Jett retires, MacMillan, Gonzales promoted
March 12, 2013 | 04:51 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that he has appointed Anne MacMillan and Oscar Gonzales, Jr. as deputy chiefs of staff and that Carole Jett, who has been a deputy chief of staff, will depart USDA in early April.
MacMillan, who currently serves as a senior policy adviser within the Office of the Secretary, will oversee external affairs and USDA policy management.
Gonzales, who has been deputy assistant secretary for administration, will handle operational matters within the department, Vilsack said.
MacMillan has been senior adviser to the secretary in the areas of nutrition, specialty crops, food safety, livestock markets and animal health. Before joining the department, she was the policy adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on issues related to agriculture, small business, veterans and government oversight.
Before that, MacMillan worked for Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., as legislative director and principal liaison to the House Agriculture Committee and House Resources Committee.
She is from Sacramento and received her undergraduate degree at the University of California, San Diego, and a law degree from the George Washington University School of Law. She is a member of Maryland State Bar Association.
Before serving as deputy assistant secretary for administration, Gonzales served as deputy director of intergovernmental relations and as acting deputy assistant secretary for congressional relations.
Before joining the Obama administration, he served as deputy appointments secretary to former California Gov. Gray Davis. He also served on the staff of California Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and in a wide range of community organizing roles.
Gonzales was born and raised in East Los Angeles, Calif. He earned an associate of arts degree from East Los Angeles College and a bachelor of arts in political science at the University of California, San Diego.
Jett will rejoin the Blackwoods Group, a consulting group she founded in 2008 after retiring as a civil servant from USDA.
Between her service as a civil servant and her appointment, Jett has worked at USDA for 37 years. Before her appointment, Jett worked on the Obama campaign and co-chaired President-elect Barack Obama’s USDA transition team before becoming Vilsack’s deputy chief of staff.
MacMillan, who currently serves as a senior policy adviser within the Office of the Secretary, will oversee external affairs and USDA policy management.
Gonzales, who has been deputy assistant secretary for administration, will handle operational matters within the department, Vilsack said.
MacMillan has been senior adviser to the secretary in the areas of nutrition, specialty crops, food safety, livestock markets and animal health. Before joining the department, she was the policy adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on issues related to agriculture, small business, veterans and government oversight.
Before that, MacMillan worked for Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., as legislative director and principal liaison to the House Agriculture Committee and House Resources Committee.
She is from Sacramento and received her undergraduate degree at the University of California, San Diego, and a law degree from the George Washington University School of Law. She is a member of Maryland State Bar Association.
Before serving as deputy assistant secretary for administration, Gonzales served as deputy director of intergovernmental relations and as acting deputy assistant secretary for congressional relations.
Before joining the Obama administration, he served as deputy appointments secretary to former California Gov. Gray Davis. He also served on the staff of California Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and in a wide range of community organizing roles.
Gonzales was born and raised in East Los Angeles, Calif. He earned an associate of arts degree from East Los Angeles College and a bachelor of arts in political science at the University of California, San Diego.
Jett will rejoin the Blackwoods Group, a consulting group she founded in 2008 after retiring as a civil servant from USDA.
Between her service as a civil servant and her appointment, Jett has worked at USDA for 37 years. Before her appointment, Jett worked on the Obama campaign and co-chaired President-elect Barack Obama’s USDA transition team before becoming Vilsack’s deputy chief of staff.
