Olivia Waysack

Ms. Waysack is an epidemiologist with expertise in nutrition and environmental health. She has experience assessing dietary exposure, investigating environmental chemicals, and performing statistical analyses for nutrition topics including grocery store access and ultra-processed foods.

Prior to her work at Exponent, Ms. Waysack served as a Research Assistant on a pilot research study examining household pollutants such as lead, allergens, phthalates, flame retardants, and pesticides. The study included an educational intervention for low-income homeowners on ways to protect their family's health in the housing environment. She has conducted research on a variety of other topics including water pollutants, toxic chemicals, and community training programs.

Ms. Waysack's educational background includes a Master of Science in Epidemiology and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health from the University of Rochester. She focused on clinical trial data management, clinical data collection and analysis, and regulatory compliance. As part of her studies, she assessed the relationship between ultra-processed foods and depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy. She has experience measuring dietary intake using 24hr dietary recalls as well as analyzing mental health questionnaires such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Ms. Waysack has extensively researched food processing using the NOVA system, and she has comprehensive knowledge of the risk factors and effects of mental health during pregnancy. She is well-versed in quantitative analysis using statistical software and interpreting scientific results.