Experience

BLAZE Advisory + Technical, LLC

• Public Safety
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Food Quality & Safety Assurance Manager

  • Sep 2022 - Present

  • Led the implementation of a new incident management program with CMX1 for existing clients.• Managed the internal Food Safety team to more effectively process incidents.• Facilitated the onboarding of a new restaurant brand and directed the internal project management team.• Implemented supplier relationship management, incident management, and recalls and withdrawals module for new clients.• https://blazeat.com/

• Compliance Specialist

  • Jan 2022 - Sep 2022

  • Managed product issues and complaint submissions for multiple restaurant companies dealing with food quality and safety and supply chain management.• Built relationships with food suppliers and distributors to serve restaurants with food products within required specifications and adhering to all food safety laws and standards• Ensured restaurants get deserved credit if products are defected or not compliant with specifications.• Organized SOPs for clients' food safety and quality management system, and third-party food safety audit programs.• https://blazeat.com/ Show less



University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sensory Lab Technician

  • Jan 2019 - Apr 2022

  • Further advanced proper laboratory practice and techniques when preparing the tests. • Ensure samples are homogenous, at the right temperature, and many other specific standards for each panel. • Familiarized with the different sensory tests, such as ranking/rating or triangle tests, as well as the hedonic scale. • Practiced and developed verbal communication skills by interacting with panelists, as well as co-workers when running the taste panel. • Further advanced proper laboratory practice and techniques when preparing the tests. • Ensure samples are homogenous, at the right temperature, and many other specific standards for each panel. • Familiarized with the different sensory tests, such as ranking/rating or triangle tests, as well as the hedonic scale. • Practiced and developed verbal communication skills by interacting with panelists, as well as co-workers when running the taste panel.



Imbibe

• United States
• Media Production
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Food Science Sensory Intern

  • Jun 2021 - Aug 2021

  • Extensively researched difference testing methods, such as Triangle, 3-AFC, Tetrad, Duo-Trio, and Paired Comparison tests, to create a decision tree for other food scientists to use. • Applied ASTM Rapid method (E769) to determine perceived difference for sucrose, flavor strength, and acidity of lemon-lime carbonated soft drink (CSD). • Created sensory tests and ballots using Compusense for multiple test runs of Triangle, 3-AFC, Tetrad, and Difference from Control tests. • Experienced benchtop procedure for making lemon-lime CSDs. • Worked with sensory scientist to create specific lexicons for Imbibe's products, such as syrup-based, juice-based, and cream-based beverages. • Helped taste modulation team benchtop cream-based beverages using reduced-sugar syrups formulated by the team. • Lead trained panel sessions to calibrate difference from control scale for shelf-life and matching project implementation. • Developed difference from control scale specific to lemon-lime CSDs as a basis for future scales for other products. • Aided in processing, packaging, & evaluation ice creams & frozen desserts. • Experienced using ingredients (IMCD, JBL, Cargill, etc.) for ingredient application. • Used densitometer, pH meter, total solids meter, & refractometer • Formulated yuzu-lime CBD CSD for internal consumption. • Formulated & produced muscadine grape CSD bag-in-box (BIB) for internal consumption. • Gained experience batching in benchtop & pilot plant settings for carbonates, stills, and dairy beverages. • Used blast & walk in freezers. • Gave a 45 min. presentation on findings and experience to leadership and colleagues at the company. • Participated in shelf life studies and matching projects. • Gained experience with ingredient inventory applications (passport), Wrike, Formulator, Compusense, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint. Show less



University of Florida

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Seaweed Processing Project - Student Research Assistant

  • Jan 2021 - Apr 2021

  • Assisted primary investigator (PI) in researching different types of seaweeds grown in Florida, such as Salicornia, Saltwort, Gracilaria, and Ulvophytes. • Assisted PI with extraction of volatiles and flavors from the different sea plants through processes such as washing, freeze-drying, and vacuum/water bath method. • Formulated dilution samples of each seaweed extraction for a trained sensory testing panel. • Assisted primary investigator (PI) in researching different types of seaweeds grown in Florida, such as Salicornia, Saltwort, Gracilaria, and Ulvophytes. • Assisted PI with extraction of volatiles and flavors from the different sea plants through processes such as washing, freeze-drying, and vacuum/water bath method. • Formulated dilution samples of each seaweed extraction for a trained sensory testing panel.

• Precision Ketogenic Therapy Lab - Student Research Assistant

  • Aug 2019 - May 2020

  • Worked with administration, databases, recipes, microbiome science, biochemistry, and ketogenic ratios to prescribe an efficient ketogenic diet for people, mostly young children, with refractory epilepsy. • Experienced a much larger scope of responsibility, discipline, and accountability since our research directly affects people in need. • Developed skills in relation to data entry, creating ketogenic recipes, making SOPs, and delegating tasks. • Extensively used Microsoft Excel and Word to update databases, recipes, and ketogenic ratios to prescribe an efficient ketogenic diet. • Developed skills in relation to data entry, creating ketogenic recipes, writing SOPs, and delegating tasks. Show less