Washington, D.C.

Administrator Paul Kiecker was recognized for his 35 years of federal service. Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban and Deputy Under Secretary Sandra Eskin presented Kiecker with his years of service pin and certificate during a recent Management Council meeting.

 
Pictured, from left: Deputy Administrator Terri Nintemann, Acting OIEA Deputy Assistant Administrator Joseph Priore, Administrator Kiecker, Acting Deputy Chief of Staff Alexandra Tarrant, Under Secretary Esteban, Deputy Under Secretary Eskin and OPHS Deputy Assistant Administrator Dr. Kis Robinson-Hale.

Photo by OM Deputy Assistant Administrator Natalie Duncan.

Washington, D.C.

On Aug. 29, the FSIS Management Council held a “Stuff the Administrator’s Conference Room” event. They raised 959 pounds of food donations on site and virtually to support Feds Feed Families (FFF). “This hybrid event was a great opportunity to support this amazing cause,” said Janet Stevens, Chief Talent Management Officer and 2023 FFF Chair for FSIS. “Having this virtual option meant that you could not only bring food in for local food banks, but donate online to reach other areas in need. This allowed us to exceed our goal and ensure more families could have access to the food they need wherever they live.”

 
Pictured, from left: Office of Planning, Analysis and Risk Management (OPARM) Assistant Administrator Gerri French, International Coordination Executive Dr. Michelle Catlin, OPARM Deputy Assistant Administrator Dr. Damon Ranftle, Office of Management (OM) Deputy Assistant Administrator Natalie Duncan, Office of Field Operations Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations Karen Hunter, Deputy Administrator Terri Nintemann, OM Chief Talent Management Officer and 2023 FSIS FFF Chair Janet Stevens.

Photo by OPACE Visual Information Specialist Meghan White.

OM Chief Talent Management Officer and 2023 FSIS FFF Chair Janet Stevens logs donations outside the conference room.

 
Photo by OPACE Visual Information Specialist Meghan White.

Alexandria, Va.

On Aug. 14-18, FSIS new supervisors took part in the Hybrid New Supervisor Training Program. The goal of the training is to prepare new supervisors for their leadership roles and to emphasize supervisory behaviors that encompass the knowledge, skills and other attributes required to build high-performing teams. Leaders from the Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD); Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA); Office of Management (OM); Office of Employee Experience and Development (OEED); Office of Field Operations (OFO); Office of Planning, Analysis and Risk Management (OPARM); Office of Public Health Science (OPHS); and more took part in the event.

Pictured, seated, from left: Resource Manager Tisha Smith; Supervisory Consumer Safety Inspector (SCSI) Tiawanna Smith; Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) Dr. Travis McCann; OPPD Assistant Administrator Rachel Edelstein; Deputy Administrator Terri Nintemann; SCSIs Madeline McWilliams, Kariann Chavez and Noel Barrios Munoz.

Front standing row, from left: OIEA Acting Assistant Administrator (AA) Joe Priore; Administrator Paul Kiecker, SCSI Amanda Chastain; OPACE AA Carol Blake; SPHVs Dr. Erin Goodreau and Dr. Gwen Nance; SCSI Dean Stewart; SPHVs Dr. Christina Holbrook and Dr. Addie Sides; Supervisory Consumer Safety Officer Tat Lau; OM Deputy AA Natalie Duncan; OEED AA Soumaya Tohamy; Deputy Chief Financial Officer Michelle Garner; International Coordination Executive Michelle Catlin.

Back standing row, from left: Chief Operating Officer Todd Reed; Deputy Assistant Chief Information Officer Elamin Osman; SCSI Eric Tabaka; SPHV Dr. Steen Smith; Deputy Chief of Staff Robert Witte; SPHV Dr. Terry Stauffer; SCSIs Philip McMahon and Dwayne Hering; OFO Deputy AA Dr. Hany Sidrak; OPARM AA Gerri French; OPHS Deputy AA Dr. Kis Robertson Hale.

Denver, Colo.

On Aug. 17, Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban spoke at the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) Food Safety Conference to provide USDA policy and regulatory updates to industry leaders. FSIS is committed to working with organizations like NAMI and public health partners to enhance food safety and public health through innovation, science and transparency.

Pictured, at podium: Under Secretary Esteban speaks to conference attendees.

Photo by Administrator Paul Kiecker.

Washington, D.C.

On Aug. 23, Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban, Administrator Paul Kiecker and Deputy Administrator Terri Nintemann joined the Office of Public Health Science’s Microbiological and Chemical Hazards Staff (MCHS) as they met to identify and develop an action plan for accomplishing priority objectives in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

Front row, pictured, from left: Microbiologist Dr. Udit Minocha, Chemist Dr. Cristian Ochoa, Deputy Administrator Nintemann, Toxicologist Katie Weyrauch, Microbiologist Bryce Merrill, Veterinary Medical Officer Dr. Sabrina Wiggins, Senior Microbiologist Dr. Suzy Hammons and MCHS Director Dr. Evelyne Mbandi.

