Dr. Lee-Ann Jaykus is an emerita William Neal Reynolds Professor affiliated with the Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her formal training is in Food Safety/Food Microbiology (Purdue University) and Environmental Sciences/Public Health (the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Historically, Dr. Jaykus’ research efforts have focused on: (1) food virology; (2) development of molecular methods for foodborne pathogen detection; (3) application of quantitative risk assessment in food safety; and (4) understanding the ecology of pathogens in foods. She is probably best known for her efforts in food virology, culminating in her service as scientific director for the USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative (NoroCORE project, 2011-2018), a $25 interdisciplinary, interinstitutional program. Dr. Jaykus has 30 years of experience training undergraduate and graduate students in food microbiology; leading food safety research projects; and working with external stakeholders in the food and beverage industry, sanitation and hygiene sector, and with cruise lines. Having authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications, Dr. Jaykus’ other professional activities have included membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF); participation in several National Academies consensus studies and as a member of the Food and Nutrition Board; participation in three FAO-WHO expert consultations; and as a member of the executive board of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), for which she served as president in 2010-2011. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Jaykus stepped in to work with the food industry, focusing on characterizing transmission risks and working with the food industry to control disease transmission in the essential workforce. She continues to be actively engaged in her field in a variety of volunteer and consulting capacities.