Details
Dietitian & Student Employment Coordinator, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
Age: 27
Education: B.S. in human nutrition from Colorado State University
Years at organization: 4
Why Selected?
Deon Lategan, director of dining services, says: Brittney meets and works with students who have special dietary needs, such as food allergies and intolerances, vegans, vegetarians and others with specific medical and nutrition-related needs. She created a Dine with the Dietitian program, where she hosts interactive events to engage students and to create nutrition awareness.
Brittney was instrumental in implementing our Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well program that focuses on students making the right food choices in order to thrive both academically and personally. The program includes food labeling that identifies which options are vegan, vegetarian and “eat well,” indicating a healthy choice. She also coordinated and administers a HACCP program.
Get to know
My job was creating and implementing a HACCP food safety system in all the dining centers. I had to come up with a brand new system as a brand new employee and then get all the other employees to use the system correctly and change old habits. I was able to successfully do it and create all the forms and training that needed to be done and get everybody on board.
Q. What would you say you excel at over more seasoned colleagues?I think my youth has made it easier for me to excel. Even though I’m 27 I haven’t been out of college that long, so I think it’s easier for students to relate to me. I also work with student employees. I mentor and train student managers who then directly supervise a couple hundred student hourly workers. I think being able to relate to what they are going through has made me a youthful liaison between them and their managers who are several decades older than them.
Q. What's the best career advice you've been given?I think the one that has helped me the most is something really simple: always read my e-mails before I send them.
Q. What's been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome?Proving myself as a young person. I’ve just taken the attitude of just being a supportive team member. The reason I’m doing all these things is to support the employees. I’m here to help you, not hinder you.
Q. What's been your most rewarding moment?I think my most rewarding moments are when I get e-mails from a parent or a student that I’ve helped that says, “I’m so happy you are here; it’s made it so much easier.” Just getting a little thank you is great.
Q. What can you look back at now and laugh at?I remember being so intimated by Excel. It was the first program I had to learn and use and it was so intimidating, but now I’m a whiz at it.