Robert C. Post, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.Sc.
Deputy Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

Dr. Robert C. Post was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an Agency in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in September 2007. As the senior administrative official in the Agency, he serves as an advisor to the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services on a broad range of policy, organizational, and technical issues that focus on improving the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.

Dr. Post came to the Center after serving as the Director of the Labeling and Consumer Protection Staff in the Food Safety and Inspection Service, at USDA. As part of the Office of Policy, he had leadership responsibility for the USDA staff that developed, delivered, and communicated national consumer protection policies and programs in the area of food, nutrition, and health claims labeling; food standards; and food ingredients used in the production of meat, poultry, and egg products distributed in domestic commerce and exported to the United States.

Before becoming Director, Dr. Post served in senior leadership positions in other FSIS programs -- Regulatory Programs; Technical Services; Inspection Operations; and Science and Technology.

Currently, Dr. Post is an adjunct faculty member of the Nutrition and Food Science Department of the University of Maryland, instructing courses in food industry quality control, and food laws and policy. Since 1986, he also served as an instructor of short courses and workshops on science communications, media, and technology; public health education and program administration; food and nutrition labeling; food ingredients; food processing and packaging methods; and consumer research methods. Prior to joining USDA in 1982, he held research and teaching positions in academia, taught public high-school science, and worked in the food industry.

Dr. Post's academic accomplishments include a Ph.D. in Public Health, and Science Education Policy and Program Administration, from the University of Maryland, where he also earned a Master of Education in Health Communications, Media, and Technology in 1989; a Master of Science in Food Science and Microbiology in 1981; and a Bachelor of Science in Food Science
and Biochemistry in 1978. Dr. Post has been awarded certificates of merit for his technical competence and leadership qualities in directing many vital USDA and inter-agency projects. He has also authored many peer-reviewed articles and technical papers.

Last Modified: 10/15/2008