Dr. Mindy M. Brashears is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Food Safety. Dr. Brashears previously served as Under Secretary for Food Safety from 2020-2021, and Deputy Under Secretary in 2019. Dr. Brashears returns to USDA from Texas Tech University where she was a Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Public Health, the Roth and Letch Family Endowed Chair for Food Safety and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence. Dr. Brashears’ research program has advanced food safety in meat and poultry production, with a focus on on public health. Her work evaluated interventions in pre- and post-harvest environments and antimicrobial drug resistance in animal feeding systems. She has led international research teams across the globe to enhance food safety, security, and sustainable agriculture systems. She has also taught courses in food microbiology and food safety and provided industry training in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points , sanitation, recalls and food security. Dr. Brashears has an extensive publication record in peer-reviewed journals and has delivered keynote addresses here in the U.S. and abroad. Her research has resulted in more than 20 patents and patents pending for innovations in food safety. Beyond academia, Dr. Brashears has held leadership roles on boards and advisory committees, including the American Meat Science Association, the Development Council, the International Stockman’s Educational Foundation, and the Protein Pact. She was a founding member of the SAFE Think Tank and has chaired the National Alliance for Food Safety and Security and the USDA’s multi-state research group. Her contributions have earned national and international recognition, including induction into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, Fellow status in the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) and the National Academy of Inventors, and numerous awards from leading associations. Top among them include the International Association for Food Protection Laboratorian Award, the AMSA Signal Service Fellow Award, the AMSA Distinguished Research Award, and the AMSA Distinguished Industry Service Award. She was named among the National Provisioner’s Top 25 Future Icons in the Beef Industry and honored as an Outstanding Graduate of Distinction at Oklahoma State University.