USDA Announces Presidential Appointments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the names of the following individuals who will hold senior staff positions in Washington, D.C. These appointees have been selected to implement President Trump’s America First agenda.

Kailee Tkacz Buller will serve as chief of staff of the USDA. Most recently, Buller served as the president and CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association and the Edible Oil Producers Association. Previously, Buller served as chief of staff to the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and held numerous leadership roles across the department in the first Trump administration. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Buller as the 8th Congressional District Representative of the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and she holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University at Buffalo.

Preston Parry will serve as deputy chief of staff of the USDA. Parry most recently served as strategic assistant to the president and CEO at the America First Policy Institute. During the first Trump administration, he was the executive assistant to the director of the Domestic Policy Council, where he supported operations and served as policy coordinator and primary liaison to the Office of the Staff Secretary. Previously, Parry was an associate director in the White House Visitors Office. A native of Tucson, Ariz., Parry holds a degree in political science from Utah Valley University.

Jennifer Tiller will serve as chief of staff to the deputy secretary and senior advisor to the secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services. Most recently, Tiller served as the deputy staff director for the House Committee on Agriculture and holds graduate degrees from Marist College and Syracuse University.

Ralph Linden will serve as the principal deputy general counsel of the USDA. Linden served in various capacities in the Office of the General Counsel from 1982 until 2021, including serving as an acting deputy general counsel during the first Trump administration. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame School of Law.

Audra Weeks will serve as deputy director of communications of the USDA. She previously served in the first Trump administration as deputy press secretary of the USDA before joining the national press team for Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign. Weeks later served as press secretary to U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and most recently specialized in crisis and issues management for food and agricultural clients in the private sector. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida, a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University.

Dominic Restuccia will serve as the White House liaison for the USDA. He previously served as a legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Mike Bishop and U.S. Senator Mike Lee. Restuccia is from Michigan and is a graduate of Hillsdale College.