USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator, Barbara J. Masters, DVM, to Join Olsson Frank as Senior Policy Advisor
[WASHINGTON—Jan. 8] Olsson Frank Weeda, P.C. (Olsson Frank), the leading Washington, D.C. law and lobbying firm serving clients in agriculture, food, drugs, medical devices and health care policy, today announced that Barbara J. Masters, DVM, who is leaving her position as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), will join the firm effective January 22. Dr. Masters will serve as Senior Policy Advisor.
As USDA’s FSIS Administrator, Dr. Masters has been responsible for implementing its mission of protecting public health through food safety and food defense. She began her FSIS career in 1989 as a veterinary medical officer and has since held a variety of posts throughout the agency, both in the field and at headquarters in Washington, D.C.
During her tenure at USDA, Dr. Masters was noted for her emphasis on communication and outreach at the Food Safety and Inspection Service so that both industry and FSIS inspection program personnel are better prepared to carry out their food safety and food defense responsibilities.
Dr. Masters said, “I'm proud of the Administration's work to establish a solid infrastructure of science-based policies that have reduced food borne illnesses. In my new position with Olsson Frank Weeda, I will continue to work on food safety and public health issues. There is much more that I want to accomplish to improve public health, and I believe this new position will provide me with a different, but equally important, path toward this personal and professional goal.”
Richard Frank, Founder and Senior Principal, Olsson Frank Weeda, said, "We are thrilled to have Dr. Masters join our growing agricultural and food safety practice. The wealth of knowledge she brings from her experiences at USDA will be invaluable. We’re proud of Olsson Frank’s role in bringing together industry, consumer organizations, and government regulators to protect and improve public health and safety.”
“Dr. Masters was a key player in the government-industry efforts to reduce food borne illnesses and enhance regulatory compliance at inspected meat and poultry establishments. Given the number of recent public health incidents across the whole food supply, her experience will be beneficial as we approach these new challenges,” said Philip Olsson, Founder and Senior Principal, Olsson Frank.
Dr. Masters joins other Principals and Senior Policy Advisors of Olsson Frank’s unmatched Agriculture Practice, including:
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John R. Block, Secretary of Agriculture under President Ronald Reagan.
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Charles W. Stenholm, former Congressman (D-Texas) and ranking member of the House Committee on Agriculture.
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Dennis Johnson, with over 25 years of expertise in food safety law and regulation, and author of HACCP and U.S. Food Safety Law .
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John Bode, former Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Food and Consumer Services.
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Marshall Matz, former Special Counsel to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
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Sally S. Donner, former Director, Government Affairs, Kraft Foods and Altria Corporate Services.
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Brent W. Gattis, former Deputy Chief of Staff for the House Committee on Agriculture.
Dr. Masters graduated from Mississippi State University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and has continued to further her education by taking advanced coursework in biotechnology at Texas A&M University.
With more than 30 attorneys and Policy Advisors possessing backgrounds in government and industry, Olsson Frank offers experience and knowledge impossible to find elsewhere. Since opening its doors in 1979, Olsson Frank has participated in nearly all the key national debates relating to food, agriculture, drug, medical devices and dietary supplements. The firm’s lawyers and Senior Policy Advisors have an established reputation for finding creative solutions to challenging client problems. Olsson Frank Weeda, P.C. is the nation’s premier FDA, USDA, and health care law firm, serving clients before federal agencies, courts, and Congress.
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