Back row, from left: Senior Chemist Dr. Randolph Duverna, Under Secretary Esteban, Scientific Liaison Dr. Kristal Southern, Senior Food Technologist Dr. Patrick Sisco, Biological Science Information Specialist Dr. Glenn Tillman, Senior Microbiologist Kristi Barlow, MCHS Deputy Director John Jarosh, Microbiologist Courtney Johnson and Administrator Kiecker.

Photo by Acting Chief of Staff Robert Witte.

Tar Heel and Warsaw, N.C.

On June 13-15, a team of FSIS employees from the Office of Management (OM) and the Office of Field Operations (OFO) visited two establishments to provide education on occupational safety, perform safety assessments and collaborate on safety initiatives. The team conducted walk-throughs of both plants and provided feedback to inspection program personnel (IPP) and establishment managers on observed occupational safety and health hazards. The OM safety specialists will provide a written safety inspection report on their findings and provide copies to IPP and labor management representatives.

Pictured above, from left, in Tar Heel, N.C.: OM Public Health Officer Dr. Elizabeth Van Dyne; OFO Regulatory Operations Veterinary Medical Officer Dr. Parrish Endy; OFO Food Inspector (FI) and Clinton Circuit Safety Committee member Marthalene Corbett; OFO Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Ennis V. Williams; OM Safety Team Lead Glenn Kerschner; OM Safety and Occupational Health Specialist Wesley Tart; and OFO Consumer Safety Inspector and American Federation of Government Employees N.C./S.C. L2325 President Aaron Lee.

Photo by FI Dee Emanuel, OFO.

Pictured above, from left, in Warsaw, N.C.: OFO Public Health Veterinarian (PHV) Dr. Daniel Carreno; OM Safety and Occupational Health Specialist Wesley Tart; OM Safety Team Lead Glenn Kerschner; OM

Public Health Officer Dr. Elizabeth Van Dyne; OFO Regulatory Operations Veterinary Medical Officer Dr. Parrish Endy; OFO Food Inspector and Clinton Circuit Safety Committee member Marthalene Corbett.

Photo courtesy of Public Health Officer Dr. Elizabeth Van Dyne, OM.

Fort Morgan, Colo.

On Aug. 16, Under Secretary Dr. Emilio Esteban and Administrator Paul Kiecker met with FSIS employees at a beef slaughter and processing establishment. The group talked about how everyone plays a role in recruitment, the $1,000 referral award (see Notice 55-22) and the $5,000 sign-on bonus for new food inspectors and consumer safety inspectors.

Pictured, back row, from left: Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) Dr. Dennis Raben, Supervisory Consumer Safety Inspector (SCSI) Aide Estrada, Under Secretary Esteban, SPHV Dr. Boris Brglez, Administrator Kiecker, Office of Field Operations (OFO) Acting Assistant Administrator Paul Wolseley and SCSI William MacMullen.

Front row, from left: Consumer Safety Inspectors Dominga Annell Raya and Ivonne Villela de Chavez.

Photo by Denver Deputy District Manager Dr. Jessica Van Hook, OFO.

Denver, Colo.

On Aug. 17, Under Secretary Dr. Emilio Esteban and Administrator Paul Kiecker met with FSIS employees at the Denver District Office.

Pictured, standing, from left: Food Inspectors (FI) Braulio Garcia and Daniel Felix; Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI) Robert Greer; Resource Management Assistant Gregory Levad; Management Analyst Horace Brown; Supervisory Enforcement Investigations Analysis Officer Gregory Lippmann, Management Analyst Matthew Bawden; Denver Deputy District Manager (DDM) Dr. David James, Resource Management Specialists (RMS) Sandra DeRosear and Jessica McCarthy; Student Intern Allesandra Morfin, Under Secretary Esteban; CSI John Zaoutsos; Administrator Kiecker; CSI Christopher Lopez.

Kneeling, from left: Resource Manager Latoya Younger, FI Summer Pacheco, Resource Coordinator Dennis Depperschmidt; Denver DDM Jenifer Monteverde; RMS Nichole Marshall; Office of Field Operations (OFO) Acting Assistant Administrator Paul Wolseley; and Denver District Manager Dr. Robert Reeder.

Photo by DDM Dr. Jessica Van Hook, OFO.

Washington, D.C.

On Sept. 1, Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE) staff celebrated the beginning of Food Safety Education Month by handing out food safety brochures and food thermometers to USDA Farmers Market patrons. The USDA Farmers Market is on the National Mall right outside USDA Headquarters and is open every Friday in the summer.

Pictured above: OPACE PASs Meredith Carothers (left) and Jesus Garcia with a blown-up artist’s rendering of Salmonella as would be seen under a microscope - not your typical farmers market attraction!

Photo by OPACE Deputy Assistant Administrator Aaron Lavallee.