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Elisabeth Hagen, M.D., Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA
Dr. Hagen was sworn in as Under Secretary for Food Safety on August 20, 2010. She oversees the policies and
programs of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA's public health regulatory agency that ensures
that the nation's commercial meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled.
She is a principal member of the President's Food Safety Working Group.
Under a prevention-first framework, Dr. Hagen has implemented new initiatives and modern management tools to ensure
that FSIS is an accountable, high-performing agency with strong employee and stakeholder relationships. Using a
"One Team, One Purpose" message, Dr. Hagen highlights the importance of every employee in achieving the
Agency's mission of public health protection through foodborne illness prevention.
Dr. Hagen has implemented significant new policies that have enhanced consumer protection, including: zero tolerance
for six strains of pathogenic E. coli in raw beef; a common sense 'test and hold' requirement prohibiting
food from entering commerce before critical test results are confirmed; tough new performance standards for Salmonella
and the first ever performance standard for Campylobacter in poultry; and improved capabilities for tracing
contaminated meat.
Under Dr. Hagen's leadership, FSIS published a dynamic five-year strategic plan in 2011 that engages employees at
all levels and holds the Agency clearly accountable for public health outcomes. FSIS also implemented a comprehensive
reform of its data infrastructure and utilization that allows for real time analysis of in-plant data and correlation
with public health trends to inform inspection and better prevent illnesses.
Food safety education has received special emphasis at FSIS under Dr. Hagen's direction, and through innovative
approaches, the Agency has reached tens of millions of consumers about food safety risks and how to reduce them.
In partnership with the Ad Council and HHS, FSIS launched Food Safe Families, the first ever national multi-media
food safety ad campaign. FSIS is a government leader in using social and new media platforms, including the award
winning, bilingual, 'Ask Karen' mobile app.
Prior to her appointment as Under Secretary, Dr. Hagen served in a number of leadership roles at USDA, including as
the department's Chief Medical Officer and in FSIS' Office of Public Health Science. Before joining public service,
she taught and practiced clinical medicine. Dr. Hagen holds a B.S. in biology from St. Joseph's University and an
M.D. from Harvard Medical School. She is specialty trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases.
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Last Modified:
April 22, 2013 |
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