The U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday announced the names of individuals who will hold senior positions in Washington, D.C. It inclues a Univerity of Minnesota graduate.
Shefali Mehta was named deputy under secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.
Mehta comes to USDA from Open Rivers Consulting Associates where she served as the founder and principal of strategy and implementation.
Prior to Open Rivers, Mehta was the executive director at the Soil Health Partnership, the flagship sustainability program of the National Corn Growers Association. In this role, Mehta led the transformation and expansion of farmer-led, multi-stakeholder programs to increase adoption of healthy soil practices across the U.S. Her invaluable leadership and vision helped expand the Soil Health Partnership to strengthen processes, improve structure of the organization, and boost outreach to sustain the culture of the organization.
Mehta is a champion of the environment and sustainability. Her work has included identifying optimal management strategies to protect U.S. forests from invasive species by researching invasive species management strategies and focusing on overlooked areas of detection. Mehta is also a proud supporter of community engagement and encouraging women and youth to pursue careers in science and tech.
She is the founder of Teaching SMART, an organization at the University of Minnesota that aims to help underserved communities and increase STEM access to K-12 students.
She received her bachelor's degree from New York University and her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Minnesota.
Others named to posts include Marcia Bunger of South Dakota as administrator for the Risk Management Agency; and Colin Finan, a Univerity of Wisconsin graduate, as a senior advisor for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
"Under the leadership of Shefali, Marcia and Colin, USDA's commitment to advancing science, research and education and serving the Nation's farmers and ranchers will only be furthered," said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. "Their skills and experience are a welcomed addition to our talented staff."
Categories: Minnesota, Government & Policy