Her research focuses on cheese and dairy product health attributes and innovations, and she teaches Food Quality, Food Product Development and Dairy Product Chemistry and Technology courses. Her interest in this field stems from raising dairy goats in 4-H. After receiving her Ph.D. in Dairy Science from Louisiana State University, she was a food product developer for General Mills for 11 years and worked on Yoplait yogurt, international dough and pasta products, and fruit snacks. She is an active cheese, ice cream and butter judge for regional and national organizations, She recently revived the collegiate dairy product judging team at the University of Minnesota, and they compete in regional and national dairy product judging competitions.