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USDA names three Deputy Under Secretaries

The USDA has announced three senior appointments as the department continues to fill out its staff.

Stacy Dean has been named Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services.  Prior to her appointment, Dean served as vice president for food assistance policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, DC. 

Justin Maxon has been named Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development.  Maxon has served as CEO of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, an organization that works toward poverty alleviation an economic justice in southern states.

Mae Wu will serve as Deputy Under Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Wu previous served as a senior director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, helping to lead the organization’s health and food work. 

USDA Chief of Staff Katharine Ferguson says the three experts have depth of knowledge, experience, and respect from peers and colleagues across nutrition, economic development, and food and environmental security.  She says their talents will help end the pandemic’s grip on the economy, address the urgency of hunger and climate, and maintain the safety and security of our food.