US Secretary of Ag Brooke Rollins and her team at USDA are tapping multiple Oklahomans(and those with ties to the state via OSU) to be a part of the USDA team. That includes Dr. Jaye Hamby, who was recently named director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Oklahoma State University in agricultural education with a specialization in agricultural economics and was an active 4-H’er and a national FFA officer.
Dr. Jaye L. Hamby was appointed as the USDA NIFA Director on March 20, 2025.
Others who have recently joined the Rollins team at USDA include:
T.W. Shannon – Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Rural Prosperity. T.W. served as the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2013 to 2014. He has worked extensively in banking and economic development, serving as CEO of Chickasaw Community Bank. Shannon is a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow and a Rodel Fellow. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Cameron University and a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University.
Riley Pagett – Chief of Staff for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. Most recently, Riley served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann. Previously, Riley served as Chief of Staff for USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement. He holds a Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications from Oklahoma State University. Pagett is a former President of the Oklahoma FFA as as well as a Past President of the National FFA.
Ricki Schroeder – Chief of Staff for Research, Education, and Economics. Ricki previously served in the office of Congressman Frank Lucas as well as on the Professional Staff for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. Schroeder is a former 4-H State President.
Alison Slagell – Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Farm Production and Conservation, and Immigration. Most recently Alison served as Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma. Alison was born and raised in Hydro, Oklahoma, on her family’s fifth generation farm and is a proud graduate of Oklahoma State University.
