Mary Katherine O'Brien is a Researcher for Outreach and Education and Director of CAHFS eLearning programs. In this role she supports faculty who are affiliated with CAHFS and expert partners across the globe in collaborations to support the CAHFS' mission of improving global animal health, food safety, and public health through capacity building, education, and outreach.

O'Brien holds a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota in Comparative and International Development Education (2015)  and has worked in university-level international education for more than 15 years. Her research and scholarship focuses on the internationalization of higher education, intercultural education, and learning design for effective workforce development and improving global food systems.