Bruning is the director of Nutrition & Brand Innovation at Incite Strategic Partners, a senior living group purchasing organization. Her previous roles have included nutrition strategist at the corporate restaurant management and catering company Guckenheimer; general manager of food and nutrition services for Sodexo's health care division; adjunct professor of nutrition at Columbia College Chicago; and clinical dietitian for ManorCare Health Services. Bruning is a graduate of Saint Louis University and earned a master's degree from Colorado State University.