Kaylie Parry, a sustainability advocate with a background in agriculture, will take on a new role in Campus Dining as its inaugural Program Manager, Regional and Sustainable Food Systems, in January.
Parry has served in the Campus Dining Staffing Office for the past year where she was integral in the creation of the office and establishing relationships within Campus Dining. Before coming to Notre Dame, she worked for Tyson Foods and Hormel Foods in quality assurance, production and food safety, and for Mondelez International.
"I'm thrilled for Kaylie to join our team and lend her expertise to our growing sustainability efforts" said Cheryl Bauer, associate director of sourcing and sustainability. "Her firsthand knowledge of agricultural practices and local sourcing will be invaluable as we move forward with our strategic plan for the future of Campus Dining."
In addition to her professional background, Parry's upbringing on her family's farm makes her uniquely qualified for this role. Growing up, she cared for 200 head of livestock and grew and marketed feed crops.
"I'm excited to take on this new challenge and work with our campus community and vendors to bring the best our region has to offer to Notre Dame," said Parry.
Parry will work to identify and source items that match the University's sustainability goals, working closely with local vendors and farmers. She will also focus on educating dining staff and engaging the campus community in topics surrounding sustainable foods.
Parry holds an associate’s degree in organizational leadership and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and management from Purdue University.