Abby is Acting Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Her research focus is in public health, nutrition, and communication, helping to bridge the gap between public health and health care systems and promoting health and cost savings through prevention, nutrition and community involvement. She received her Bachelor in Human Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; her Masters in Public Health, Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and her PhD in Health Communication from North Dakota State University.