U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced a new slate of presidential appointments to senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tuesday afternoon, reinforcing the administration’s focus on rural America, agricultural innovation, and operational leadership. Among the appointees are three individuals with notable ties to North Carolina, bringing both regional insight and national experience to USDA leadership.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is building a powerhouse team of Presidential Appointees deeply committed to uplifting rural America and putting Farmers First. With strong experience in agriculture, public service, and national security, this team will protect family farms, expand opportunities, and proudly implement America First policies,” Secretary Rollins said in the press release.
Hailey Ghee, a native of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. Ghee previously served at USDA during President Trump’s first term, where she played a central role in advancing agency operations and administrative priorities.
After graduating from William Peace University in 2014 with a BA in political science and government, Ghee spent several years working on multiple representatives staffs, including Rep. Bruce Westerman and Rep. Dan Newhouse.
Ghee was the Special Assistant to the Secretary in the USDA during the first Trump administration. She became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Implementation for the Small Business Administration in January 2025, supporting programs vital to local economies. Her operational leadership and North Carolina roots position her to oversee the department’s internal management and policy execution.
Kennon “Ken” White was named Assistant Chief for the South Region of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). White brings decades of experience in conservation and environmental stewardship, having led Resource Institute, one of the nation’s largest environmental management organizations.
During his tenure, hundreds of miles of streams were restored to improve water quality and support agricultural producers across the South. White lived in Advance, North Carolina, for more than 30 years and holds an MBA from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. He also has strong ties to agriculture through his family’s cow-calf operations.
Mireya “Reya” Brogan was also named chief of staff for USDA’s Risk Management Agency. Brogan brings a strong background in national security and supply chain risk management, having spent the past seven years overseeing research and development supply chain risk at a federally funded research and development center supporting the U.S. Department of Defense.
While raised in Texas, Brogan has an academic connection to North Carolina, having earned her master’s degree in public policy from Duke University. Earlier in her career, she worked to expand agricultural markets in South Asia and West Africa.
“I look forward to working together to deliver real results for the American people, particularly the farmers, ranchers, and producers who feed and fuel our nation,” Rollins said.
The full slate of USDA appointments spans leadership roles across agencies and states, reflecting a broad range of experience in agriculture, rural development, conservation, and public service. The inclusion of three leaders with North Carolina ties underscores the state’s ongoing influence in shaping national agricultural, conservation, and risk management policy at the federal level.
For more information on all of the new appointees, click here.