Her academic preparation includes a degree in Early Childhood Development and Family Relations from the University of Maine; bachelor's- and master's-level education in Nutrition from Immaculata University; undergraduate nursing education through Roxborough Memorial Hospital and LaSalle University in Philadelphia; and a master's degree in Evidence-Based Practice from the University of New Hampshire.

Before founding the Research Institute in 2025, Susan held clinical positions and conducted research at major academic and medical centers, including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Hahnemann University Hospital, DuPont Hospital for Children, and Albert Einstein Medical Center. Her experience spans critical care nursing, clinical dietetics, pediatric and adult nutrition education, quality improvement, and clinical research.

Her research became increasingly focused on dietary mycotoxin exposure and its potential relationship to gastrointestinal disease, immune function, developmental delays, and growth stunting after her son was diagnosed with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease in early childhood.

Medical treatments and immune-suppressing medications were not adequately controlling his disease process, and he suffered greatly. Convinced that something in the food supply beyond the usual suspects—such as additives and preservatives— could be contributing to the disease process, Susan began investigating other potential culprits, including the understudied contaminants known as mycotoxins.

After learning how to detect these compounds in foods, she began finding them in many of the foods she had been feeding her son. With data in hand, she re-engineered her son's diet to greatly limit dietary mycotoxin exposure.

He subsequently experienced significant improvement: his painful gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms resolved, and his once growth-stunted body began to grow again. This experience became a catalyst for Susan's continuing research into the potential health effects of dietary mycotoxin exposure, particularly in children.

Research Publications, Awards, & Scholarly Work

• Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Regulated and Emerging Mycotoxins in Food Marketed to U.S. Toddlers — Original research conducted 2024–2025; published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , July 11, 2026.
• Are Infants and Children at Risk of Adverse Health Effects from Dietary Deoxynivalenol Exposure? An Integrative Review — International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 2024.
• Do We Really Know What’s in Our Food? The Connection Between Pediatric Crohn’s Disease and Dietary Mycotoxin Exposure — Master's thesis, University of New Hampshire; ProQuest Open Access, 2022.
• Do We Really Know What’s in Our Food? Dietary Mycotoxin Exposure and Crohn’s Disease — Research poster; Students' Choice Award, Ann Manchester Kelley Nursing Inquiry Day, 2022.
• Do We Really Know What’s in Our Food? The Connection Between Dietary Mycotoxin Exposure and Pediatric Crohn’s Disease — Research poster; 3rd Place Award, Eastern Nursing Research Society, 2020.
• Do We Really Know How Much We Are Feeding Our Patients? — Hospital Practice, 2015; chief ICU nursing investigator, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
• ICU Enteral Feeding Practices — Research poster presented at the 2013 Nursing Research Symposium at Christiana Hospital in Delaware for a nursing practice quality-improvement study focused on improving electronic medical record charting.
• Pediatric Weight Management in Vulnerable Populations — Qualitative research published in Advance for Directors in Rehabilitation , Fall 2000.
• Pediatric Weight Management Among African-American Youth — Abstract and poster session developed and presented at the American Medical Association Conference for Adolescent Medicine , Spring 2001.
• Mariel C. Furlong Award for Making a Difference — National Food Allergy Network (2000), recognizing work with children and adolescents with food allergies.
• Albert Einstein Society Grants (1999–2000) — Two consecutive grants supporting development of a culturally sensitive weight-management program for minority youth.
• Federal Grants (2001–2002) — Two large federal grants supporting development of culturally sensitive nutrition education materials for middle- and high-school students.
• Just for Kids Pediatric Weight Management Program — A pediatric weight management program developed for underserved, minority youth.

Affiliations & Certifications

• Co-Chair, Commission on Planetary Health, New Hampshire American Nurses Association (2025–present).
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Certificate in Quality and Safety.
• Member, American Nurses Association.
• Member, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Member, Eastern Nursing Research Society.
• Professional Member, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
• Member, New Hampshire Organic Farmers Association.
• Adult Critical Care Nursing Certification (CCRN).
• Member, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.
• Certificate in Adult Weight Management Counseling, American Dietetic Association.

A Career Built Around Research, Children & Public Health

Susan's career has consistently centered on improving health through nutrition, evidence-based practice, research, and education.

Clean Food Solutions Research Institute represents the next step in that work: building an independent research organization capable of addressing important gaps in knowledge about mycotoxins and other dietary contaminants, particularly those affecting infants, children, and other vulnerable populations.