South Dakota Women on the Wing Speaker Series #2: Dr. Shefali Mehta

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Dr. Shefali Mehta is the Deputy Under Secretary for the Research, Education, and Economics mission area, which is comprised of the Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Office of the Chief Scientist. Together these organizations cut across every USDA department and have a unique responsibility to advance agricultural research, extension, and education.

 

As an environmental and agricultural economist and statistician, Dr. Mehta comes to USDA from Open Rivers Consulting Associates, a science & technology and management consulting firm she founded and led. In her role as founder and principal, she helped clients intertwine innovation, data and science, compassion, diversity of perspectives and the importance of the environment for overall health into their skills and values.

 

Over the course of her career, she has worked in roles across private, public and non-profit sectors including McKinsey, Syngenta, the Soil Health Partnership, amongst others. She has served as a board or advisory council member for various groups including Pheasants Forever, Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pest Center, the School of Statistics at University of Minnesota, and The Gates Scholar Advisory Council and more.

 

Dr. Mehta received her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics and M.S. in Statistics from the University of Minnesota, M.Phil. in Economics from Cambridge University, and a B.A. in Economics from New York University.

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