert in dairy science and patent holding scientist, Tori has blazed a career path that is nothing short of inspiring. In this short Q&A Tori opens up about her journey, career accomplishments, and how she can help others in the industry succeed.  

Q. Tell us about your current role.                                                                                                

A. I’m a Sr. Scientist in R&D for DFA Dairy Brands. I develop products for DFA’s fluid, cultured, and frozen business, supporting our brands and customers alike.  

Q.  How did you decide on a career in the food industry? What has your career path entailed?  

A. I started at SDSU in Dairy Manufacturing and didn’t quite know what I was doing, but I saw an interesting mix of my interests and opportunities. During an internship at Ecolab, I discovered my love for R&D. This clarity drove me to get involved in all things product development, sensory, and going on to grad school. In 2010, I joined Kraft Foods in R&D in the Cheese & Dairy group, working on natural cheese and processed cheese innovation. While I loved my job, I wanted to be closer to family in Minnesota. I joined Kemps (recently DFA Dairy Brands) in R&D in 2014 and have enjoyed the breadth of different projects, customers, and products I’ve worked on. It’s made me nimbler and I’ve grown a really solid foundation of dairy knowledge as well as a chance to get creative. My first job in high school was scooping ice cream at the Sugar Shack, where I’d come up with new menu items for fun. Having the chance to develop ice cream and other dairy products for a living is full circle for me. 

Q. What accomplishments are you the most proud of? 

A. I’m proud of getting a patent on emulsifier-free process cheese relatively early in my career. It took a lot of hard work and tenacity and some really amazing co-workers along the way to make it happen.  

I’m also proud of my involvement in various dairy contests and judging roles. I got super involved by coordinating the Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest for for 2 years, which hosts around 15 colleges competing in dairy products evaluation in 6 categories, which expert judges for each. I’ve also been asked to judge in various contest, which is such an honor. My absolute favorite contest memory was winning 2nd runner up in the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest with a 640 of aged cheddar! 

Q. What are your areas of expertise for Females in Food members to connect with you on? 

A. I’m a total dairy nerd! My expertise is in upfront product development for fluid, cultured, and frozen dairy & non-dairy products, from identifying trends, to brainstorming and creating a product that fits a market need. I also have experience in sensory, scale-up, troubleshooting, working with co-packers, private label customers, and branded customers. 

Q. What do you enjoy doing most in your free time? 

A. Most of my free time revolves around my family – I love getting to see the world through kids’ eyes. I also enjoy live music, baking, getting outside, gardening, and have been trying out watercolor. 

Q. What are your career goals in the next year?  

A. Continue expanding my network through Females in Food, work on growth opportunities, and continue striving for work/life balance. 

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Females in Food strives to provide an inclusive environment and defines ‘women’ and ‘female’ as including all individuals who identify, or have been identified as women or female. No matter your age, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs. Whether you identify with any of these or none, we invite you to join our community. 

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