Today’s Menu, Lunchtime Webinar

Ticks are more than just a nuisance, they can impact both human and animal health. Join us for Tick Talk, a special Today’s Menu webinar designed to help you better understand these tiny arachnids and the risks they pose in the Mid-Atlantic region.

During this session, we’ll explore what ticks are, where they’re commonly found, and the most common species encountered in our area. Learn how to identify different ticks, understand the diseases and health concerns they can transmit, including Alpha-gal syndrome, and recognize signs and symptoms to watch for after a tick bite.

We’ll also discuss practical strategies for reducing tick encounters, including personal protection measures, landscape management practices, and the safe use of chemical controls when appropriate. Whether you work outdoors, enjoy spending time in nature, or simply want to protect yourself and your family, this webinar will provide valuable information and actionable tips to help you stay tick aware.

Pull up a chair and join us for this informative lunchtime conversation on ticks, prevention, and protection.

Guest Speakers: 

Emily Struckhoff , Extension Program Specialist, Penn State

Emily is an Education Program Specialist on Penn State Extension’s Vector-Borne Disease Team. She received her B.S. in Biology from Saint Louis University and M.S. in Entomology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Emily’s past research included conducting tick surveillance throughout the state of Illinois, developing tick identification tools, and testing vectors for diseases of medical and veterinary concern. At Penn State Extension, Emily develops and delivers programming about vectors, such as ticks and mosquitoes, throughout the state.

Anne Marie Roberts, Senior Restoration Field Manager, James River Association

Anne Marie Roberts is the Senior Restoration Field Manager for the James River Association, where she works with landowners and conservation partners to restore streamside forests, improve water quality, and enhance habitat throughout the James River watershed. Her expertise includes riparian buffer establishment, native plantings, invasive species management, and watershed restoration.

Dr. Abbigail Pace, Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky

Dr. Abbigail Pace joined the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition in 2025 as an Assistant Professor. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and is licensed to practice in Kentucky. Abbigail’s research background is the utilization of campus coalitions to address college student food insecurity, community-based participatory research, and SNAP eligibility and use among college students. She has received multiple awards for her work on bringing together campus resources to address student food insecurity. Abbigail is an experienced outpatient dietitian where she treated individuals with eating disorders utilizing campus-based interdisciplinary team for many years. She teaches various dietetics courses, including Medical Nutrition Therapy I and II, Nutritional Biochemisty, Discovering Balance: Health & Nutrition, and Food Related Behaviors.