U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Staff Appointments and Promotions

Press Release

Release No. 0149.24

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the names of individuals who hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C.

Carlton Bridgeforth has been promoted to White House Liaison in the Office of the Secretary.

Bridgeforth is being promoted after serving as Senior Advisor for USDA's Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area where he led stakeholder outreach and Congressional engagement. Before his time at USDA, Bridgeforth worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, where he advised Chairman David Scott, Committee members, and their staff on issues related to the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee and the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee. Additionally Bridgeforth has served as an appointee to the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and an Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade. Bridgeforth holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Morehouse College.

Hunter Henderson has been promoted to Chief of Staff of the Farm Service Agency.

Henderson most recently served as Deputy White House Liaison, where he coordinated hiring efforts and interagency collaboration for USDA under the Biden-Harris Administration. Before that, he served as Special Assistant for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) where he advised senior staff on FSA field operations and personnel policy, and was the direct liaison between the FSA Deputy Administrator and the 51 FSA State Executive Directors. Prior to joining USDA, Henderson served as both the Organizing Director for the Arizona Democratic Party and as the Arizona Deputy Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris Presidential Campaign. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Henderson is a son of the Akimel O'odham people, The Salt River People of Arizona.

Alyssa Charney has been promoted to Senior Advisor for Farm Production and Conservation.

Charney returned to USDA in May after serving as the White House Director for Lands and Climate-Smart Agriculture in the Climate Policy Office since April of 2023. Previously, she served as the Chief of Staff in USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for two years, where she provided leadership and led the agency's work to implement the climate-smart agriculture investments provided through the Inflation Reduction Act. Prior to her time at USDA, Charney worked for U.S. Senator Bob Casey, handling his agriculture and environmental portfolio and led conservation policy at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Charney holds a master's degree in food and agriculture policy from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, a master's degree in public health from Tufts University, and a bachelor's degree from Vassar College.

Victoria Maloch has been promoted to Chief of Staff for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.

Most recently, Maloch served as Special Advisor for Strategic Communications in USDA's Office of Communications. Prior to joining USDA, she was Communications Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, where she also held policy roles for the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee and the Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research Subcommittee. Maloch also served as a Truman-Albright Fellow in the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy at the Department of Health and Human Services. She holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Cambridge, a master's degree in comparative social policy from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural, Food and Life Sciencesfrom the University of Arkansas. Maloch is a former National FFA Officer and grew up on her family's Arkansas Century Farm.

Will Clement has been appointed Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications in the Office of Communications.

Clement joins USDA with experience as an account supervisor for health crisis and issues at Edelman, having supported crisis communications and issues management for several global healthcare companies. Previously, Clement also worked as an account supervisor and senior account executive at Ketchum where he led healthcare client teams focused on public affairs and issues management, and served as the rapid-response and issues lead across a number of health-related accounts. Clement holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.