Talk Title: The Debate Around Ultraprocessed Foods

With over 15 years of experience in non-profit association management, Erin Ball has spent the past ten years focusing on all facets of nutrition research and science-based communications at the Grain Foods Foundation. Since November 2022, she has served as Executive Director of the group.

Erin spends her time acting as a translator among nutrition and public relations professionals, members of non-profit organizations, and health influencers and consumers. During her tenure at the Foundation, GFF has become a go-to source for media and influencers around questions of grain foods and carbohydrate science. She has inaugurated annual calls for proposals for both nutrition science-related research as well as consumer insights-focused projects.

Erin facilitates GFF’s relationships with its Scientific Advisory Board as well as with the My Plate Strategic Partners, other food and public health groups, and she is always eager to meet the next up-and-coming grains nutrition researcher. Her years of experience have taught her the value of transparent, proactive communication, and the cumulative effect of what she calls the “drumbeat” of food communications: consistently and tirelessly sharing science-based information with health influencers and, through them, with consumers.

Erin has a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri as well as a Master of Arts in Theology. Her most important roles are that of wife to her husband Kevin, and mom to two high schoolers and a college student. She lives with her family on the Maryland side of the DC suburbs.