New Hire Beth Panko Briczinski Alexandria, Virginia bbriczinski@nmpf.org Director of Dairy Foods & Nutrition, NMPF
Please describe your agricultural background and education.
I am originally from central Pennsylvania, just outside of Harrisburg. For college, I went to Penn State, where I majored in Food Science. When I was an undergraduate, I took a course in Dairy Foods Technology and was so fascinated by it that I decided to stay at Penn State to pursue a MS and then PhD in Food Science, with an emphasis in dairy microbiology. Specifically, I worked with lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria (which are used as probiotics, the “healthy” bacteria, in dairy foods).
In grad school, my thesis advisor was the director of Penn State’s dairy-focused short courses, and he encouraged me to participate in many of those, like the Ice Cream Short Course and the Cultured Dairy Products Short Course. Through those outreach experiences, I had the opportunity to teach lab exercises, speak on various topics, and interact with many people in the dairy industry. I also gained processing skills - actually manufacturing different types of dairy foods (like yogurt and fermented products, as well as ice cream and other frozen desserts).
What previous positions have you held?
I graduated from Penn State two years ago, and then went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I was an Instructor in the Food Science Department. At Wisconsin, I taught undergrads in Food Science and Dietetics. The main areas I was responsible for included ingredient functionality, food microbiology, and food processing. During the summers, I was able to continue my research in dairy microbiology.
What are your new responsibilities?
In the Regulatory group at National Milk Producers Federation, I will be the dairy foods person. My general areas will focus on dairy processing and nutrition, as well as food safety and public health, labeling, and domestic and international standards of identity.
What excites you most about working in your new role?
My position at National Milk gives me the opportunity to work directly with the dairy industry, an area I have been very passionate about. I’m looking forward to being able to take all the skills I’ve learned and apply them to “real world” situations, playing a role in developing policies, in a way that will have a true impact in the field.
How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
One of the skills I’ve learned through my years of teaching – both undergraduates and short course participants – is how to effectively communicate scientific concepts. My background in food science is strong, but I can easily make that knowledge accessible. I am able to help people understand technical information and to convey the importance of various issues of the dairy industry to the public.
What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
While I typically approach things in a logical and defined way, my professional goals are pretty abstract. I want to enjoy the work that I do, and I want to be successful at what I do. So how do I define “success”? I want to know that what I do is having a positive impact, and I want to become the go-to person in my area of expertise. Success, for me, will be when someone contacts me and says, “I have this problem, and you’re the first person I thought of for help”.
