Meat scientist, coach, and cystic fibrosis advocate finds a home in ACES

On February 20, 2015, Elli Burris’ life changed forever. 

Burris grew up in Mason City, Illinois, and her love for agriculture flourished in Illinois 4-H, which is part of University of Illinois Extension and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, and later in FFA. Watching her grandpa raise row crops and cattle inspired her dream of becoming a veterinarian. 

But her clear vision for her future changed when she was hospitalized during her sophomore year of high school. The doctors and healthcare professionals were confused. Two severe episodes of pancreatitis left her pancreas unable to produce digestive enzymes, something you wouldn’t expect to see in a healthy 15-year-old. 

After many doctors' appointments and genetic testing, they found the root cause: cystic fibrosis (CF). Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive system, and other organs, leading to breathing problems, frequent lung infections, and painful joints. 

Elli and her family were terrified, not knowing what may come next. 

During the first few years after Burris’s diagnosis, she remembers just trying to survive. Her hearing was damaged after a course of life-saving antibiotics during her junior year. Yet she continued working at a vet’s office, going to school, and loading up her course schedule in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. 

“It was a defining time in my CF journey, and I realized that I had two choices: live in fear and just survive or choose to live fearlessly and go forward with a lot of faith that everything was going to be okay,” she said. “Many people I’ve met who are living with CF learn to look at life through a glass-half-full mindset because that was the only option. But when I finally learned to accept it, my life became so much better, and I became so much more hopeful for the future.”

Finding a new path in agriculture 

Burris enrolled at Lincoln Land Community College, a choice that allowed her to save money and ease into college life. 

In fall 2020, she transferred to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. COVID-19 was a major concern, especially for someone living with CF, but when in-person classes finally reopened, she jumped on the opportunity to get into the classroom. 

One class, Food Animal Production Management and Evaluation, was the turning point in her career trajectory.

“That class introduced me to the world of meat evaluation and the connection between the live industry and the meat industry,” she said. “That’s when I fell in love with the meat industry. That class is the reason I am in the position I am today.”

This prompted her to reevaluate her future goals. “I had to have an honest conversation with myself about how veterinary school was not going to be the healthy option,” Burris said. “I was not going to be able to put my body through the intense, vigorous curriculum, and I wasn’t going to be able to sustain that career.”

She found clarity in turning the page on her aspirations. “At the end of the day, CF is a terminal illness. And as someone with a terminal illness, I think a little differently about life,” Burris said. “For example, I got married at 20. No one knows how many days you are promised, and I am very much passionate about making the decisions that feel right at the moment.”

She joined the Illinois meat judging team in 2022, grateful to her coach for allowing Elli to compete despite her ongoing medical treatments, which at the time included taking 13 pills, completing nebulizer treatments three times a day, and wearing a respiratory vest– a wearable, inflatable vest connected to an air-pulse generator that loosens and thins mucus in the lungs. 

“It was really cool to teach my teammates about life with CF. I have learned to embrace my differences,” she said. 

During that season, her CF journey transformed when the FDA approved a genetic modulator medication called Trikafta. “I’m a walking GMO,” Elli joked, because it corrects the faulty proteins caused by CF. Burris says the drug has dramatically increased the life expectancy for CF patients from 25 to 64. 

“Science and Jesus, together, are amazing,” Burris said. “Trikafta is a miracle for so many people with CF.” 

Almost immediately, she noticed her symptoms begin to decline. 

“That year was very transformative for me; that was the turning point when I could see myself in a career and raising kids,” she added.

Elli graduated with her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences in May 2022, but decided she did not want to leave the College of ACES just yet and went on to earn her master’s degree as well. 

Making a difference through coaching and advocacy

Now, Burris is shaping the future of meat science and inspiring students as a meat-judging coach and a specialized teaching faculty member in the Department of Animal Sciences. Sharing her love for the meat science program with her team — and her passion for CF advocacy — has been one of the most meaningful parts of her job. 

But what she loves most about coaching is the mentorship. She describes it as her ministry, walking with students at one of the most pivotal moments in their lives. 

Her motto as a coach reflects that: “Student first and meat judger second, and if you come out better as a person than as a meat judger, I have succeeded.” 

Burris is grateful for the supportive mentors, colleagues, and friends she’s found at Illinois. She is especially grateful for her mentor and former advisor: Anna Dilger, an animal sciences professor and meat science expert, who keeps Elli grounded and reminds her to slow down.

“Although I have come so far in my CF journey, I still have hard days. The team really steps up; they often notice I’m struggling before I even realize it. It’s special seeing them lead in that way,” she said. “Having CF is so multifaceted, and it can get really lonely. Some days it just sucks. But the support from others is so impactful. The support from people at Illinois has made it feel like home.”

Burris has never looked back since she chose to live confidently. While her path has taken a few detours, she has never veered from her goal of working in animal science — and her story inspires others to do the same. 

Help us invest in the next generation of meat scientists, coaches, and leaders. Your support ensures that students have access to transformative hands-on learning, championship-level coaching, and mentorship. Make your gift to the Meat Science Program at go.aces.illinois.edu/give. Select “Other” as the designation and enter “Meat Science Fund 337953.”