USDA revealed Tuesday individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C.
Kumar Chandran has been appointed acting under secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
Chandran has been critical to the Biden-Harris Administration’s health and nutrition, serving first on the Biden-Harris Transition as part of the USDA Agency Review team and then as a senior advisor for Nutrition Policy in the office of the secretary since the start of the Administration, according to USDA.
Chandran will apply his experience from multiple organizations to the new role to help carry forward the Biden-Harris Administration’s vision for reducing hunger, improving nutrition, and facilitating better lives for all Americans, noted the USDA.
Justo Robles has been appointed deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Secretary
Robles is rejoining USDA after serving as director of intergovernmental relations at the Federal Emergency Management Agency since July 2022. Robles previously was the White House liaison for USDA, starting at the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, and was responsible for building a team of USDA leaders who reflect the diversity of the nation and many of whom have personal experience with the programs USDA delivers.
Russellie Bongolan has been appointed chief of staff to the deputy secretary
Bongolan most recently served as White House liaison for USDA. She first joined the department in November 2021, when she was appointed special assistant to the under secretary for research education and the economics mission area. There she worked to promote key USDA priorities, including promoting equity, driving program modernization, and addressing climate change.
Alberto A. Gonzalez, Jr. has been appointed senior policy advisor for the Food and Nutrition Service
Gonzalez most recently served as senior advisor focused on external engagement within the agency. Previously he worked as a senior project manager for health policy at Latino nonprofit advocacy organization UnidosUS, where he worked on health and nutrition policy related to federal government programs.
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