The Department of Agriculture Thursday announced more key staff appointments. 

Anne Knapke was named deputy assistant secretary for congressional relations. 

Knapke was recently a senior program officer focusing on nutrition at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Liz Archuleta was named director in the Intergovernmental affairs office. 

She served as a County Supervisor for Coconino County, Arizona, where she was the first Latina ever elected to that office. Jasmine Dickerson was named Legislative Director in the congressional relations office. Dickerson served as staff director for the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Departmental Operations on the House  Agriculture Committee. 

Jamal Habibi was named chief of staff for the Rural Housing Service. 

He previously was a senior associate at the Opportunity Finance Network. 

During the Obama Administration, he served as an outreach director at the Treasury Department, and a Special Assistant at USDA. 

Finally, Brandon Chaderton was named deputy White House liaison in the Secretary’s office. 

Most recently, he served as human resources director for the 2021 Presidential Inaugural Committee.

(Story Courtesy of the NAFB News Service)