Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk
Acting Deputy Under Secretary
Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk is serving as the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development, and leads Rural Development’s Innovation Center (IC) and oversees regulations development, data analytics, program evaluation and strategic engagement across rural development.
Meet our Deputy Under Secretary
Marie Wheat
Acting Chief Operating Officer
Marie Wheat is serving as the Acting Chief Operating Officer and the Director of the Office of External Affairs (OEA) for USDA Rural Development (RD). In this role, she coordinates all public and legislative affairs, as well as communications, messaging, and branding.
Meet our Acting Chief Operating Officer
Sharon Roach
Acting Director of State Operations
Sharon Roach served as the Deputy Director of State Operations Office. She has 19 years of experience within Rural Development specializing in managing business operations, leading specialized teams in a variety of management operations efforts. Sharon is passionate about providing excellent customer service, creating efficiencies, advocating for automation in processes and training for the workforce.
Meet our Director of State Operations
State Leadership
State Director’s play a critical role in helping Rural Development focus on locally driven, community economic development strategies that build on the diverse assets and needs of rural places throughout America. Each state including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is led by an appointed State Director, and in a few cases adjoining states are led by a single State Director.