Michelle A. Laliberte turns environmental science into food safety education

Influential Women is featuring Michelle A. Laliberte, an Akron-based author and publisher who has spent nearly four decades translating environmental health experience into books, videos, and educational tools for families. Her work centers on food safety, healthy choices, and making science easier for children and parents to understand.

Why it matters: - Michelle A. Laliberte is using decades of environmental science experience to make food safety and environmental health easier for families to understand. - Her work targets a basic public need: clear, practical guidance on what people eat, what they are exposed to, and how to make healthier choices at home. - Her audience includes children, parents, and general readers who want science explained in plain language.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Michelle A. Laliberte, an Akron, Ohio-based author, book creator and publisher at Liberte Bell Press. - Laliberte has built books, journals and educational materials focused on environmental health, food safety and children’s learning. - Her career spans nearly four decades at the intersection of environmental science and public health education. - Her specialties include environmental health and food safety writing, scriptwriting for food education content, video production and YouTube-based education. - Her writing has earned two awards, including Writer’s Digest recognition in both children’s fiction and nonfiction.

The details: - Laliberte spent about 20 years running her own environmental consulting practice. - That work included water, soil and air testing across the Cleveland and Akron region. - She shifted her focus after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2001 and began educating the public about food safety, chemical toxins in the food supply and holistic approaches to health. - She has released seven traditionally published books. - Through Liberte Bell Press, she has produced 23 additional designed works, including journals, coloring books and educational materials for children. - She has written numerous articles for science and lifestyle magazines. - Her YouTube channel, Liberte Bell Food Chemistry Exposed, explains hidden chemicals in the food supply for a general audience. - Her second channel, Mrs. Shells’ Stories, uses animated, family-friendly content for kids. - She earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Communications from Ashford University in 2013 after starting at the University of Cincinnati. - She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and previously served as Regional Advisor for its Northern Ohio Chapter. - Environmental health examines how air, water, soil and food affect human well-being. - Food safety education helps families read ingredient labels, understand what goes into products and make informed household choices. - Public education also helps people recognize how exposures such as water quality and food additives can affect everyday health. - Laliberte credits nearly 40 years of applied environmental experience, along with writing and communication skills, for her success. - She also points to returning to finish her degree later in life and continuing to learn as part of her path. - She says helping people live healthier lives remains her core motivation. - She takes pride in raising confident, capable children as a single mother and being among the first women in her family to earn a college degree. - Laliberte cites Erin Brockovich and Barbara O’Neill as inspirations for her environmental advocacy and health education work. - She advises young women in the field to stay strong, stay grounded in science and speak truth plainly. - She sees public health content restrictions on digital platforms, large industry influence and online misinformation as major challenges. - She also sees strong demand for trustworthy health information and says digital tools help her reach people with practical alternatives. - Her community service has included volunteer work with muscular dystrophy charities and conducting satisfaction surveys in nursing homes for the Ohio Department of Aging.

Between the lines: - Laliberte’s career shows a shift from technical environmental testing to public-facing education, with personal health challenges shaping that pivot. - Her mix of science, publishing and digital content reflects a broader trend toward direct-to-consumer health education outside traditional institutions. - The emphasis on misinformation and platform restrictions suggests her work is not just educational but also a response to the current online information environment.

What's next: - Laliberte says she will keep using digital tools, storytelling and research to help families make safer and healthier choices. - Her work through Liberte Bell Press and her video channels is positioned to remain centered on food safety, environmental health and children’s education. - More information is available through her Influential Women profile and Liberte Bell Press.