Dr. Heather Allen, a microbiologist, will be one of three honorees to be recognized as a 2023 Women of Achievement by Women Lead Change (WLC) next month in Des Moines, IA. Dr. Allen earned a BS in Microbiology from the University of Iowa in 2002, a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009, and then worked at the USDA and National Animal Disease Center in Ames. This award celebrates historical Iowa women whose contributions have positively impacted the state and the world. Dr. Allen's research enhanced our understanding of how agricultural practices affect foodborne pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes in food-producing animals, benefiting our food supply. In 2019, she received the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Unfortunately, Dr. Allen’s life was cut short by breast cancer in 2020. A tribute to her accomplishments will be commemorated on a plaque on Des Moines’ Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge.