Alumni Spotlight: Bailey Graham

Bailey Graham, a Food Safety Marketing Advisor at Elanco Animal Health, is a 2015 graduate of the Purdue Animal Sciences Department. She was honored as a 2024 Early Career Distinguished Animal Sciences Alumna in May.

Graham was heavily involved in 4-H and showed livestock when she was growing up, and that is where her passion for agriculture started and grew. This ultimately led her to pursue a degree in animal sciences from Purdue. She carried on her family's legacy as the 25th member to attend Purdue.

Graham was involved in many clubs, organizations and more during her time on campus. She was involved in the Old Masters program, Delta Gamma sorority, Mortar Board and Block and Bridle. She was also an Agriculture Ambassador on campus and an Indianapolis 500 Princess. 

According to Graham, her biggest accomplishment during her time as an undergraduate student was being selected for Mortar Board.

“At the time, Mortar Board was something you had to be selected for, not only for your class work and grades but also for your community service, your involvement and then your leadership within organizations,” Graham said. “Being one of the 40 students involved in Mortar Board was a big honor, and I really enjoyed getting to interact with students from a variety of majors at Purdue,” Graham said.

Graham said she liked the department’s sense of community during her time at Purdue.

“Purdue is a very big college,” Graham said. “However, the animal sciences department felt very small, so it gave me that family feel to a large university. I appreciated being more than just a number. The animal sciences professors really got to know you as an individual, and they also wanted to see you succeed.”

Graham urged current students to find their niche and what they are passionate about. She also advised students to make connections and find mentors.

“It was really important for me to reach out to upperclassmen and try to find someone that embodied what I thought was success and follow in their footsteps,” Graham said. “Meet as many people as possible, ask all the questions and try to form those relationships that will really pull you through and want you to succeed. “If you can job shadow someone you think has the ideal career, shadow them and learn from them. Don't be afraid to ask questions and ask for their guidance and seek that out, because ultimately, people love to help others.”

During Graham’s time as an undergraduate student, she completed internships with Zoetis and Elanco Animal Health. After finishing these, she knew she wanted to find a career in the animal health field.

After Graham received her bachelor’s degree, she started at Elanco as a beef sales representative, where she worked with stocker operations and cow-calf producers in southern Oklahoma. Then, she moved into a channel and distribution role, and now, she is a Food Safety Marketing Advisor. 

In her current role, Graham focuses on poultry vaccines, primarily for salmonella, while also managing insecticide solutions for biosecurity. Her role involves overseeing product strategy from forecasting to manufacturing, pricing, and marketing, while collaborating with cross-functional teams and a marketing agency.

Graham said the most rewarding part of her career is having the opportunity to help customers.

“When you see chicken on the shelves at the grocery store, a lot of thought went into that as far as the vet protocol, the nutritionist and how that whole bird came to be,” Graham said. “So, it is fulfilling to see the part that animal health plays in animal production.”

According to Graham, the animal sciences program helped her gain critical skills for her career. During her time as an undergraduate, she learned the importance of working with people of diverse skill sets and adapting to different personalities, even those she didn’t naturally click with—an experience that prepared her for the real world. 

As Graham reflected on nearly a decade in her career, she mentioned that she appreciates how small the agriculture community is and the importance of maintaining relationships and networking throughout her career.

Graham was named a 2024 Early Career Distinguished Animal Sciences Alumna in May.

“I was definitely honored to be a part of that group, as it is a really cool experience to come back for that honor,” Graham said. “I was very honored and humbled to be a part of that. I am so very thankful for the connections, professors and staff that invested in me while I was a student at Purdue.”

Additionally, Graham was a part of the Emerging Leaders Program at Elanco, where she was one of 21 global participants to be a leader within the company. She also received a few awards within the marketing team at Elanco, and one of them was the Launch Excellence Award. 

Graham resides on a cow-calf ranch where she and her family specialize in raising show cattle. She and her husband, Taylor, are proud parents to their two children, Deacon and Collins.

Outside of her career, Graham is a member of her local church, and she volunteers with a local 4-H program and fair. She is also involved in the Diamond Hats Organization, which supports young females in agriculture at the Oklahoma Youth Expo and the EDGE mentorship program.

The Purdue Animal Sciences Department is celebrating 125 years! As a part of the celebration, Graham was asked to upload a video congratulating the department.