FSIS Appoints New Chief Scientist

USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service has announced that effective Dec. 31, 2023, Dr. Michelle Catlin will serve as Chief Scientist of FSIS. In this role, Dr. Catlin will serve as the primary scientific advisor on matters of public health and food safety that affect the mission of the agency, with primary responsibility for scientific initiatives within the Office of Public Health Science (OPHS). Dr. Catlin has more than 20 years of experience in the public health field.

From 1999 through 2004 she worked for National Academy of Sciences. In 2004, Dr. Catlin joined FSIS as a senior scientist. She most recently served the agency as the International Coordination Executive, overseeing all of FSIS’ international activities. Dr. Catlin holds a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in life sciences and a Master of Science in pharmacology from Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and a Ph.D. in toxicology from the Department of Environmental Health of the University of Washington at Seattle. Margaret Burns-Rath, JD, MPH, who is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of International Coordination, will begin acting as the International Coordination Executive.