DBIA Staff

Emily has more than 10 years of experience in program management working on federal grants, fellowships, and international exchange programs. As the Grant Administration Manager at CDR, Emily administers multiple state and federal grant programs. Emily is excited to support the continued innovation of dairy farmers and dairy processors!

As Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association's (WCMA) Director of Grants & Sustainability, Danica Nilsestuen oversees all of the Association's federal and state grant programs, including the DBIA, supporting dairy processors in the Midwest. She also leads the development of dairy sustainability programming for WCMA members, engagement with sustainability partners, and WCMA's Dairy Export Group. Prior to her role at WCMA Danica spent 10 years in workforce development, focusing on industry engagement and leading the administration of federal workforce programming grants.

Tom has over twenty years of experience in research and development in the food industry. He describes his role as bringing concepts from the bench to commercialization and, over the years, has worked with all business functions to ensure the final products meet expectations. Tom has worked with manufacturers across a variety of applications in countries and markets across the globe.

As the Assistant Center Director at the CDR, Tom helps the organization align with the changing demands and trends of the food industry. Driving resiliency in the dairy industry and tackling key issues such as by-product conversion are some of the programs Tom works on at the CDR.

Tanya has more than 10 years of experience working on government-funded projects in management, research, and communications roles. After spending the beginning of her career advancing farmer-focused food security initiatives in West Africa, Tanya shifted towards supporting farmers in her home state of Wisconsin—something she is excited to continue doing through her role at CDR. As DBIA Program Coordinator, Tanya administers grant programs and coordinates technical assistance and support for dairy farmers and processors across the Midwest.