Justin Ronca
Justin Ronca was appointed the Chief Data Scientist (CDS) and Assistant Chief Data Officer (ACDO) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in March 2020. In his role as CDS, Ronca serves as the primary technical advisor on matters of data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence within the Office of Planning, Analysis and Risk Management. He directly supports FSIS’ efforts to prevent foodborne illness and protect public health while modernizing its inspection systems, policies, and how it uses data science to achieve its public health goals.
As ACDO, Ronca oversees the Agency’s data stewardship and governance efforts, and is developing FSIS’ data and analytics strategy as part of the Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018.
Prior to joining FSIS, Ronca served as a Principal Data Scientist for The MITRE Corporation, where he worked across MITRE’s Federally Funded Research and Development Centers to solve problems for a safer world. His passion for using data to tackle challenges to public safety led him to join FSIS where he helps to ensure the Agency continues to achieve its vision of ensuring everyone’s food is safe.
He holds a Master of Science in Mathematical Statistics and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.