APHIS Leadership
Bethany Jones is the Deputy Administrator of Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA) for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). In this position, she provides leadership and guidance to effectively communicate APHIS policy developments and program accomplishments. Ms. Jones is responsible for the overall planning and direction of LPA activities, which include media and industry outreach, legislative analysis, Freedom of Information and Privacy Act requests, production of informational materials, and response to media, congressional, intergovernmental, and citizen inquiries about APHIS programs.
Ms. Jones began her career with APHIS in 1990, after graduating from Randolph Macon Woman’s College. She accepted a position as a writer/editor with LPA’s Executive Communications program and has been with LPA ever since. While working for Executive Communications, Ms. Jones answered Congressional and industry letters, wrote speeches, and crafted briefing papers for the Secretary and the White House.
Ms. Jones then moved to LPA’s Public Affairs office where she served in various positions including editor of the Agency’s newsletter, outreach campaign coordinator, and international trade public affairs specialist. In 1997, Ms. Jones became a Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist, and then Deputy Director of Public Affairs in 1998. Just two years later, she was named Director of Public Affairs with responsibility for managing the Agency’s media, outreach, publications, web, and audio visual functions.
In 2003, Ms. Jones was selected as Associate Deputy Administrator for LPA and assumed responsibility for the day-to-day management of the unit’s four staffs: Intergovernmental Affairs, Executive Communications, Public Affairs, and Freedom of Information. As Deputy, Ms. Jones continues to lead LPA, focusing her energy on clearly communicating the Agency’s many scientific activities to Congress, the States, industry and stakeholders, trading partners, and the media.
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