The Obama Administration has begun nominating individuals to serve as State Director for Rural Development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). State Directors are responsible for administering USDA rural housing and development programs in their states. Nominated to date, by state, are:



  • Alaska — Jim Norlund, Norlund Carpentry, LLC
  • Colorado — Jim Isgar, Colorado State Senator; Chair, Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
  • Hawaii — Donna Kiyosaki, Waimana Enterprises
  • Idaho — Wallace Hendrick, General Manager, Esco Supply
  • Illinois — Colleen Callahan, Chicago Farmers; Colleen Callahan Communications
  • Indiana — Phillip Lehmkuhler, Indiana Municipal Power Agency
  • Kansas — Patricia Clark, Director of Operations, Kansas Leadership Center
  • Michigan — James Turner, State Advisor on Renewable and Alternative Energy for U.S. Senator Carl Levin
  • Minnesota — Colleen Landkamer, County Commissioner, Blue Earth County, MN
  • Mississippi — Trina George, Special Projects Coordinator for Congressman Bennie Thompson
  • Montana — Matthew Jones, Director for Economic Development for Senator Max Baucus
  • Nebraska — Maxine Moul, EndowNebraska
  • New York — Jill Harvey, Office of Senator Charles Schumer
  • Oklahoma — Ryan McMullen, State Representative
  • Pennsylvania — Thomas Williams, District Projects Director for Congressman Paul Kanjorski
  • Texas — Francisco Valentin, Jr., Director, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development
  • Virginia — Ellen Matthews Davis, Virginia State Director of USDA Rural Development
  • Washington — Mario Villanueva, Catholic Charities Housing Services Director, Yakima, WA
  • Wisconsin — Stan Gruszynski, Director of Rural Leadership and Community Development, Global Environmental Management Center, University of Wisconsin’s Stevens Point College of Natural Resources


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