meet the team
1.What do you love most about your career at BNN?
Working with a really sophisticated and talented team! I love how creative, compassionate, and mission-driven our group is.
2.What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Routine. I’m not a big morning person so I ease into mornings with time for coffee and reading, and if I’m feeling particularly motivated – the gym. I strive for 1% improvement daily, knowing that my progress will compound and I am on the path to always becoming a better version of myself.
3.What’s your favorite perk to working at BNN?
Our proximity to Lorenzo’s – they’re a 4th generation family joint with the absolute best pizza in Amsterdam – and being located at the foot of the Adirondacks!
4.What do you do to live a balanced life?
I really try and disconnect off-hours and spend time on things I enjoy – reading, cooking, spending time with friends, catching up on shows (Succession! The Bear!) It’s important to create those boundaries for yourself so that you don’t create feelings of overwhelm or burnout and have time to refresh.
5.How would you describe BNN in 5 words or less?
Honest, Mission-Driven, Resilient, Nurturing.
6.What is your favorite BN product?
I really enjoy our Naturals Banana Orange Pineapple jar, but everything the R&D team comes up with is a hit!
7.How would you describe your work style?
Collaborative, Analytical, Results-Driven, Flexible, Scrappy.
8.If you could have dinner with someone living or dead who would it be?
My grandparents. I never had a chance to meet my maternal grandfather, and my maternal grandmother passed when I was nearly 5. I would really have liked a chance to get to know them!
9.What is your favorite company or person to follow?
REI. They are very true to their mission which I strongly resonate with – encouraging active lifestyles outdoors while demonstrating respect for our planet and investing back into the community. For cooking I follow Tieghan Gerard (Half Baked Harvest) because she is always making something delicious!
10.What is your best life hack?
- For productivity – habit stacking, which is the concept of doing something you don’t want to do or like to do with something you do enjoy. It makes the task less unpleasant and more likely that you won’t avoid it! For me, I dread folding lots of laundry, so I usually call my mom or a friend during that time so I can catch up and avoid having the “laundry chair.”
- For parties – wrap a wet paper towel around a bottle of wine or a bottle of beer and put it in the freezer for a few minutes. Instantly chilled beverages!
11.What have you learned at BNN that you will never forget?
The resiliency of this team when faced with adversity and seeing people from all different departments come together to execute with excellence.
12.What is the weirdest job you have ever had?
I wouldn’t consider it weird, but when I was in high school I worked at Eat N Park in a variety of roles – hostess, server, line cook. I even iced the smiley faces on the infamous Smiley Cookies 😊
13.What has been your biggest career success?
I actually hope that it hasn’t happened yet!
14.What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
Each day is a new opportunity to learn from others and myself. I’ve been fortunate to have found mentorship with my manager and have lots of exposure to our Leadership Team, witnessing strategic thinking and behaviors that I would like to adopt to become a stronger leader. As a manager, I meet regularly with my team to see how I can best support them and encourage honest and open communication. I try to tailor my leadership style to each person since we’re all unique and have different preferences.
15.What is your biggest outside interest?
Travel / Culture – I love visiting new places, trying different foods, and learning about local customs. I’m interested in languages and am currently practicing French, German, and Italian. I also enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors, usually hiking or camping. I need to make friends with boat people!!
16.What is a book you have read recently?
I always have multiple books going at once, usually something light and easy and another that’s a bit more cerebral! I’m currently between Stanley Tucci’s “Taste” and Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations.”
17.How do you incorporate our mission (Delight Consumers by Conserving the Goodness of Nature) into your role every day?
Beech-Nut’s mission is the foundation for everything we do, from our communication to parents to our innovation plans. We want all families nationwide to have access to the very best food products for their children – so what we make, how we make it and get it to grocery shelves, and how we talk about it to parents is fundamentally present in our daily work.
18.How and where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! In my family and friends, in the grocery store, in the books and articles I read. Social Media is a key place for recipes, DIY projects, and home décor/renovation projects that I always get sucked into…
19.What are you most passionate about in your role?
Knowing that every day we are providing the highest quality products to our youngest generation! I have a lot of friends with kids and I really enjoy seeing them grow and thrive. It’s rewarding to know that Beech-Nut is a key contributor to their development.
- What are three things still left on your bucket list?
Hike El Camino, float in the Dead Sea, and visit the Serengeti!