You can check out my professional profile on LinkedIn.
However, if you’re interested in knowing me as a person, read on…
My professional life
I am trained as a biologist, geneticist, and veterinarian.
My first job out of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993 was in cystic fibrosis research at Case Western Reserve University Department of Pediatric Pulmonology at the School of Medicine. I worked with technicians, research assistants, physicians, PhD professionals, and a handful of veterinarians. We used mouse models of cystic fibrosis lung disease to find better treatments for patients who usually die by the time they are in their late 30′s. A devastating genetic disease to have, and a fascinating disease to study due to the complexity of the impact of the environment and nutrition on the course of their disease. Truly a One Health endeavor. Only, animals aren’t known to get cystic fibrosis.
In my career in cystic fibrosis research, I published several peer-reviewed articles, given many poster and oral presentations across the United States and in Europe, and worked with pharmaceutical companies to test different treatment hopefuls intended to improve the lives of cystic fibrosis patients.
Now my career is solely focused on The van Bakeren Foundation as President and CEO. I know that one day my two seemingly different career paths will come full circle. Both cystic fibrosis and preventing the spread of diseases between animals and people involve different species, genetics, germs, nutrition, environments, and host defense mechanisms of the immune system.
My volunteer life
I have volunteered for national and local non-profits. These include the following organizations.
- American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine Foundation
- American Veterinary Medical Foundation
- Safety for Animals and Families in Emergencies
- Science Fair Judge at Hathaway Brown School
- The van Bakeren Foundation
My personal life
I have been married to Ned Baker since 1994. He is trained as a geologist and works for EnSafe, an environmental consulting agency based out of Memphis, TN. We have two beautiful girls Marta and Elise. They are academically inclined, play instruments, and are active in different sports.
My father is a retired cardiothoracic surgeon, and my mother has a slew of animals (at the time of this writing dogs, cats, horses, and sheep, but that’s subject to change without notice).
I have three siblings. One is a research assistant at Case Western Reserve University in Pediatric Pulmonology, one is a hematology oncology doctor at University Hospitals, and another is an artist working at different stores in the Cleveland area (knitting is her current passion).
My pets
When I was young and living with Mom and Dad, we had several different kinds of animals. Over the years, Mom had dogs, cats, horses, a donkey, a goat, a llama, rabbits, a variety of birds, guinea pigs, and I’m sure I’ve left some species out somewhere. But none were “mine” until I went to college.
In college I had a horse (I know- lucky me), one of my Mom’s rabbits, a cat (I left her at Mom and Dad’s due to housing restrictions at college), and a chinchilla.
Now that I’m grown up and living with my husband and children, we have our own pets. Right now we have a chinchilla, and a tank full of fish. We used to have cats, a guinea pig, hamsters, rabbits, and water snails, but they died due to various causes- some of old age, some we euthanized for humane reasons, and others of non-infectious diseases.
