BAC Fighter Ambassadors use their unique talents, networks, and skills to build connections between professionals in their field that work to prevent foodborne illness. Each Ambassador serves a 2-year term and acts as a representative of the Partnership to BAC Fighters in their career field.
Cynthia Aspengren
EFNEP Regional Coordinator
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
Cynthia has been an avid promoter of food safety from her first job in a fast food restaurant. While engaged in direct nutrition education with the community, Cynthia is sure to present all the food safety aspects in the presentation. As a Master Food Preserver, Cynthia’s focus is on why proper food preservation is essential to the food safety of the recipe. The PFSE’s resources have been a big piece of the nutrition education program and in her work as a Food Safety Instructor for the National Environmental Health Association.
Ellen Boyer
Retail Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance
Wakefern Food Corp
Ellen Boyer is the Manager for Retail Food Safety at a large grocery store co-operative in the Northeast and is passionate about educating both the retail associates and customers about proper food safety handling practices. She works with other areas of the business to utilize PFSE’s resources in a variety of ways, to ensure the message of proper food handling is readily available.
Marie Canesi, DTR
Culinary Teacher
League School of Greater Boston
Marie Canesi is a Culinary Teacher for the League School of Greater Boston. The League School is one of the first schools devoted to Autism in New England and implements individualized curricula based on each student’s strengths to prepare them for a fulfilling life in a neurodiverse world. Marie has been teaching students at the League School how to cook for themselves or a future career in the food industry for over 10 years. She works with students of all levels and incorporates food safety and nutrition into her lessons.
Zoila Chevez
PhD Student
Auburn University
Zoila Chevez is a Ph.D. student at Auburn University and is driven by a passion for improving produce safety. With a strong background in food safety and a commitment to education, Zoila envisions a future where safe and healthy food is accessible to all. Her emphasis on food safety during research and educational efforts reflects her dedication to creating a positive impact and fostering a safer food industry.
Judy Dodd, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND
Retired Professor, Dietetics & Nutrition
University of Pittsburgh
Judy Dodd is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist from Pittsburgh, PN who specializes in community-based nutrition and food education. For over forty years she has been teaching campus-based and online graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Pittsburgh, and Penn State. Most recently she has initiated and managed online communications with staff and volunteers at food pantries, senior centers, and agencies involved in food distribution.
Christine Hilbert, PhD MBA
Technical Writer
Hygiena
Christine Hilbert is a biochemist from Kansas who is passionate about educating others about food safety and the role it plays in keeping consumers safe. She values continuous learning and process improvement, hoping to teach others best practices for food safety through technical writer, mentoring, and working for a food safety test developer and manufacturer. She strives to promote food safety in both her professional and personal life.
Tara Harman Kelly, MS, RDN
Nutrition Sciences Instructor
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Tara Harman is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Instructor at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is passionate about nutrition education and making it accessible for all audiences, and strives to foster this same passion in her students (the future RDNs of the world!). Tara teaches food science/menu planning, food systems management, and consumer nutrition courses, and loves to integrate the PFSE resources into her curriculum.
Corine Peplinski, MS, LEHP, REHS/RS
Environmental Health Training Specialist
Peoria City/County Health Department
Corine Peplinski is an Environmental Health Training Specialist from Peoria, IL who is passionate about outreach and education of food safety information to her colleagues, food establishment owners, and the public. She is always interested in learning new and engaging techniques to improve food safety. The PFSE website is one of her favorite resources and she is constantly discovering something new!
Lisa Peterson
Nutrition & Wellness Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Lisa Peterson is a nutrition and wellness extension educator from Hillsboro, IL who considers herself a creative person. She is motivated to get people of all ages back in the kitchen preparing safe, healthy and delicious foods. She writes, blogs, and tweets and loves PFSE’s ongoing professional development opportunities and webinars.
TaQuila Thomas
Early Childhood & Teaching As A Profession Educator
Baldwin College & Career Academy / Baldwin High
TaQuila is a Family and Consumer Science Teacher. She became familiar with “BAC” while teaching Food Science. She is ServSafe-certified and believes that healthy people, especially, can thrive in their environments.
Atalie Tompkins
Nutrition & Health Educator
K-State Research & Extension
Atalie Tompkins is Nutrition & Health Educator from Abilene, KS who sees a need to remind people about food safety, so all are practicing – and teaching younger generations – food safe practices. She is a passionate educator to all ages and values the latest information. She enjoys working with and learning from others, and treasures PFSE’s printable resources she can incorporate in her lessons.
Melissa Wyatt
Family, Consumer, and Health Sciences Agent
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
Melissa Wyatt is a Family, Consumer, and Health Sciences Agent from Yuma, AZ who enjoys engaging community members in conversations about food safety. She is passionate about helping people find ways to better their health in a safe way. She always emphasizes food safety during food preservation and cooking classes and has used Fight BAC materials in her presentations and workshops.
Jennifer Estes
Family & Consumer Sciences Educator
Wilkes County Schools
Lizann Powers-Hammond, MS, CN
Extension Agent – Family & Consumer Sciences
WSU Extension – Benton County
Mari Schroeder, PhD
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Florida
Natasha Haynes
Extension Agent
Mississippi State Extension Service
Kathleen Savoie
Extension Professor
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Hope Wilson
Extension Agent
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
Interested in becoming an ambassador?
Recruitment for the next cohort of BAC Fighter Ambassadors will open in Spring 2025. For questions or enquiries about the BAC Fighter Ambassador program please contact Program Manager Katie Weston kwesston@fightbac.org.