Alyssa was born and raised in the Capital Region and has acquired over eight years of communications experience as a spokesperson, author, communications director and brand ambassador. Graduating from Wheaton College with a degree in health and communications, her passion led to a career as a volunteer spokesperson for over two-dozen health-related charities. She has spoken at the Chicago Bears Stadium, US Annual Tobacco Summit, and schools across the United States, bringing awareness to pressing causes including diabetes, scleroderma, ovarian cancer, and eating disorders. In her free time, Alyssa has always been an avid baker and cook. While some earn their culinary degrees in schools and institutions, Alyssa will tell you she earned hers in Mom's kitchen. With a house full of friends and family every holiday, Alyssa would bake desserts for dozens at a time. Her palate has refined as she has lived overseas, traveling to over a dozen countries. She understands how exhilarating it can be to taste the distinct flavors of the world. In her early 20's, she settled back home with her husband in Upstate New York to work full time in public relations, teaching cooking classes on the side. But she encountered a dilemma that men and women everywhere face: Baking was basically impossible with a busy lifestyle. That's when she uncovered the hidden value of the American mason jar and its near-magical ability to be used as a serving dish, drinking glass, and storage container that will keep desserts fresh for days. Alyssa's passion for baking soon outgrew hobby status as she began writing a book that made baking easy, convenient, and long lasting. The Happy Mason Jar exists to make all bakers' lives just a little bit easier and a little bit happier.