BREAKING: USDA Food and Nutrition Program Leader Leaves Role Amid Reorg

The new staffing organization could lead to a loss of experienced staff, which advocates worry will lead to disruptions in some of the 16 nutrition assistance programs the FNA oversees, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school meals, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

The most recent FNA deputy under secretary, Patrick Penn, who was appointed in May 2025, has departed the role, according to a source familiar with the change. He will now serve in the USDA’s Office of Tribal Relations. Moving forward, FNA will be led by a politically appointed administrator, according to the source and a USDA organizational chart.

The USDA announced a major reorganization of FNS in April. As part of that process, the department was renamed to FNA, effective June 1. Similar to other programs at USDA, employees based in the Washington, D.C., area will be relocated across the country.

Any USDA employee directed to relocate must do so or effectively resign or retire, Politico reported Wednesday.

The conversion of FNA from a mission area to an administration aligns it with other federal safety-net programs like Medicare and Medicaid, according to the USDA’s page on the FNA reorganization. It also allows a leader to take office more quickly, as an administrator does not need to be confirmed by the Senate.

Shiela Corley is now listed as the acting administrator on the FNA national office website. Corley has worked at the USDA since 2005 in various departments, according to her LinkedIn profile. She most recently served as chief of staff at the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and has held that role since 2018.