Rachel Seman-Varner

Rachel Seman-Varner, PhD, currently serves as the National Program Leader at the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture since March 2024. Prior to this role, Rachel held the position of Senior Scientist at the American Farmland Trust from July 2022 to March 2024 and was the National Soil Health Specialist at USDA from January 2021 to July 2022. Rachel's earlier experience includes serving as an Environmental Manager at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and a Natural Resources Scientist at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, where notable contributions included leading the Pesticide Usage program and developing the statewide Soil Health Initiative. Rachel also has experience as a Material Review Specialist in the Organic Program, focusing on compliance with National Organic Program regulations, and worked as a Laboratory Manager in the Department of Botany at the University of Florida. Educational qualifications include a Ph.D. in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture from Virginia Tech and both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Agroecology and Botany from the University of Florida.