VILSACK NAMES ADDITIONAL STAFF AT USDA
News Date June 22, 2009
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack June 19 announced the appointment of additional people who will hold positions in the Office of Congressional Relations and the Office of Communications at USDA. Jennifer M. Yezak, formerly NASDA’s director of legislative and regulatory affairs, was named USDA’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.
NASDA looks forward to our continued work with Jennifer. A native of Texas, she worked for NASDA from July 2002 until February 2008. She has also served as vice president of AgSource, Inc., as a consultant to the United Soybean Board on research and biodiesel issues, and in several agencies at USDA in Washington, DC. Yezak also served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen and U.S. Senator Bob Krueger of Texas. At the state level, she served as administrator for commodity programs for the Texas Department of Agriculture and as a staff member for the Committee on Agriculture and Livestock in the Texas House of Representatives. Yezak is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Agricultural Education and a Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Development.
Oscar Gonzales has been named Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Gonzales most recently served as Associate Director of the UFW Foundation in Los Angeles, Calif., and as Colorado Latino GOTV Director for the Obama/Biden campaign. He previously served as California Director for the National Hispanic Environmental Council, where he worked on federal legislation to protect California's unprotected wilderness and wild rivers. Oscar has also worked for California Governor Gray Davis and California Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa.